10 Jul 2026
On July 7th, I was delighted to chair an event in the House of Lords to launch the first edition of what we hope will become a regular report on ‘Addiction in the United Kingdom’. This publication aims to bring together in one place all the available data and evidence on this subject, and an analysis of government and community efforts to respond.
We are grateful to our parliamentary hosts – Lord Clive Brooke of Alverthorpe and Baroness Clare Gerada, both old friends of The Forward Trust – for providing introductory comments and context. They bring a deep understanding of the subject, and compassion for those affected, to parliamentary discussions on addiction and related issues.
The event was lively and well attended. It was my job to do the potentially boring job of presenting the key statistics in the report, but this data illustrates some basic truths:
Addiction is widespread. Over 1.4 million UK citizens are officially estimated to be living with addiction to alcohol, drugs or gambling (probably an underestimate).
The harms to individuals and society are growing – addiction is a significant cause and consequence of early death, poor physical and mental health, crime, homelessness and unemployment.
Addiction can be a life-or-death struggle – we mourn for the 17,000 people who die each year in the UK from drug or alcohol related causes, but we celebrate the hundreds of thousands who have overcome addiction and found recovery.
Government responses to addiction have historically been slow, but we now have broadly sensible strategies and funding programmes. The problem is that these strategies are somewhat on autopilot and not keeping up with the fast-changing situation on the ground. New political energy is needed to reverse the current negative trends.
These complex issues are always best brought to life through the personal stories of people who have lived through their own struggle with addiction, or that of a loved one. We were humbled by the grace and determination shown by our two ‘lived experience’ ambassadors – Amy and Tony.
Amy provided the audience with an insight into her battle with ketamine addiction, reminding everyone of the debilitating physical effects of heavy use of that synthetic tranquiliser. She also shared the strength and inspiration of how she decided to reach out for help, and used treatment and recovery communities to rebuild life for her and her daughter.
Tony read a heart-rending tribute to his late partner Emma, who died following a relapse in 2024. Emma was known to many of us and much loved for the way she channelled her own recovery into helping others. Her death was such a tragedy, and Tony did her proud with beautiful words in this unique location.
And that is what we need to remember. When debating policies, fighting over funding and priorities, and designing strategies and treatment methods, we need to remember the fundamental truths – addiction treatment is about helping people who are struggling during difficult stages in their lives. We need to listen to them, involve them in the design and delivery of treatment, and do all we can to make it easier for them to find a path to recovery.
Everyone in the room at the House of Lords understands that – so please join us in making this a national conversation, using these social media hashtags, and joining us for Addiction Awareness Week in September.
