The alcohol education charity Drinkaware have published a new survey and are urging employers to support staff wellbeing after finding that furloughed workers have been drinking more during lockdown.
Commenting on the survey findings, John Timothy, Chief Executive of the Portman Group, the alcohol industry regulator and social responsibility body, said –
“This important and timely report from Drinkaware adds to our understanding of drinking behaviours during lockdown. Whilst it is heartening to see that the majority of furloughed workers, as with the wider public, are drinking the same or less than before the lockdown, we should be mindful of the small minority who may have increased their drinking to hazardous levels, potentially developing problematic behaviours.
Whilst a small increase in drinking within Government guidelines may not be a cause for immediate alarm, we would encourage anyone concerned about their own or another person’s drinking to visit Drinkaware or the NHS online for free advice and guidance on how to cut down.”