Slump drives jobless to drink: Risk of bingeing among unemployed rises to 64% since 2004 Recession to blame for increase in binge drinking research claims Those out of work are more likely to turn to alcohol compared with 2004 Alcohol use has gone down in the general population during recession By Mark Howarth The recession caused a surge in binge drinking among the unemployed, new research shows. Britons typically drank less due to the economic downturn as wage packets shrank. But, according to a study published in the European Journal of Public Health, those without work were more likely to turn to alcohol. New research has found that binge drinking among the unemployed has risen 64 percent since 2004 The report by a team of UK and US academics from universities including Oxford and Pennsylvania studied the drinking patterns and employment status of more than 35,000 people over a seven-year period. Compared with 2004, the risk of binge drinking among the jobless stood 64 per cent higher in 2009 and 61 per cent in 2010. It states: "There is a commonly held belief that alcohol consumption will rise during hard economic times. A woman drinker slumps on the pavement (file image) Yet, in England, historical evidence suggests that alcohol consumption will fall in times of recession. [During this latest recession], there were significant reductions in the frequency of drinking in the general population, but significantly greater risks of binge drinking among a smaller high-risk group of unemployed drinkers. Our findings are also consistent with research which suggests that stress leads individuals to substitute frequency of drinking with larger quantities of alcohol on the reduced number of days when they can/do drink. Emily Robinson, campaign director for Alcohol Concern said: "We are disappointed but not surprised by the findings of this study. Alcohol is cheap, easily available and seen by many people as a socially acceptable way to help deal with stress. The reality is that drinking too much doesn't help sort problems out. In fact, it's more likely to add to them as drinking too much too often leads to all sorts of health problems including stress, anxiety and depression.