Call Us
Tap on a number to call
Enquire
Menu
Contact Us
Call Us
Tap on a number to call
Enquire

Heroin and opiate use statistics 2025

Explore the latest data to understand the scale of opiate use in the UK and its impact on individuals and communities.

Call Us
Tap on a number to call

Prevalence

  • In 2023, 2,551 drug-poisoning deaths involved opiates – a 12.8% increase from 2022. [1]
  • Heroin and morphine were the most frequently mentioned opiates, linked to 1,453 drug-poisoning deaths in 2023. [1]
  • Heroin remains Europe's most commonly used illicit opioid [4]
  • In post-mortem data, nitazenes were detected in 1% of deaths, fentanyls in 3%, and heroin/morphine in 33%. [7]

Drug-related deaths

  • In 2022, opioids were involved in: [2]
    • 73% of drug misuse deaths registered in England
    • 60% of drug misuse deaths registered in Wales
    • 82% of drug misuse deaths registered in Scotland
    • 60% of drug misuse deaths registered in Northern Ireland
  • Since June last year, 284 deaths have been confirmed from synthetic opioids (nitazenes) following a surge in use last summer. [8]

Opiate treatment

  • In the UK, more than 50% of adults receiving substance abuse treatment are treated for opioid use. [3]
  • 71,000 people in Europe reported opioid use as their main reason for entering specialised drug treatment in 2021, representing 25% of all drug treatment admissions. [4]
  • The largest age group seeking opiate-related treatment is 40-44 years old. [9]
  • Less than 10% of people in treatment for opiates or alcohol were under 30 years old. [9]

Trends in opiate use and deaths

  • The UK had the world’s highest rate of opioid consumption in 2019, and opiate-related drug poisoning deaths have increased by 388% since 1993. [5]
  • Since June 2023, 284 deaths have been confirmed from nitazenes, a type of synthetic opioid. [8]
  • In June 2023 alone, at least 400 drug-related deaths across the UK were linked to nitazenes, with numbers expected to rise. [6]
  • 37% of people starting treatment for opiate problems had no home of their own. [9]

Links between opiate use and mental health

  • 67% of people in treatment for opiate abuse had a mental health treatment need. [9]
  • Daily opiate injectors had: [10]
    • 4.39 times higher odds of reporting poor health
    • 2.78 times higher odds of experiencing psychological distress
    • 3.34 times higher odds of reporting depression
    • 3.52 times higher odds of experiencing suicidal thoughts 

Contact us to make an enquiry or for more information

Call Us
Tap on a number to call
Enquire