Drink Less Alcohol: six steps to changing your drinking habits

Drink Less Alcohol is designed for use in brief advice settings with clients who are drinking regularly at harmful or hazardous levels. It is suitable for adults of any age and works well as a standalone take-home resource or as a starting point for a structured conversation about alcohol.

The booklet takes a story-led approach, following five characters with different backgrounds, ages and drinking patterns. This gives clients an accessible way into the subject and helps them reflect on their own behaviour without feeling lectured or judged.

Alongside the character stories, the booklet provides a clear six-step plan to support behaviour change — covering goal-setting, recognising high-risk situations, coping strategies, self-monitoring and building a support network. A weekly drinks diary is included for clients to record and track their consumption.

The booklet also covers:

• alcohol units and how to calculate them
• UK low-risk drinking guidelines and what they mean in practice
• the health effects of regular heavy drinking, including cancer, cardiovascular health, pregnancy and weight

Written in plain English, non-judgmental in tone, and suitable for use across a range of settings including primary care, drug and alcohol services, and community health teams.