On February 12, 2026, a report from the Director of Public Health at Hampshire County Council showed that more residents across Hampshire are asking for help to manage their drinking. The findings highlight a growing trend of alcohol-related issues in the county and a surge in the number of people looking for treatment and advice.
Simon Bryant, the Director of Public Health, noted that health services are seeing more demand for treatment as residents become more proactive about their health. This increase is linked to better ways of spotting drinking problems and a long-term trend of high-risk drinking that has been rising for several years according to government health figures.
While the report focuses on the Hampshire County Council area, residents in nearby Portsmouth get specialist help through the Portsmouth Recovery Service, which is managed by the Society of St James on behalf of Portsmouth City Council. People across the region also have access to regional facilities, such as the nine-bed detox centre located in Fareham.
For the 2025-2026 period, funding to help councils improve recovery systems was simplified into the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant (DATRIG). Based on government funding records, this money is intended to help local authorities scale up their work to prevent dependency and reach out to more people in the community.
The findings mean that health services and support groups across Hampshire and Portsmouth may see more people coming to them for help. Local authorities are now considering expanding advice and treatment options to ensure residents can get the support they need.
