'Silver sozzlers' spend their pensions on binge drinking

New figures today reveal the scale of alcohol abuse among middle class over-65s in London.

Hospitals are admitting more than 100 retired patients a day for alcohol abuse.

Serious drink-addiction has nearly doubled among the over-65 age group. Former company directors living in affluent areas of London are among those ending up in A & E or on surgical wards for drink-related problems.

A total of 36,805 pensioners a year - "silver sozzlers"- are hospitalised for drink-related health problems. This compares with 20,735 in 2002. Experts predict the figures for liver disease and alcohol poisoning will continue to rise unless addiction treatment is made more available on the NHS.

They also say drinking at home is one reason why binge drinking has soared among the elderly.

The figures will increase pressure on ministers to take action against the drinks industry which has been blamed for encouraging binge drinking with cut-price promotions and incentives.

Anti-addiction charities and medical experts called on the Government to follow Scotland and bring in a minimum price for drink. It is the first country in Europe to fix alcohol prices.

The Liberal Democrats, who uncovered the figures, said the dangers of excessive drinking among retired people was a hidden problem and solutions needed to be properly targeted.

Lib-Dem MP Tom Brake said: 'While newspaper headlines have focused on binge-drinking teenagers, the number of elderly people being hospitalised due to alcohol has been soaring unnoticed.

"These figures are deeply worrying and ministers must take action to tackle this new and disturbing trend. The Government has massively under-funded alcohol treatment services, while this problem has been allowed to escalate."

The Royal College of Physicians, which is calling for higher taxes on alcohol, said drinking at home was partly to blame. RCP president Professor Ian Gilmore told the Standard: 'These figures underline that the UK's worrying relationship with alcohol is not just about teenage binge drinking.

"The biggest increase in drinking is at home, fuelled by massive supermarket discounting. The over-65s, particularly vulnerable to illness, are clearly part of this rising tide of health harm."

Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond and Kingston are among those boroughs with ageing alcoholics.

More than 2,000 over-65s a year in these areas alone need hospital treatment for drink-related health problems.