What is an alcohol unit in the UK?
An alcohol unit represents 8 grams of pure alcohol. The NHS calculation is volume in ml multiplied by ABV as a percentage, divided by 1,000. A 175 ml glass of wine at 12% ABV, for example, contains 2.1 units.
NHS lower-risk guidance
The NHS advises men and women who drink most weeks not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week. It advises spreading that amount over 3 or more days and having several drink-free days if cutting down. This is health-risk guidance, not a safe-driving threshold or a way to average several days into one occasion.
Calculate from the product label
Check the container size and ABV, then use our UK alcohol-units calculator. For a can or bottle, use standard drinks per container; for an educational BAC range with UK units preselected, use the BAC Calculator; for a cross-country comparison, see alcohol units by country.
Alcohol and safety
Do not use units or an online BAC estimate to decide whether to drive, cycle, operate machinery, or make a medical or legal decision. Arrange a sober way home before drinking. Contact local emergency services if someone is unconscious, having seizures, repeatedly vomiting, or has trouble breathing.