Understanding Alcohol Units – Unit Calculator

You can use our Units Calculator below to work out how many units your drinking, to learn more about the effects your drinking can have on your health.

If you’re worried about your drinking or curious about making better choices for your health, you can take our alcohol audit. The test is quick and confidential and can you help understand how risky your drinking is.

Here’s how to keep the health risks from alcohol to a low level if you drink most weeks:

• Men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week regularly
• Spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week
• Alcohol has a wide range of health impacts including liver disease, cardiovascular disease, cancers (breast, bowel, throat and mouth).

Regularly drinking more than the above increases the risk of ill health from drinking alcohol.

• One can (440ml) of beer at 5.5% – 2.4 units
• One pint (568ml) of beer at 4% – 2.3 units
• One glass (175ml) of wine at 13% – 2.3 units
• Single measure (25ml) of whiskey at 40% – 1 unit
• Double measure (50ml) of gin at 40% with or without tonic – 2 units
• One bottle (750ml) of wine at 11.5% – 9 units

A unit of alcohol can be calculated using the following formula:

Volume (mls) x Alcohol by Volume ABV (%)/ 1000
For example, 250ml of 12% ABV wine will be: [250 x 12 = 3000] / 1000 = 3 units.