MPs have slammed the government for failing to tackle harm caused by alcohol - with the number Norwich people struggling with addiction doubling in just a year.
City-based drug and alcohol recovery charity The Matthew Project saw 186 patients last year - double the amount it saw in 2021 - and bosses have warned the full impact of the pandemic is still yet to be felt.
It comes as 10 million people in England are believed to be regularly exceeding recommended guidelines on drinking, while 86pc of the 600,000 dependent drinkers are not in treatment.
MPs have also highlighted that deaths linked to alcohol have risen 89pc over the last two decades and sharply since the start of the pandemic.
"The pandemic definitely had an impact on addiction," said Graham Parfitt, recovery hub manager at The Matthew Project.
"The lockdowns in particular were dreadful.
"We saw an 8% increase in relapse and had to change the service to be more of an outreach programme.
"There was an increase in alcohol sales at that point and obviously people weren't going out.
"So more and more people were drinking at home.
"I think we're yet to see the full impact of the pandemic materialise."
Read more: Fears drug and alcohol addiction in Norfolk could rise
The cross-party Commons Public Accounts Committee said the government's data on how many people are struggling with alcohol problems is out of date, with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) relying on a 10-year-old estimate of the cost of alcohol harm.
It also claimed the £25 billion-per-year cost to the NHS and the economy must be an underestimate - while the number of people receiving treatment for alcohol dependency has generally been falling.
"There are a number of reasons why people might not get the help they need," said Mr Parfitt.
"Some find it difficult to understand the problem and others find it hard to have those challenging conversations.
"Here, we focus on reintegrating those who have struggled back into society and more than 90pc of our patients have been able to sustain recovery.
"46pc of our team have even come through the programme.
"My message to those struggling is: don't be afraid to ask for help."
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