Common drinks and their UK units
These examples use common serving sizes and strengths. Your drink may be different, so use the figure on the label or ask the venue before calculating it.
| Drink | Serving | Strength | UK units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower-strength beer or cider | 568ml pint | 3.6% | 2.0 |
| Higher-strength beer or cider | 568ml pint | 5.2% | 3.0 |
| Beer or cider | 440ml can | 5.5% | 2.4 |
| Wine | 175ml glass | 12% | 2.1 |
| Wine | 750ml bottle | 13.5% | 10.1 |
| Spirit | 25ml single | 40% | 1.0 |
| Spirit | 35ml single | 40% | 1.4 |
| Spirit | 50ml double | 40% | 2.0 |
| Vodka or another spirit | 700ml bottle | 40% | 28.0 |
Formula and serving context checked against NHS guidance on alcohol units.
What 14 units a week means
UK Chief Medical Officers advise adults who drink regularly not to exceed 14 units a week, and to spread those units over three or more days. This is lower-risk guidance, not a target or a guarantee of safety. The less you drink, the lower the risk.
The running total on this page covers only the drinks you add during this visit. It does not know what you have had on other days.
How definitions differ
The UK definition uses 10 ml or 8 g of pure alcohol per unit. A US standard drink uses 14 g. An Australian standard drink uses 10 g. A Canadian standard drink uses 13.45 g. Guidance about lower-risk consumption also differs, so check the current public-health advice for your country.
What the calculation uses
The calculator converts the serving to millilitres, applies the ABV, and uses 0.789 g per millilitre for the density of ethanol where a definition is expressed in grams. A pint, glass, can or bottle is not automatically one unit or standard drink.
What this result cannot tell you
A unit total cannot calculate your blood alcohol concentration, measure impairment or tell you whether it is safe or legal to drive. Alcohol can affect people differently. Read why an alcohol calculator cannot tell you if you can drive, and choose another journey home if you plan to drink.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate UK alcohol units?
Multiply the drink volume in millilitres by its ABV percentage, then divide by 1,000. For example, 500ml at 5% ABV contains 2.5 UK units.
How many units are in a pint?
A 568ml UK pint contains about 2 units at 3.6% ABV and about 3 units at 5.2% ABV. Check the label or ask the venue for the actual strength.
How many units are in a bottle of wine?
A 750ml bottle of wine at 13.5% ABV contains about 10.1 UK units. The total changes with the bottle size and strength.
How many units are in a bottle of vodka?
A 700ml bottle of vodka at 40% ABV contains 28 UK units. A 1 litre bottle at the same strength contains 40 units. Check both figures on the label: 700 × 40 ÷ 1,000 = 28. These totals describe the whole bottle, not one serving. If you share it, enter only the amount you drink.
A single measure varies too. At 40% ABV, a 25ml measure contains 1 UK unit, while a 35ml measure contains 1.4 units. Ask the venue which measure it serves, or measure your pour at home. The same calculation applies to gin, rum and whisky at the same strength.
Can an alcohol units calculator tell me if I can drive?
No. Alcohol units describe how much alcohol is in a serving. They do not measure blood alcohol concentration, impairment or whether you are safe or legal to drive.
How do I find the ABV?
Look on the can or bottle label. In a pub, bar or restaurant, ask staff if the strength or serving size is unclear.
Why does the exact serving size matter?
A 250ml glass contains twice the alcohol of a 125ml glass at the same strength. Large wine glasses, double spirits and stronger beers can make a simple drink count misleading.
Does the calculator save my drinks?
No. The running total stays only on this page and disappears when you refresh or close it. HeelClick records an anonymous completion event with the selected national definition, but not the serving details you enter.
Put the number inside a real plan
HeelClick keeps your drink limit beside your leave time, budget, way home and reason for tomorrow. It does not estimate blood alcohol concentration.
Make a plan with HeelClick