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People in Northern Ireland spent more on alcohol than anywhere else in the UK.

The Northern Irish spent an average of £15.60 a week per household on alcoholic drinks, tobacco and narcotics - 3% of their total expenditure - over the period from April 2013 to March 2016, according to the latest figures released by ONS.

Of the £15.60, £7.90 a week went on alcohol and £6.60 on cigarettes - more than double the UK average of £3.20.

The North of England was the third highest spender on restaurant and café meals, at £19.40 a week.

Households in Northern Ireland also spent the most on takeaway meals eaten at home at £9.60. That is more than double UK average.

Northern Ireland also ranked first in expenditure on communication - including mobile phone bills - at £17.50 a week.

Average expenditure on all items was £502.50, higher average spend than Wales and Scotland, but lower than the English average spend.

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During the last financial year, UK households spent more than £45 a week, or 9% of their total expenditure, on restaurants and hotels for the first time in five years.

That is an increase of £1.80 compared to the previous year.

The category includes spending on goods and services such as restaurant and café meals (£17.30), alcoholic drinks consumed away from home (£7.50), takeaway meals (£4.70) and accommodation services (£8.90).

According to the ONS, high levels of employment and rising disposable income might be factors influencing this increase.

By contrast, average weekly spending on alcohol, tobacco and narcotics fell to £11.40, or 2% of total expenditure, for the first time.

That is a decrease of a third across a decade. The decrease may be lead by a variety of measures introduced by the government in order to discourage consumption of these goods. For instance, during 2015/16, smoking in cars that contain children was banned in England and Wales.

Expenditure on alcohol and tobacco has been steadily decreasing from £19.50 in 2001/02 to £11.40 in 2015/16, when figures are adjusted for inflation.

All regions of the UK spend 3% of their total expenditure on communication - the only category where the percentage of total expenditure does not vary at all between regions.

Over half of the money spent on communication is spent on mobile phones. Of the UK regions, London had the highest average weekly household expenditure at £652.40, whilst the North East’s average weekly spending is more than £200 lower at £423.50.