Funding for councils for local stop smoking services

Today (8 November), the government announced £70 million for councils to support stop smoking services.

Stop smoking services provide one-to-one and group stop smoking sessions, access to accurate information and advice, as well as easy and affordable access to quit aids like skin patches, inhalators, nasal and mouth spray, chewing gum and lozenges.
The funding allocated to councils will be ring-fenced for stop smoking services and the allocations have been calculated to ensure councils with the highest smoking rates receive additional weighted funding.

Alongside the final funding allocations, the government has today issued guidance, in partnership with the Local Government Association, to councils on how the funding should be used to:

• build capacity in local areas to help more people quit
• link smokers to the most effective interventions
• support existing support schemes like Swap to Stop