The previous Government’s ambition was to reduce adult smoking prevalence to 5% or less by 2030. We are going even further. Our ambition is to deliver a smoke-free United Kingdom and the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Act will create the first smoke-free generation which is expected to help reduce smoking rates of 14 to 30-year-olds to near zero by 2050.

We fully recognise the importance of stopping people starting smoking, but also of supporting smokers to quit. Alongside the Tobacco and Vapes Act, we have ringfenced funding for stop smoking services within the Public Health Grant, protecting at least £153 million per year for these services. Funding is weighted towards areas with higher smoking prevalence, ensuring we are targeting support to those who need it most, ensuring no one is left behind.

Our immediate focus is on the successful implementation of the smoke-free generation policy and moving swiftly with the secondary legislation programme. We will continue to consider the benefits of publishing a smoke-free roadmap, balancing it against the importance of successfully implementing our significant legislative programme.

The previous Government’s ambition was to reduce adult smoking prevalence to 5% or less by 2030. We are going even further. Our ambition is to deliver a smoke-free United Kingdom and the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Act will create the first smoke-free generation which is expected to help reduce smoking rates of 14 to 30-year-olds to near zero by 2050.

We fully recognise the importance of stopping people starting smoking, but also of supporting smokers to quit. Alongside the Tobacco and Vapes Act, we have ringfenced funding for stop smoking services within the Public Health Grant, protecting at least £153 million per year for these services. Funding is weighted towards areas with higher smoking prevalence, ensuring we are targeting support to those who need it most, ensuring no one is left behind.

Our immediate focus is on the successful implementation of the smoke-free generation policy and moving swiftly with the secondary legislation programme. We will continue to consider the benefits of publishing a smoke-free roadmap, balancing it against the importance of successfully implementing our significant legislative programme.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) monitors the prevalence of smoking among Armed Forces personnel using routinely collected health data. As of April 2026, nine per cent of Service Personnel were recorded as current smokers, compared to 13 per cent in April 2024. This is broadly in line with the UK population.

The MOD provides access to smoking cessation support for Armed Forces personnel through Defence Primary Healthcare, delivered in line with national clinical guidance. Service Personnel can access in-house cessation services, including NICE-aligned support.

Defence policy aligns with UK health guidance, which recognises vaping as a potential smoking cessation aid. Support for vaping cessation is provided through primary care, including both pharmacological and behavioural approaches.

The Department continues to develop its approach, including targeted initiatives for personnel in training and updates to the Defence medical policy on tobacco and nicotine cessation.

All units are required to comply with Defence Health and Wellbeing policy, including provisions relating to designated vaping areas, with detailed requirements set out in unit standing orders. Compliance with these policies is monitored at a local level and assured through established processes.

Monitoring provides oversight of the use of illegal or non-compliant products, such as single-use vaping devices, and ensuring that appropriate plans are in place to support personnel in reducing or ceasing nicotine use.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) monitors the prevalence of smoking among Armed Forces personnel using routinely collected health data. As of April 2026, nine per cent of Service Personnel were recorded as current smokers, compared to 13 per cent in April 2024. This is broadly in line with the UK population.

The MOD provides access to smoking cessation support for Armed Forces personnel through Defence Primary Healthcare, delivered in line with national clinical guidance. Service Personnel can access in-house cessation services, including NICE-aligned support.

Defence policy aligns with UK health guidance, which recognises vaping as a potential smoking cessation aid. Support for vaping cessation is provided through primary care, including both pharmacological and behavioural approaches.

The Department continues to develop its approach, including targeted initiatives for personnel in training and updates to the Defence medical policy on tobacco and nicotine cessation.

All units are required to comply with Defence Health and Wellbeing policy, including provisions relating to designated vaping areas, with detailed requirements set out in unit standing orders. Compliance with these policies is monitored at a local level and assured through established processes.

Monitoring provides oversight of the use of illegal or non-compliant products, such as single-use vaping devices, and ensuring that appropriate plans are in place to support personnel in reducing or ceasing nicotine use.

The Government is committed to delivering a smoke-free United Kingdom where no one is left behind. We are supporting current smokers to quit, particularly amongst priority groups such as those living in social housing, where smoking prevalence remains higher. We are investing an additional £260 million over three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in local Stop Smoking Services through the Public Health Grant, meaning at least £153 million per year will be ringfenced for these services.

As part of the conditions of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are expected to meet a minimum standard of delivery by aiming to support at least 5% of their local smoking population to quit, ensuring effective reach across priority groups, including people living in social housing.

The Government is committed to delivering a smoke-free United Kingdom where no one is left behind. We are supporting current smokers to quit, particularly amongst priority groups such as those living in social housing, where smoking prevalence remains higher. We are investing an additional £260 million over three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in local Stop Smoking Services through the Public Health Grant, meaning at least £153 million per year will be ringfenced for these services.

As part of the conditions of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are expected to meet a minimum standard of delivery by aiming to support at least 5% of their local smoking population to quit, ensuring effective reach across priority groups, including people living in social housing.

The Government’s ambition is to deliver a smoke-free United Kingdom, and we are going even further than the smoke-free 2030 target.

The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will create the first smoke-free generation which is expected to help reduce smoking rates of 14- to 30-year-olds to near zero by 2050.

There is established evidence that exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of meningococcal disease. Tobacco smoking increases the risk of meningococcal carriage and meningococcal disease by damaging the nasopharyngeal mucosa and suppressing immune responses.

Vaping could plausibly carry similar risks for carriage but the association with increased risk of disease is unknown.

When either active or passive smoking occurs in an enclosed and intimate setting over a prolonged period, the risk of transmission is increased.

The highest risk of transmission is associated with prolonged exposure to droplets of saliva.

Where there has been repeated or prolonged salivary exposure in an enclosed and intimate venue such as a nightclub, the risk is higher.

Lords Amendment 22 allows a relevant enforcement authority in England to retain all proceeds from the £2,500 fixed penalty notices for licensing offences in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The bill provides that the proceeds must be used for the enforcement of tobacco and vape legislation, mirroring the approach to the use of proceeds from £200 fixed penalty notices in the bill. The bill does not allow proceeds from fixed penalty notices to be invested in smoking cessation services.

From April 2026, the Government is investing an additional £260 million over three years in Stop Smoking Services within the Public Health Grant. This will mean at least £153 million of ringfenced funding for Stop Smoking Services each year.

Alongside our Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we remain committed to supporting current smokers to quit.

The Government has invested an additional £70 million in both 2024/25 and 2025/26 to support local authority-led Stop Smoking Services in England to help people quit. We are already seeing the impact this has made, with the first year of additional funding for 2024/25 having resulted in a 23% increase in the number of people supported to quit compared to the previous year.

From April 2026, we will ring-fence all funding for smoking cessation services within the Public Health Grant, meaning at least £153 million, increasing to £155 million in 2028/29, will be protected for these services. The additional funding will ensure there is a comprehensive offer across local authorities in England, with funding weighted toward local authorities with the highest smoking rates. The Better Health Website is also available and contains comprehensive cessation advice to support individuals to find the right approach for them.

In addition, the 10-Year Health Plan for England restated our commitment to integrate opt-out smoking cessation interventions into routine care within all hospitals. As of quarter three of 2025/26, 99% of eligible maternity services and 92% of eligible in-patient services had an opt-out tobacco dependence treatment offer.

As health is a devolved matter, local stop smoking support in Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.

Smoking prevalence continues to fall across the United Kingdom. In 2024, approximately 5.3 million people aged 18 years old and over were current smokers, 10.6% of the adult population. This is the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began, but we are determined to continue this trend at pace and create a smoke-free UK.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is in its final stages, and Royal Assent should take place as soon as possible in this parliamentary session. This will create a smoke-free generation and will ensure we are on track towards a smoke-free UK.

In addition to the bill, the Government is committed to supporting existing smokers to quit. From this April, we will ringfence all funding for stop smoking services in the Public Health Grant, meaning at least £150 million per year will be protected for these services. This will provide greater certainty and flexibility for local areas to invest in these vital services.

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability, and ill health. It claims the lives of approximately 80,000 people a year in the United Kingdom and kills up to two-thirds of its long-term users.

Three quarters of smokers wish they had never started smoking but are unable to due to the addictive nature of tobacco. Raising the age of sale for smoking from 16 to 18 years old reduced prevalence in this age group by 30%. In addition, people who start smoking under the age of 18 years old have higher levels of nicotine dependence compared to those starting over 21 years old, and are less likely to make a quit attempt and successfully quit.

The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free UK. It will enable us to create a smoke-free generation, gradually ending the sale of tobacco products across the country and breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.

Vaping is less harmful than smoking and can be an effective quit aid, but is not risk-free. The health advice is clear, that young people and those who have never smoked should not vape or be encouraged to vape.

The age of sale for nicotine vapes is 18 years old. Due to the risk of harm and addiction, we are not considering reducing the age of sale for vaping. Whilst non-nicotine vapes and nicotine products are not currently subject to specific age of sale regulations, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill aligns the law for these products, ensuring consistency across vapes and nicotine products so that all these products are subject to an age of sale of 18 years old.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill Impact Assessment, published in November 2024, which was given a ‘green’ rating by the Regulatory Policy Committee, assesses the expected impact of policies on the face of the bill, including any impacts on the hospitality industry. The impact on the hospitality industry of any regulations implemented using powers in the bill will be assessed in separate impact assessments when these regulations are developed. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill Impact Assessment is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6985eeb7cfe7ccf77efbc74e/tobacco-and-vapes-bill-impact-assessment.pdf

The Government is supporting local authorities to take enforcement action against the underage sales of tobacco, vapes, and alcohol.

On tobacco and vapes, the Government is providing up to £10 million annually until 2028/29 for Trading Standards, to support the enforcement of illicit and underage sales in England. This funding is being used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting 120 new apprentices, including one apprentice in Staffordshire, enabling more underage sales test purchases and swifter enforcement action against illicit activity.

Alongside this, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will introduce £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales for certain tobacco and vape offences, including underage sales, to empower Trading Standards to take swifter action to fine those who choose to break the law and sell to anyone underage, putting the public’s health at risk. The bill will also provide ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland with regulation making powers to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products. This will strengthen enforcement against retailers who breach tobacco and vape age of sale regulations.

On alcohol, the Home Office supports local authorities through the Licensing Act 2003 and Section 182 guidance, which require licensed premises to operate a mandatory age verification policy at the point of sale. Enforcement of underage sales rests with local licensing authorities, Trading Standards, and the police, who can prosecute, including for persistent sales, and seek licence reviews or revocation to protect children from harm.

Alongside our Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we remain committed to supporting current smokers to quit.

The Government has invested an additional £70 million in both 2024/25 and 2025/26 to support local authority-led Stop Smoking Services in England to help people quit. We are already seeing the impact this has made, with the first year of additional funding in 2024/25 having resulted in a 23% increase in the number of people supported to quit compared to the previous year.

From April 2026, we will ring-fence all funding for smoking cessation services within the Public Health Grant, meaning at least £153 million, increasing to £155 million in 2028/29, will be protected for these services. The additional funding will ensure there is a comprehensive offer across local authorities in England, with funding weighted toward local authorities with the highest smoking rates. The Better Health Website is also available and contains comprehensive cessation advice to support individuals to find the right approach for them.

In addition, the 10-Year Health Plan for England restated our commitment to integrate opt-out smoking cessation interventions into routine care within all hospitals. As of Quarter 3 of 2025/26, 99% of eligible maternity services and 92% of eligible in-patient services had an opt-out tobacco dependence treatment offer.

As health is a devolved matter, local stop smoking support in Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.