Local authorities have backed investment by the NHS to help smokers quit, according to campaigners.

Action on Smoking and Health says three quarters of local authorities offering lung health checks report an increase in demand.

Its annual survey of local government public health teams, funded by Cancer Research UK, found NHS investment in new inpatient treatment for smokers was strongly supported.

The NHS-funded checks target those with a smoking history and direct them for further support.

However, the survey found councils were worried that funding cuts have left them short to provide follow up support in the community.

Their concerns have intensified as public health grant allocations have still not been given to local authorities, leaving them little time to prepare for the financial year starting in April.

David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said: ‘Council public health teams work hard to help reduce smoking rates and it is testament to their efforts that smoking rates continue to fall.

‘However, as this report reveals, this work is becoming increasingly challenging, as local public health budgets have been reduced by over £1bn since 2015 and we’re still in the dark about our funding for the forthcoming year.

‘Councils can help the Government to achieve its ambition of eliminating smoking in England by 2030 through their tobacco control and other public health and support services, but they must have long term certainty over their public grant in order to do this.’