William Eichler 30 January 2017

Smoking-related illnesses cost councils £760m a year

Local authorities in England face a bill of £760m a year to help people with smoking-related illnesses stay in their own homes, campaigners say.

Research published today by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) revealed the dramatic strain smoking places on the social care system and council finances.

Their findings - included in an All-Party Parliamentary Group report on smoking and health – showed councils paid £760m a year on domiciliary care for people suffering from illnesses caused by smoking. This is up from £600m in 2012.

The chairman of the Local Government Association's (LGA) community wellbeing board, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, warned Whitehall’s cuts to councils' public health grants threatened their ability to tackle smoking.

‘The cost on social care of smoking is often overlooked, and only drives home the need to ensure that social care services are properly funded,’ she said.

‘The cuts by Government to councils' public health grants of nearly 10% – approximately £530m over five years – also threaten to undermine the good work councils are doing around smoking cessation.’

Bob Blackman, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health said smoking was contributing to the social care crisis.

‘Evidence presented to the APPG on Smoking and Health shows that smoking is contributing to the current social care crisis. The situation will worsen if funding to local stop smoking services continues to be cut,’ he said.

‘Smoking is the leading cause of health inequalities in the UK so this puts at serious risk progress towards the Prime Minister’s ambition to reduce the burning injustice caused by inequality.’

Margaret Willcox, president elect of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care (ADASS), also noted in response to ASH’s findings: ‘Preventing people from needing care in the first place is vital and reducing smoking can make an important contribution both to reducing the costs of care to councils and improving the quality of life for many who may otherwise need years of care.’

The £37,000 SEND Problem image

The £37,000 SEND Problem

Natalie Kenneison, COO at Imosphere, argues that the real SEND funding crisis isn’t just about budgets - it’s about the systems behind the decisions.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Principal Engineer - Urban Traffic Control (UTC)

Liverpool City Council
£44,711 - £49,764
Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic and engaged communities. Liverpool, Merseyside
Recuriter: Liverpool City Council

Social Worker Campaign - Adult Services

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Negotiable
Support residents to live more independently, with compassion at the heart of your workSupport residents to live more independently, with compassion a England, London
Recuriter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council

Prinicipal Surveyor

Durham County Council
Grade 14 £ 48,710 to £52,805 pa (Pay Award Pending)
We are looking for an individual who has specialist knowledge of property and property processes and who has a professional, positive, enthusiastic an Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Customer Service Adviser (Saturday)

Oxfordshire County Council
£24404 - £24790
About the Role Customer Service Advisers are the first point of contact with library customers and library partners. The role involves continual interaction with users of the library, face to face, via email or by telephone and is a job where you can have Summertown Library, South Parade, Oxford
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Continuous Improvement Audit Lead

Oxfordshire County Council
£57178 - £60485
About the Role The Continuous Improvement Audit Lead will work collaboratively across our Children, Education and Families directorate, using learning from quality assurance activity to strengthen and develop all areas of children’s services’ skills, Oxford
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council
Linkedin Banner