Smoking in social housing toolkit

Why smoking in social housing matters

Quitting smoking brings both immediate and long-term benefits for tenants, housing providers, and communities.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable ill health and premature death. Housing tenure is the strongest independent indicator of smoking status in England, with smoking rates in social housing more than double the national average (26% compared to 11.6%).[i] Supporting tenants to be smokefree reduces preventable diseases like cancer and heart disease, while tackling health inequalities. 

The average person who smokes spending £2,338 a year on tobacco – around 10% of disposable income. Supporting tenants to quit reduces rent arrears and helps households to budget more effectively. 

Quitting smoking reduces fire risks and smoking-related property damages, saving housing providers time and money. It also means healthier, and more financially stable tenants who are able to live safer and more secure lives. 

Read our latest blog with Smokefree Sheffield on why tackling smoking in social housing matters.

Smoking-related fires remain a serious risk, with over 2,000 incidents a year, costing approximately £332 million in damages. 

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has produced practical guidance to reduce this risk, including advice for crews during safety checks and the ERICP method (Eliminate, Reduce, Isolate, Control, Prevent).

Resources:

• NFCC
  • Seven Steps to Prevent Smoking-Related Fires
  • Person-Centred Framework

Housing staff should be equipped to provide Very Brief Advice (VBA) and signpost tenants to stop smoking support.

Practical tools:

• Clarion Housing - VBA Guidance Crib Sheet
• NCSCT Guidance:
  • Very Brief Advice on Smoking (VBA)+ Training Module
  • VBA Memory Jogger

‘Swap to Stop’ 

Swap to Stop is a national programme launched in England in 2023. The first of its kind, swap to stop offers smokers the chance to swap cigarettes for free vape starter kits and stop smoking support.

Swap to Stop is delivered by local authorities, with some working closely with social housing providers and community organisations to reach those most in need.

How It Works

• Swap cigarettes for a free vape kit
• Get expert behavioural support
• Take steps to reduce and ultimately quit smoking

A pilot of Swap to Stop in Salford, which partnered with local housing, ran a 3-month scheme aimed at support social housing residents who smoke to quit with the help of e-cigarettes.  The Salford pilot found that for every five people who joined the scheme:

• Three reduced smoking
• One quit tobacco completely

Vouchers were distributed through social housing providers and community organisations, helping make support more accessible.

Further information and training are available from the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT):

• NCSCT Swap-to-Stop training module.
• Swap-to-Stop briefing
• Swap-to-Stop: a memory jogger

Financial Incentives 

Financial incentives have proven to be both cost-effective and effective for helping people quit smoking.

They are already used within NHS Tobacco Dependency Services for pregnant smokers and can also support wider local authority efforts to help smokers from the most disadvantaged backgrounds quit.

Evidence and guidance:

• Cochrane Review - Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation
• Smokefree Sheffield: Business Case for Financial Incentives for Vulnerable Smokers (from 2.34 onwards) –  A Smokefree Generation - Helping current smokers to quit.
• ASH Briefing on Financial Incentives during pregnancy - Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group. Evidence into Practice: Supporting smokefree pregnancies through incentive schemes.

SAVINGS

This ongoing project, run by Clarion housing association, offers brief advice to smokers as part of their financial guidance service and is currently being assessed by academics at the University of Oxford.

• NIHR - Very Brief Opportunistic Advice on Smoking Cessation within Financial Guidance Services for People Living in Social Housing

Flagship Homes

Flagship Homes, a social landlord providing over 30,000 homes across the East of England, launched its smokefree homes project in September 2021. The project is informed by residents and includes a communications programme to raise awareness of available support and make clear the health and wellbeing motivation for their work. 

This approach aims to secure buy-in from staff and residents, avoiding misperceptions that tobacco control measures are punitive.

• NCSCT (pages 77-79) - Targeting and tailoring stop smoking interventions to priority groups: A rapid evidence summary

Partnership is key to tackling smoking inequalities in social housing.

We’re exploring opportunities to host a collaboration hub where:

• Universities and researchers can advertise upcoming studies.
• Housing providers and local authorities can volunteer as study sites or contribute to research design and evaluation.
• Practitioners can share insights, challenges, and local innovations.

This would help connect researchers and housing professionals beyond existing networks, ensuring shared learning and joined-up working. If you are interested in being part of this, please contact noah.traill@ash.org.uk 

[i] ASH Smokefree GB survey data 2025 (age 18+, sample size=13,314). Fieldwork was undertaken between 10/02/2025 and 10/03/2025. Survey was conducted online using the YouGov panel and is sampled and weighted to be representative of all GB adults.