Ending smoking inequality: An action plan to reduce poverty and improve health

The report examines the disproportionate impact of smoking on disadvantaged populations, including its contribution to financial hardship, and outlines the action needed to accelerate progress towards an equitable smokefree future.

The report draws on evidence from experts, lived experience and new analysis, including Landman Economics’ Estimates of poverty in the UK adjusted for expenditure on tobacco – 2026 update, which examines the impact of tobacco spending on household poverty levels.

Key findings

• When spending on tobacco taken into account tobacco forces 417,000 households, who wouldn’t otherwise be, below the poverty line
• In addition, it pushes 955,000 households already living below the poverty line into even deeper financial hardship
• In total, 1.37 million households are living in poverty once smoking costs are factored in
• One in four people who smoke (24%) went hungry last year after skipping meals, compared to one in ten (10%) of those who have never smoked
• Those who smoke are nearly three times as likely to use food banks as non-smokers (20% vs 7%)

Recommendations

Create an action plan with clear targets 

1. Publish a national roadmap for a smokefree country 
2. Develop local plans
3. Take a regional approach 

Expand access to support, cessation aids and quit campaigns 

4. Improve service reach and quit success 
5. Deliver support in high-contact healthcare settings
6. Make access to quit aids equitable
7. Scale digital cessation support
8. Use targeted communications and campaigns

Design support to meet the needs of disadvantaged groups

9. Design services around need 
10. Deliver flexible services for the community
11. Embed evaluation, learning and knowledge sharing