Over 10,000 smoking households in Wiltshire are living in poverty
New data was commissioned by charity Action on Smoking and Health
Last updated 10th Feb 2022
New figures show that 10,016 smoking households in Wiltshire are being driven into poverty.
The analysis by charity Action on Smoking and Health takes into account income and smoking costs.
The residents of these households include 19,151 adults below pension age, 2,921 pension age adults and around 9,061 dependent children.
During 2020/21 the percentage of people that were supported by Wiltshire Council’s Health Improvement Coaches because they wanted to quit smoking almost doubled from the previous year to 27.49% from 15.73% in 2019/20.
Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Public Health, said:
“As the ASH findings show, smoking can have many untold long term negative knock-on effects that people probably do not think about when first trying it.
“Smoking is estimated to kill almost 500 people a year in Wiltshire and the impact on all the families left behind cannot be overstated.
“We are here to support anyone who wants to take the first step towards quitting and on the road towards better physical and mental health. We know quitting can be a daunting challenge but where there’s a will there’s a way, and our friendly team will be there side by side with you. It will be the best decision you will ever make.”
People affected in the county can get support by visiting Wiltshire Council's website.
HOW ARE SMOKERS AFFECTED?
Households where people smoke are poorer because of an addiction which usually started in childhood.
Two thirds of adult smokers started before they reached 18, and most of them go on to become regular adult smokers.
On average it takes thirty attempts before a smoker successfully stops for good.
The average smoker is spending just under £2,000 a year on tobacco.
Each year in the South West, 110,000 or 30% of smoking households are living in poverty when spending on tobacco is taken into account, including 210,331 adults below pension age, 38,488 pension age adults and around 99,508 dependent children.
In Wilshire 2,921 people are economically inactive due to smoking and smokers earn 6.8% less than non-smokers.
Public Health Minister Maggie Throup said:
“Smoking has a disproportionate impact on poorer communities across the country and we’re absolutely determined to hit our ambition for England to be smoke free by 2030.
“We have launched an independent review of our smoking policy, led by Javed Khan, and will publish a new plan later this year setting out how we will tackle health inequalities and level up the country.”
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said:
“Smoking is the single largest driver of health inequalities in England and it is shocking that it’s contributing to more than two million adults living in poverty, concentrated in the most disadvantaged regions in the country.
“Behind every statistic is a human being. A real person, threatened by the debilitating health effects of smoking, and significantly poorer because of an addiction that started in childhood.
“We look forward to the forthcoming Tobacco Control Plan to achieve the Government’s smokefree 2030 ambition. This will play a key role in delivering the 2030 targets to narrow the gap in life expectancy, wellbeing and productivity between the top performing and other areas set out in the Levelling Up White Paper.”