Bolton Council funds say smoking costs nearly £100M a year

This comes with Bolton Council set to consider a new contract to deliver local stop smoking services across the borough.

A report put before the authority said that this costs the public purse staggering amounts of money in health and social care costs.

Bolton Council cabinet member for adults, health and wellbeing Cllr Sean Fielding said: “You’d be hard pressed to find anybody who disagrees that smoking is bad.

“It’s bad for your health, the health of others around you, your finances, and at an additional cost of £95M, the finances of our public services.

Bolton Council will decide whether or not to approve the report (Image: Newsquest)

“Kicking the habit is easier said than done though, but fortunately the council commissions are range of support services to help people to stop.

“I’d encourage all smokers to think about quitting and access support if they need it, the benefits of stopping start within just a few days.”

The report put before Cllr Fielding and the council officers said that Bolton had a higher-than-average rate of smoking compared to the rest of the North West and the rest of the country.

It found that in 2022 there were around 42,444 adult smokers coming to around 14.2 per cent of the population.

This compared to a North West average of 13.4 per cent and an average across England of 12.7 per cent.

The report came to the £95M figure by estimating the cost causes because of the extra strain on health and social care services as well as days lost to productivity.

But Bolton Public Health has also received a grant of £438,537 as part of the government’s plan to fund extra local stop smoking services for the next five years.

The money will be used for the first of those five years with the aim of increasing quit rates by around 150 per cent by the fifth and final year.

The council plans to split the grant between £339,537 worth of funding for the ABL Locally Commissioned Stop Smoking Service and funding for other services.

These include £50,000 for The Allen Carr Easyway Method which provides online seminars, £6,000 for BHA for Equality and £43,000 Internal Communication and Contingency Fund.

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The report said: “Due to the nature of the funding attached to the grant, the intention is to offer this funding to the named providers above on a year-by year basis.

“This will be constantly monitored and evaluated throughout the lifetime of the project to ensure quality delivery and that outcomes are met.

“The flexibility of an internal communications and contingency fund will allow the authority to explore alternative options to increase the potential to improve outcomes.”

Bolton Council will decide whether or not to approve the report on Monday August 12.