Westmorland and Furness Council has set out how it will spend £261,392 in government funding to enhance local stop smoking support services over the coming year as part of its push to become a smoke-free area by 2030.
The funding, ring-fenced under the 2025–2026 Local Stop Smoking Support Grant, will be used to expand frontline services, improve access to support, and increase local awareness of the health risks linked to tobacco use.
According to the council, around 11.1% of adults in the area — approximately 20,000 people — still smoke, with around 10% of expectant mothers also identified as smokers at the time of delivery. In order to meet the national Smoke-Free 2030 goal, around 10,000 successful quit attempts will need to take place locally, with no new smokers taking up the habit.
The council’s spending plan includes:
£36,000 for leadership, coordination and commissioning via a public health addictions officer,
£178,676 to increase resources such as stop smoking officers and smoking cessation aids,
£11,716 for youth prevention and community services,
£35,000 for local promotion and public engagement campaigns.
As part of the initiative, the council will recruit a full-time team leader and an additional Health and Wellbeing Smoking Cessation Officer to provide equitable access across the area. Services will be offered in community venues, with a continued commitment to a diverse range of support options, including non-nicotine methods like Allen Carr’s Easyway programme.
“This funding builds on our existing stop smoking services and strengthens our commitment to a healthier, smoke-free Westmorland and Furness,” said a council spokesperson “We’re investing in people, outreach, and tools that will make a real difference.”
In addition to one-on-one support, the council is rolling out targeted communications, training healthcare professionals in brief interventions, and collaborating with the NHS on a smoking cessation dashboard to better track and improve outcomes.
The council acknowledges some risk remains, as future funding will depend on impacts from the government spending reviews. However, officials say the current investment — alongside £138,516 from the Public Health Grant is a vital step in tackling smoking, which remains the leading cause of preventable ill health and death in the UK.
Katrina Stephens, Director of Public Health at Westmorland and Furness Council said: “Our goal to achieve Smoke-Free status by 2030 is ambitious, but by providing the right support and interventions we can work towards achieving this. The smoking cessation officers are a way we can support people to stop smoking for good and significantly improve their health.”
Councillor Patricia Bell, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Care, said: “I’m delighted that we can offer specialist support through our dedicated smoking cessation officers. Their work will not only help residents quit smoking but also play a vital role in reducing health inequalities, improving overall community health, and easing the strain on our NHS.”
For more information on how to access these resources, visit. https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health/smoke-free-westmorland-and-furness
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