A shock new study has

revealed the extent of smoking’s contribution to England’s social care crisis, with at least £219.6million in the South East, and £1.4billion a year nationally, being allocated for spending social care required because of smoking-related illnesses.

According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the problem is set to get worse, because the local authority public health grant which pays for services aimed at helping smokers quit is being reduced or withdrawn by central government and a growing number of NHS commissioners are refusing to fund GP prescriptions written for medicines that help people to stub out the habit.

Research published by ASH shows that local authorities in England face a bill of £760m a year, up from £600m in 2012, to help people with smoking-related illness remain in their own homes (domiciliary care).

Individuals also face a bill of about £630million to cover the cost of their own care. The new figures are included in an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health (APPG) report published recently following an inquiry convened by Bob Blackman MP, its chairman and former leader of Harrow Borough Council.

The inquiry’s report highlights the need for national leadership to ensure smoking rates continue to fall and urges the Government to publish a new tobacco control plan for England – which is more than a year overdue – without delay.