£2.7m to care for smokers, says ASH

SMOKING cost Oldham Council almost £2.7 million last year, claims lobby group Action on Smoking and Health.

The group’s figures show Oldham spent £2,698,000 to help people with smoking-related illnesses to live and be supported at home.

The figure - the third lowest in Greater Manchester - could be higher, as figures are only available for support given to those aged 50 and over.

Councils in the North-West are paying more than £91 million in social care costs, while nationally the figure is over £600 million a year.

Alan Higgins, Director of Public Health for Oldham, said: “It’s a high priority for us to tackle this issue and we’re already seeing a positive impact from the hard work taking place in the borough.”

The number of local smokers aged 18 and over dropped from 26.9 per cent in 2011 to 24.5 per cent in 2012.

The figures are the first time research has estimated the cost of smoking to the social care system and reveal that current smokers over 50 are twice as likely to need help than non-smokers.