Brits are quitting smoking: See which cities lead (and lag) in 2025

While smoking has long been on the decline in countries like Australia and the UK, the picture is far more complex when we explore this on a regional level. From disposable vape bans to rising cigarette prices and surging interest in quitting, a new index from the health experts at iSelect compares smoking habits, cost, and health engagement across the UK’s top cities. 

The findings highlight a significant shift not only in how we consume nicotine, but also in how nations are confronting the long-term health impacts — offering timely insights for anyone re-evaluating their lifestyle or health insurance choices.

The Top 10 UK Cities for Attitudes to Smoking

Warrington leads the way in the UK’s smoking attitudes index, topping the rankings with an impressive index score of 73.39. With a smoking rate of just 7.3% in 2022 and a solid year-on-year decrease of -0.66 percentage points, the city demonstrates consistent downward momentum. At £14 per 20-pack, cigarette prices are relatively low compared to other cities, yet residents are still showing clear intent to quit, with 28.41 quit-smoking-related searches per 10k population recorded. This balance of low prevalence and high engagement makes Warrington a standout in the national effort to reduce smoking.

Close behind is Exeter, securing the second spot with a score of 73.38. The city reports a smoking rate of 8.3%, paired with a -0.64 percentage point decline year-on-year. While cigarette prices are on the higher side at £16 per pack, this may be contributing to the downward trend. Search interest for quitting remains active at 24.63, reflecting a city increasingly motivated to tackle smoking habits.

London ranks third with an index score of 72.15, driven by strong public interest in cessation. The capital’s smoking rate stands at 9.7%, decreasing by -0.62 percentage points annually. Despite having the highest cigarette cost in the top five at £17, Londoners are actively seeking help to quit, shown by a search interest score of 34.68. This suggests both policy and price are playing roles in shifting attitudes.

Salford ranks fourth with an index score of 71.54, though it has the highest smoking rate among the top five at 13.6%. Encouragingly, it also shows thelargest year-on-year drop at -0.68 percentage points. Cigarettes cost an average of £15.32, and the city leads in quit-related engagement with a standout search interest score of 82.47—the highest of any city in the top 10. This combination of high awareness and active reduction makes Salford a key city to watch.

Bath rounds out the top five with a score of 70.25. The city maintains a low smoking rate of 8.2%, decreasing at a steady -0.62 percentage points annually. At £14.38 per 20-pack, cigarette pricing is moderate, but quit-smoking intent is high, reflected in a search interest score of 35.87. Bath’s position in the top five highlights its commitment to reducing tobacco use through both awareness and accessibility.

For the full global ranking, please find the study here: The Countries Championing the Smoking Decline – iSelect.

Methodology:

To uncover the areas leading the decline in cigarette smoking, we took a data-driven approach to analysing tobacco and vaping trends, building four distinct indexes:

• A global view across 120+ countries (based on data availability). 
• A USA view (note: Kentucky and Pennsylvania excluded due to missing vaping data). 
• An Australian view of each state and territory. 
• A UK view, covering 45+ major cities and local authorities. 

These rankings incorporate statistical modelling, price and tax data, and search behaviour analysis to evaluate the health trajectories of each location.

Projecting 2025 Smoking Rates (UK & Australia): 

As 2025 smoking data was not available for the UK and Australia, we used an Empirical Bayes Hierarchical Model to project future smoking rates based on historical data. This Bayesian model pools information across areas, estimating local trends while also accounting for national-level patterns. The model uses empirical priors, calculated from actual data, to constrain predictions and ensure statistical stability, especially where some regions had fewer observations. This approach allows us to generate credible, data-informed forecasts with uncertainty bounds.

Calculating Rate of Change (All Locations): 

To measure how quickly smoking is increasing or decreasing in each area, we applied a simple linear regression model to historical smoking rates over time. The slope of each model represents the average annual change in percentage points, for example, a slope of -0.4 means the smoking rate has dropped by 0.4 percentage points per year, on average. This metric enables fair comparison across countries and regions, regardless of baseline prevalence.

Disclaimer: 

This study includes statistical projections and modelling techniques designed to fill data gaps in public health research. Every effort has been made to ensure accurate data sourcing and rigorous methodology, but real-world changes and local variables may lead to differences from actual outcomes. The findings should be used for educational and research purposes only, and not as the sole basis for policy or personal decisions.