Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England April 2019 to March 2020

This section of the report presents information on the number of quit attempts and the self-reported quit rates by a range of demographic variables

Number of quit attempts

A higher number of females set a quit date in 2019/20 (120,996) than males (100,682).

Self-reported quit rate

Males had a higher self-reported quit rate than females (53% and 50% respectively) and also higher CO validated quit rates (33% and 30%).

Number of quit attempts

There was no clear pattern by age.  The largest number of quit attempts came from the 45-59 year old age group (33% of all attempts).

Self-reported quit rate

The self-reported quit rate increased with age, reaching 56% for the 60 and over age group.

Number of quit attempts

Of those setting a quit date in 2019/20, 193,027 (87%) were of a White ethnicity.

The next most represented ethnicity was Asian or Asian British, with 8,727 (4%) of those setting a quit date.

Self-reported quit rate

The self-reported quit rate varies by ethnic category, ranging from 48% for Mixed Ethnic group to 55% for Asian or Asian British group

Male/female split by ethnicity

The proportion of those setting a quit date by gender varies across ethnicities. For Asian or Asian British, 76% of those attempting to set a quit date were males. For White, males made up just 44% of those setting a quit date.

Number of quit attempts

Socio economic classification has been determined by smoking cessation advisors using a methodology adapted for use in NHS Smoking Cessation Services. For more details  about socio-economic classification, please consult the Notes & Definitions section of Stop Smoking Services Q4 2019/20 data tables.

The largest number of quit attempts came from the ‘Routine and manual occupations’  group (63,058). The next most represented group, with 32,210 setting a quit date, was 'Never worked or unemployed for over 1 year'.

Self-reported quit rate

The self-reported quit rates varies across socio-economic groups, ranging from 59% for 'Prisoner' to 41% for ‘Full time students’.

Number of quit attempts

North West had the highest number of quit attempts (35,110) and West Midlands had the lowest (14,877).

Self-reported quit rate

The self-reported quit rate was highest in Yorkshire and Humber (61%) and lowest in South West (45%) and North East (45%).

Number of quit attempts

13,799  pregnant women set a quit date in 2019/20, remaining very similar to the number setting a quit date in 2018/19.

Self-reported quit rate

While the overall self-reported quit rate remained similar to previous years, the CO validated quit rate dropped from 28% in 2018/19 to 24% in 2019/20.