Smoking rates in Greater Manchester have fallen to their lowest level on record, with the proportion of adults who smoke almost halving over the past decade – with the city-region remaining firmly on track to achieve its Smokefree 2030 ambition.
Released by the Annual Population Survey during Stoptober, the national campaign that encourages smokers to quit during October and take the first step towards becoming smokefree. The new data shows that smoking rates among adults aged 18 and over in Greater Manchester fell to 10.6% in 2025, down from 11.7% in 2024[i].
The latest estimates indicate that the number of adults who smoke in Greater Manchester was nearly 26,000 lower in 2025 than in the previous year[ii], highlighting continued progress in tackling the single biggest cause of preventable illness and premature death.
Smoking rates in Greater Manchester have now fallen from 20% in 2015 to 10.6% in 2025, showing the positive impact of the partnership work of local authorities, the NHS, voluntary organisations and community partners.
Importantly, Greater Manchester achieved the same rate of reduction as England overall between 2024 and 2025, despite experiencing higher levels of deprivation and health inequalities than many parts of the country.
A decade of progress
The latest data shows the gap between smoking rates in Greater Manchester and England is now at its lowest level on record, falling from 3.1% in 2013-15 to 1.1% percentage points in 2023-25. While the difference between Greater Manchester and the North West average has narrowed to just 0.3%, also the smallest gap ever recorded.
The progress has been achieved through a comprehensive approach combining behaviour change campaigns, local stop smoking services, research and innovation, and targeted support for communities most affected by smoking-related harm.
Supporting people to quit
Across Greater Manchester, partners continue to focus on understanding local communities, tailoring services to meet people’s needs, embedding stop smoking support into everyday settings and expanding the workforce able to deliver quit smoking advice.
Support is also increasingly available through workplaces, community services, substance misuse programmes and the region’s Live Well approach, helping make conversations about quitting smoking part of wider discussions about health, wellbeing and employment.
Phil, a retired teacher who recently stopped smoking, said: “Having lung cancer showed me first-hand what smoking can do to your health. Following successful treatment, being able to take my granddaughter to football practice again means the world to me. Quitting hasn’t been easy. I still get cravings every day, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come. Those moments with my granddaughter remind me why I keep going.
If you’re thinking about stopping, give it a go. It takes work, but there’s so much to gain – your health, time with the people you love and all those everyday moments you don’t want to miss.”
Helen Gollins, Director of Public Health for Trafford and Chair of the Greater Manchester Public Health Network said:
“The latest data is incredibly encouraging and reflects the impact of sustained investment in tobacco control and stop smoking support across Greater Manchester. Smoking rates have almost halved over the last decade, which means thousands fewer people are at risk of developing smoking-related cancers, heart disease, stroke and respiratory conditions.
“We know that stopping smoking is one of the most important things a person can do to improve their health, and we’re committed to making quitting easier. Through targeted support, community engagement and partnership working across all ten boroughs, we’re helping more people become smokefree and live healthier lives.”
Professor Matt Evison, Clinical Lead for the Greater Manchester Make Smoking History Programme said:
“Every fall in smoking rates means fewer people developing lung cancer, heart disease and COPD, and less pressure on our NHS. As a lung cancer doctor, I see the harm smoking causes every day, but I also see what stopping can achieve. It is never too late to stop, and stopping improves outcomes even after a cancer diagnosis.
“Combining behavioural support with stop smoking medicines or vapes gives people the best chance of stopping for good. Across Greater Manchester we are making tobacco dependence treatment a routine part of NHS care, from hospital wards to lung cancer screening, so that everyone who smokes is offered help. These figures are a testament to everyone working to make that happen.”
Dave Boulger, Programme Director for Greater Manchester Public Health Network and Associate Director of Population Health for NHS Greater Manchester added:
“These figures show that Greater Manchester continues to make real progress towards our Smokefree 2030 ambition. Reaching the lowest smoking rate ever recorded in the city-region is a significant achievement and demonstrates what can be accomplished when local authorities, the NHS, community organisations and wider partners work together with a shared purpose.
“While we should celebrate this progress, we know there is more to do. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable ill health and death, and people living in our most disadvantaged communities continue to bear the greatest burden of smoking-related harm. Our focus now is on building on this success, reducing inequalities and ensuring everyone who wants support to quit can access effective, compassionate help when and where they need it.”
[i] Office for National Statistics (ONS), released 6 October 2026, ONS website, statistical article, Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2025
[ii] [ii] Based on figure of 2,344,953 for the 18+ population.
