Nottingham City Council has secured funding through the national Swap to Stop programme for 2,000 free vape starter kits, each provided alongside behavioural support to help adult smokers across the city quit smoking.
Smoking is the largest cause of preventable illness and death in Nottingham and almost one in five adults currently smoke. In a recent survey in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, two in five smokers reported wanting to quit. This new funding will help to provide more choice and support for residents to quit smoking for good.
Thriving Nottingham (the city’s stop smoking service) will work with partners Nottingham Recovery Network (NRN), The Health Shop, and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) Tobacco Dependence Service to provide access to vape starter kits and support to quit. The offer is now live and available at Thriving Nottingham, NUH, The Health Shop, and Framework. It will be available in community clinics, hospitals and targeted outreach settings.
This new funding will strengthen the support offered in Nottingham by improving access to vapes and support which are proven to help people quit. It will help more residents to receive tailored advice, access free vape starter kits, and benefit from support designed to help them quit smoking for good. This includes:
- 2,000 rechargeable/refillable starter kits matched to each smoker’s needs, including appropriate nicotine strengths.
- One-to-one appointments in person or by phone for 12 weeks, with further support available for up to a year
- Multiple ways to access help: directly through Thriving Nottingham, following referral from a healthcare professional such as through NUH or through targeted work with NRN and The Health Shop for people facing multiple challenges such as those who are homeless or in hostels/day centres.
Councillor Helen Kalsi, Executive Member Adults and Health said: “This funding allows us to build on what we know works – giving people practical, evidence-based support to quit smoking for good. By pairing a vape starter kit with structured behavioural support, we’re helping residents take control of their health in a way that’s both realistic and affordable.
“Smoking continues to be one of the biggest causes of health inequality in Nottingham, and initiatives like Swap to Stop are vital in narrowing that gap and improving long-term health outcomes across our city.”
A spokesperson for The Health Shop said: “We’re really pleased to be part of the Swap to Stop programme and to help bring this support directly to the people who need it most. By including Swap to Stop in our outreach sessions, we can reach those who often face the greatest health inequalities – offering them a genuine opportunity to improve their health and take the first step towards a smoke-free future.”
Zahida, Nottingham University Hospitals said: “Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) is proud to be working in partnership with Thriving Nottingham to support our patients, staff, and visitors who want to quit smoking through the Swap to Stop initiative. This is a fantastic opportunity for City residents who attend or work in our hospitals to access free, evidence-based tools and support to help them quit smoking.”
Sandeep, Framework, said: “People who sleep rough face some of the most severe health inequalities, with the average age of death just 45 for men and 43 for women — over 30 years lower than the general population (ONS, 2022). Respiratory disease is one of the leading causes of death among this group, with significantly higher rates of asthma, COPD, and infections. Our team looks forward to working closely with Thriving Nottingham to provide accessible smoking cessation support, helping some of the city’s most vulnerable residents improve their health and wellbeing.”
Residents can access stop smoking support directly by contacting Thriving Nottingham: https://thrivingnottingham.org.uk/ to start a 12-week quit plan, or ask their GP, pharmacist, hospital team or community worker for a referral.
ENDS
Notes:
- Swap to Stop is a national programme funded by Government to provide free vape starter kits with behavioural support for adult smokers.
- Nottingham’s allocation is 2,000 starter kits for use in 2025/26, delivered by Thriving Nottingham with NRN, The Health Shop and NUH.
- Kits are rechargeable/refillable; single-use vapes are not included. Products are sourced via the Crown Commercial Service Tail Spend Vaping Solution.
- Behavioural support follows the NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme and/or Very Brief Advice+ where appropriate.
- Local context: 18.2% of adults in Nottingham smoke; smoking remains the single largest cause of preventable death and disease locally.