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Statistical article

Adult smoking habits in the UK : 2023

Cigarette smoking habits among adults in the UK, including how many people smoke, differences between population groups, changes over time and use of e-cigarettes.

Latest release
See all previous releases

Release date : 1 October 2024

Next release : To be announced

Contact : Health.data@ons.gov.uk


Headline facts and figures

6.0 million

people smoked cigarettes (aged 18 and above) in the UK in 2023

25 to 34 age

highest propotion of current smokers (14%)

5.1 million

adults aged 16 years and over uses an e-cigatette daily or occasionally

Data sources, quality and methods

Latest updates

  • In March 2020, the data collection method for the Annual Population Survey (APS) changed from mixed mode (face to face, telephone) to telephone-only because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
  • To improve response rates, from April 2021, we introduced a field strategy called "knock to nudge", which involved interviewers visiting sampled addresses where no phone numbers could be obtained through either telematching or the online portal.

Read more in Adult smoking habits in the UK quality and methods guide.

Accredited official statistics

These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in February 2013. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled "accredited official statistics".