The cigarette smokers in each south east London borough REVEALED

Figures by the Office for National Statistics found that 12.8 per cent of people in Bexley smoked during 2021, compared to 14 per cent the year before (2020).

The least number of smokers lived in Dartford, with 5.1 per cent of people.

Across all south east London boroughs there has been a decrease in numbers of those who smoke in 2021 compared to 2020.

The new figures show that smoking rates fell to 13.3 per cent across the UK in 2021, this is down from 14.0 per cent across the UK in 2020.

The Office for National Statistics estimates there are currently 6.6 million smokers in the UK.

Here is a list of the estimated prevalence of cigarette smoking in south east London during 2021.

This list has been ranked from highest to lowest and reads from left to right: name of local authority; estimated proportion of people aged 18 and over who were current smokers in 2021; estimated proportion (in brackets) of people aged 18 and over who were current smokers in 2020.

Bexley 12.8 per cent (14.0 per cent)

Bromley 8.9 per cent (11.4 per cent)

Dartford 5.1 per cent (17.2 per cent)

Greenwich 11.5 per cent (14.7 per cent)

Lewisham 12.2 per cent (11.4 per cent)

Southwark 12.0 per cent (16.3 per cent)

Hazel Cheeseman, Deputy Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health charity (ASH) said: “Smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable illness and death, so the progress shown today is great news.

“But Government must not be complacent.

“They first promised to publish a new Tobacco Control Plan for England in 2021 but we still have seen no plan for how they will meet that goal.

“Without one we will not meet the vision of being smokefree by 2030.”

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