Tobacco and Vapes Implementation Grant

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death, disability and ill health in this country. It claims the lives of around 64,000 people a year in England, and up to two-thirds of deaths in current smokers can be attributed to smoking. Smoking increases the risk of many major health conditions throughout people’s lives such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease, stillbirth, dementia and asthma.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is making £150,000 per year available for the financial years 2026/27, 2027/28, 2028/29. A total of £450,000 of grant funding is available. The intention of this grant is to support implementation and impact of the Tobacco and Vapes Act which introduces a range of new measures making major changes in the tobacco and vaping landscape. Notably the creation of a smoke-free generation meaning anyone born on or after 2008 cannot be sold tobacco products. Whilst the grant is for work across England, the Tobacco and Vapes Act is UK-wide and therefore many of the workstreams will benefit activity across all four nations of the UK. Nevertheless, applications are encouraged to consider how their proposal can benefit people across England, particularly in relation to smoking cessation. 

Alongside the Act, DHSC continues to deliver a wider Tobacco and Vapes programme. This includes stop smoking support funding and services such as the National Smoke-free Pregnancy Incentives Scheme. DHSC is also working to tackle the illicit and underage sale of tobacco and vapes.

There are a range of workstreams that DHSC is asking applicants to bid to complete, with some work specifically supporting implementation of the Act, and others supporting the wider tobacco control programmes. Applications from charities applying together as a partnership are welcome. In your application, please apply in the lead charity's name, but include details of other charities included in the application within the body of the proposal.

Below are the workstreams DHSC is inviting organisations to apply for funding under this grant:

1. Capacity building: including targeted communications and dissemination of guidance

• Dissemination of pre-developed guidance and technical detail of the Act, as well as a focus on smoking cessation for Local Authorities, Integrated Care Boards and NHS Trusts. Aimed at high prevalence areas and targeted groups such as education.

• Events may include workshops and roundtables, and DHSC expects both in person and online events. 

• This work would involve creation of supportive resources, and the organising and hosting of events.

• The volume and scope of events will be negotiated with the successful applicant or applicants. 

2. Surveys and polling

•  Working with DHSC, identify surveys and polling which could support implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Act.

• Undertake agreed surveys and polling. 

• Feedback findings to DHSC in an accessible format. 

3. Programme delivery

Support successful implementation of our tobacco control programmes. For example: 

• Support for local communications for a smoke-free UK, building on national communication plans. This could include working and or organising tobacco control alliances which would bring organisations together to tackle tobacco as a united front.

• Establish and oversee a national community of practice network, supporting cross-regional sharing of good practice.

• Work with DHSC to identify and develop the right research and investigative frameworks to support the development of future vaping and nicotine product policy, e.g. analysis on the health impacts of specific substances or ingredients.  

• Support development of the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group, extending reach and engagement. 

• Support Local Authorities and NHS services to build closer relationships to enable: (a) stop smoking outreach services into relevant clinics, for example, cancer screening services or Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinics, (b) improved pathways for discharge from in-patient stop smoking support into community stop smoking support, and (c) improved active referral pathways from primary care into stop smoking services. 

4. Resources

• Produce and disseminate supportive evidence-based resources to make the case for continued tobacco control measures and investment, with a focus on cost-benefit analysis.

5. CLeaR as a service improvement tool

• Following the refresh of CLeaR, create a process to encourage local partnerships to engage with the tools and complete the self-assessment/s. 

• Provide support to reflect on areas for improvement, including identifying priority populations and measures that will help to reduce smoking where need is greatest.

Evaluation

• All applicants must build independent evaluation into their bid, to consider its value for money and impact on the tobacco and vaping landscape.