Smokers in UK hotspot may be offered £400 if they stub out the habit

The scheme is being proposed in an area with one of the worst rates of smokers

Smokers in Cheshire could be paid as much as £400 if they give up the habit, as part of plans for a groundbreaking new health scheme. Cheshire East Council has put forward the proposal in a bid to discourage people in the area from lighting up. The county of Cheshire has one of the worst rates of smokers compared to the national average. Around 10.5 percent of the areas residents smoke, including 10.8 percent of pregnant mums to be. With these numbers not going down, the council has started considering novel ways of discouraging people from smoking. In a meeting on Monday, the council's Adults and Health Committee discussed the initiative, which would give people a financial incentive to kick the habit. According to a report carried out by the council, people receiving an incentive such as cash payments or goods vouchers were around 50 percent more likely to stop smoking than those who did not receive such incentives. The new scheme would see smokers undergo exhaled carbon monoxide tests to prove they were giving up. They would then be paid in installments of up to £200 for the general public and £400 for pregnant women. "Reducing smoking rates in pregnant women will improve the short and long-term health outcomes of infants and their families," the report said, adding that smoking is the "most important modifiable risk factor" within pregnancy. It also highlighted that smoking is the leading cause of cancer and preventable death worldwide. The report said: "By helping to reduce the prevalence of smoking across the borough, particularly in these areas of greater deprivation, the council has an opportunity to improve the immediate health and wellbeing of residents whilst also potentially reducing future spending to treat long-term health issues associated with smoking." Dr Matt Tyrer, director of public health at Cheshire East Council, told local media: "Providing vouchers for relatively small sums of money to encourage people to quit smoking is highly cost-effective, because the long-term health benefits of quitting smoking are so great, along with the financial savings of more than £4,500 a year for someone who used to smoke 20 cigarettes a day." A formal decision report on whether to go ahead with the proposal will be published on July 18. Related links:

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