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Costs of smoking

mini.JPGMany people with money worries turn to smoking to help deal with stress

But smoking makes your problems worse- a packet of 20 cigarettes a day costs £250 a month - that's £3,000 per year so not smoking can play a big part in improving anyone's financial capability and put more money back in to the individuals pocket as well as improve their health outcomes.

Help to approach the subject of smoking in money advice settings

A pilot project carried out between 2014-2016 working with money advice services in Glasgow (see below) found that staff were keen to help clients to save money by stopping smoking, but were concerned about how they could raise this issue in the most sensitive and empathic manner.

In response we have created innovative new  resource materials to help advice staff to positively engage with clients who are interested in stopping smoking. Our new packs are designed to get noticed and encourage clients themselves to ask about what they are, so that the advisors can use these materials to inform and support clients interested in saving money by stopping smoking.

Each pack contains leaflets setting out the money that can be saved by stopping smoking and providing ten tips on the free advice and support available to help individuals quit their way.

The packs should be of use to anyone working in a setting that provides money advice, even if just part of a wider package of support - this could be a money advice service, a food bank, a student welfare office, a Citizens Advice Bureau, a credit union, local authority One Stop Shop or any community based organisation such as a Carers Centre providing financial advice as part of the holistic service that they provide to individuals.

To order a pack to help raise the issue with your clients, request associated A3 posters to display or to order more of the leaflet inserts, contact Zareen Raza at enquiries@ashscotland.org.uk.

Working with Money Advice Services

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and ASH Scotland worked together on a pilot to evaluate the potential role that money advice services can play in raising the issue of smoking.

The project provided tailored training on tobacco and smoking issues to money advice staff across five Health and Social Care Partnership areas in East Renfrewshire, South Glasgow, Glasgow East, North West Glasgow and Renfrewshire.  Following the training evaluation we returned to interview staff, managers and clients to identify their perceptions of the change, the impact achieved and any barriers they encountered.

The pilot concluded that raising the issue of smoking was an effective and achievable way for money advice staff to help their clients, making the following recommendations:

  • addressing smoking and tobacco in money advice settings is realistic, achievable, viable and appropriate
  • trust money advice services to address tobacco when the time and circumstances are right for each client
  • delivery of tobacco specific training for money advice services is valued
  • referrals need to be realistic and pragmatic
  • maintain questions on tobacco use as a key trigger in CFTs.

 

Download the full report The role of stopping smoking in money advice - putting health and economic benefits together report and Executive Summary

 

 

Reducing health inequalities Raising the issue of smoking in money advice settings Cashtray - Credit Union pilot Costs of smoking