ONS - Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2019

View as a webpage

office for national statistics

Statistical bulletin

7 July 2020

Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2019

Main points

  • In the UK, in 2019, 14.1% of people aged 18 years and above smoked cigarettes, which equates to around 6.9 million people in the population, based on our estimate from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
  • The proportion of current smokers in the UK has fallen significantly from 14.7% in 2018 to 14.1% in 2019.
  • Of the constituent countries, 13.9% of adults in England smoked, 15.5% of adults in Wales, 15.4% of adults in Scotland and 15.6% of adults in Northern Ireland.
  • In the UK, 15.9% of men smoked compared with 12.5% of women.
  • Those aged 25 to 34 years had the highest proportion of current smokers (19.0%).
  • In the UK, around 1 in 4 (23.4%) people in routine and manual occupations smoked, this is around 2.5 times higher than people in managerial and professional occupations (9.3%).
  • In Great Britain, more than half (52.7%) of people aged 16 years and above who currently smoked said they wanted to quit, and 62.5% of those who have ever smoked said they had quit, based on our estimates from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).
  • In Great Britain, 5.7% of respondents in 2019 said they currently used an e-cigarette, which equates to nearly 3 million adults in the population.

Go to our release

COVID-19 and the production of statistics

The Office for National Statistics produces data and statistics to support decision-makers in the UK and our trusted, impartial information is more important now than ever. 

Our statement outlines how the ONS is responding to the virus and our plans to provide comprehensive information on the impact of COVID-19 on our economy, labour market, population and society.

Details of all of the statistics and analysis the ONS is producing on the impact of COVID-19 can be found at ONS.gov.uk/coronavirus

Please note the ONS has moved to publication of market sensitive releases at 07:00.  Other statistics will continue to be published at 09:30 as usual.

Follow our latest news and get an insight into the work behind the numbers by following @ONSfocus on Twitter. 

To arrange broadcast or print interviews, please contact Media Relations on 0845 604 1858 or 0203 684 5070 or email Media.Relations@ons.gov.uk