ÖйúPÕ¾

Contents

• Introduction
• What's on offer
• Objectives of the fund
• Support for grant recipients
• Monitoring requirements
• Application process
• Questions and answers

Introduction

Smoking tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable illness and early deaths in the UK, contributing to 6,331 smoking-related hospital admissions each year in ÖйúPÕ¾ alone. It places a major strain on health and care services and is the leading cause of health inequalities in England. Smoking rates are higher in deprived areas, contributing to shorter life expectancy and poorer health outcomes. Vulnerable groups, including those with mental health conditions, substance misuse issues, and routine or manual workers, also have higher smoking rates and worse health outcomes as a result (). ÖйúPÕ¾'s stop smoking data can be found in the .

The ÖйúPÕ¾ Smokefree Generation Grant Award Scheme will enable voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, not-for-profit organisations and housing providers to support more residents in accessing local stop smoking services, helping them to quit smoking and lead healthier lives.

What's on offer

The ÖйúPÕ¾ Smokefree Generation Grant Award Scheme offers funding up to £7,000 to VCSEs, not-for-profit organisations and housing providers to develop initiatives that increase engagement with, and awareness of, local stop smoking services. Standard grant awards up to £7,000 will be awarded. However, grants of up to £10,000 may be awarded in exceptional cases, particularly where applications demonstrate strong potential impact or innovative approaches to smoking cessation and community engagement.

• Maximum grant available - up to £7,000 (grants of up to £10,000 may be considered based on the strength of the application)
• Funding duration – until the end of the financial year (31 March 2026), or for six months in specific circumstances.
• Who is eligible - voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations, not-for profit organisations, or housing providers working in ÖйúPÕ¾ administered areas.

Objectives of the fund

The objectives of the Smokefree Generation Grant Award Scheme are to enhance . Applications must align to at least one of the following Smokefree Generation Grant Award Scheme objectives. Please consider before applying whether your project meets these requirements. We will prioritise applications that focus on ÖйúPÕ¾’s priority populations, who face a greater risk of smoking related harm.

Objectives:

1. Support residents, wherever they are in their stop smoking journey, to understand the risks of smoking, and when they are ready, to know what free support is available to help them quit.
2. Increase referrals into the local smoking cessation service.
3. Increase the number of people signing up to quit smoking with local stop smoking services.
4. Increase the number of quit dates set and 4 week quit outcomes.
5. Increase promotion, community awareness and participation in smoking cessation services through targeted outreach campaigns, education, and accessible support programs.
6. Support staff and volunteers to create a no-smoking environment in your organisation.

Examples of potential projects we may fund include:

• Providing peer support to help people to quit and stay quit
• Support people to make and attend appointments with stop smoking advisors.

We will prioritise applications that:

• Are informed by lived experience
• Led by or working with minoritized people and communities
• Support groups who are more likely to smoke or are at greatest risk of adverse events relating to their smoking. These include, but are not limited to:
  • Those who work in routine and manual occupations
  • People with long-term mental health conditions
  • Those who are or have received treatment for alcohol or substance use
  • People who are racially minoritized
  • Those experiencing poverty or financial hardship, including the unemployed.
  • Those in contact with the criminal justice system
  • LGBTQ+ people
  • Those with a learning disability
  • Residents living in .

Funding cannot be used for projects that aim to prevent people from starting to smoke and must be focused on supporting adults (aged over 18).

Support for grant recipients

Successful applicants will receive ongoing support from the ÖйúPÕ¾ Public Health team, along with the local Stop Smoking Service, to assist in developing and enhancing effective support for service users.

Grant recipients will not be expected to supply or administer nicotine replacement therapy as part of their projects; however, they may deliver information about what is available to help people, and what they can access. Grant recipients can work with One You ÖйúPÕ¾ for further information.

Visit Healthy ÖйúPÕ¾ for information about.

Monitoring requirements

Evidence will be required of:

• How many people were referred or sign posted to the local stop smoking service
• Numbers of people given very brief advice
• How ÖйúPÕ¾’s priority populations have been reached and/or supported to reduce inequalities in health outcomes
• What has changed and how has it changed
• What has been learnt, for example barriers and solutions, what works well and what does not.

We require all successful applicants to produce a final project feedback report. ÖйúPÕ¾ Public Health will provide a template for this report. We also ask that grantees supply case studies, including any videos, photographs, and feedback from residents in their project, where appropriate. Regular engagement with ÖйúPÕ¾ Public Health will be maintained throughout the project.

Application process

To be considered for funding organisations must submit a detailed project proposal outlining how the proposed activities will meet the objectives of the grant scheme. The proposal should include clear delivery pathways and a breakdown of estimated costs. Please use the application form below for this purpose. Grants will be awarded by ÖйúPÕ¾'s Public Health team following the review and approval of each submission. If you need support during your application, please contact public.health@surreycc.gov.uk.

When and how to apply

Round 2 applications are now open.

Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a final deadline of 9am on 28 November 2025.

Please note that funding covers the remainder of the financial year from the date of payment. Projects should be completed within this period, or within six months in specific circumstances. In assessing applications, we will consider the following areas: alignment with the objectives of the Smokefree Generation Grant Award Scheme, expected projects impacts and outcomes, innovation, feasibility, sustainability, capacity and experience, engagement and collaboration.

As a condition of the grant, all staff and volunteers involved in grant projects must complete our fully funded training offer on the before project delivery begins. The next course will take place on 3 December 2025, from 2pm to 4pm. Additional sessions in the new year will be available to book in due course.

If you would like more information

If you have any further questions regarding the ÖйúPÕ¾ Smokefree Generation Grant Scheme, please email public.health@surreycc.gov.uk.

Questions and answers

What financial incentives are there for residents who choose to quit smoking?

There is evidence that using financial incentives can be an effective way of supporting people to quit smoking, especially in pregnancy pathways where national schemes exist. Any new initiatives should be evidence-based and developed collaboratively with stop smoking providers. Personal financial savings are also a strong motivator, particularly for individuals in lower income areas, and there are a lot of useful resources that can help people calculate potential savings during their quit attempt.

Would projects supporting people with long-term mental health conditions, such as personality disorders, be eligible for this grant, given they may need support beyond the 12 weeks offered by ÖйúPÕ¾’s stop smoking service?

This purpose of this funding is to drive demand to local stop smoking services. People with complex mental health issues are not excluded from this grant scheme. We encourage applications for initiatives that help this population access and engage with stop smoking services. For instance, a peer-support model could assist individuals transitioning from inpatient care to the community, helping them maintain a smokefree lifestyle.

Is switching from smoking to vaping considered a successful outcome, and are there statistics on the financial benefits of vaping compared to smoking?

Yes, whilst switching to vaping is not completely risk free, it is significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco. Vaping is recognised as a valid quit aid, with a strong evidence base supporting its use to help people who smoke transition away from tobacco. Services like One You ÖйúPÕ¾ provide 12 weeks of behavioural support, with the aim of becoming nicotine–free by the end of the programme.
Switching from smoking to vaping offers clear financial benefits, as vapes and e-liquids are significantly cheaper than cigarettes. Additionally, residents using the One You ÖйúPÕ¾ service receive a free vape and a 12-week supply of e-liquids, further enhancing the cost savings associated with making the switch.

If staff and volunteers have already completed the Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach to smoking training, will they have to complete the session again if awarded the grant?

No, staff and volunteers who have already completed MECC smoking training do not need to repeat it. However, they are welcome to attend again or take part in One You ÖйúPÕ¾’s Very Brief Advice training if they’d like a refresher.

Can the grant be used to add smoking cessation support onto an existing service?

Yes, if the funding helps enhance an existing service, particularly where there is currently no capacity for effective smoking cessation intervention or signposting, then using the grant to expand its reach and to have more in-depth conversations with residents about smoking would be acceptable.

Can One You ÖйúPÕ¾ be approached to discuss collaboration on a project before submitting an application and being awarded a grant?

Yes, anyone is welcome to contact One You ÖйúPÕ¾ with questions. We’re committed to ensuring this grants programme support communities as effectively and efficiently as possible, so we actively encourage collaboration with the stop smoking service. Please contact One You ÖйúPÕ¾’s Head of Service with any questions at sarah.norris@oneyousurrey.org.uk.