Issue details

As part of  the government’s announcement to create a ‘smokefree generation’ additional funding has been confirmed for local authority led stop smoking services and support. The funding will be delivered through a new section 31 grant, with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) receiving approximately £1.075 million for the financial year 2024 to 2025. Additional funding has been confirmed for the subsequent 4 years: 2025 to 2026, through to the financial year 2028 to 2029. The exact amount will be confirmed each year. This funding will be ringfenced for WSCC led stop smoking services and support.   The government has communicated detailed funding criteria to WSCC through a formal grant agreement process.

To receive the funding, the council must maintain its existing spend on stop smoking services, based on the stop smoking service data spend for the year 2022 to 2023 and ensure this level of funding is maintained throughout the whole grant period. The council will also need to comply with the reporting requirements for expenditure related to the stop smoking service by submitting quarterly reports to NHS England.

Following this decision taken by the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, the grant agreement is signed by the Director of Public Health and returned to the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) by the deadline of 24th April 2024 in order for the 2024/25 grant to be awarded.