A summary evaluation of London’s Smoke Free app pilot

As London works towards becoming a smoke-free city by 2030, the London Tobacco Alliance (LTA) and all 33 local authorities joined forces to trial a new approach to quitting: an integrated 24/7 digital stop smoking service delivered through the Smoke Free app.

Between November 2024 and March 2025, 2,500 Londoners were given free access to the app alongside nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and vape support. The pilot aimed to complement traditional face-to-face stop smoking services and make expert help available anytime, anywhere.

Download a summary evaluation report on the pilot

A 24/7 stop smoking advisor in your pocket

The Smoke Free app offers access to trained smoking cessation advisors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It combines personalised coaching, motivational tools and easy ordering of free NRT or vape products – straight to your door.

Independent evaluation

To assess the pilot’s impact, two independent research studies were commissioned:

Quantitative Evaluation by London South Bank University (LSBU)

LSBU analysed anonymised data from all app users to measure quit rates and usage patterns. After four weeks, 43% of participants reported they had quit smoking, equating to at least 1,075 Londoners who no longer smoke. The study also identified that people who used NRT or vapes via the app and those who engaged more frequently with its features, were the most likely to quit successfully.

Read the LSBU service evaluation report

Qualitative Research by Bluegrass Research

Bluegrass conducted in-depth interviews with app users across different ages, backgrounds and boroughs. Participants described the app as simple, supportive and motivating, with many crediting it for helping them manage cravings and change their smoking routines.

Read the Bluegrass Research qualitative evaluation report

Smoke Free App Data Summary

Smoke Free provided detailed user data showing how and when people accessed the service, giving valuable insight into behaviour patterns and demand across London.

Key findings

• Demand was high: all 2,500 licences were used.
• Uptake was city-wide, with strong engagement from boroughs running local promotion.
• Users came from diverse demographic backgrounds, including many from lower-income groups.
• 21% signed up at weekends and more than half accessed advisors outside 9 am–5 pm.
• The pilot added an estimated 10% extra capacity to London’s smoking cessation system.
• More than half of users (55%) contacted advisors outside traditional clinic hours, showing strong demand for flexible, on-demand support.

Participants also valued the app’s daily missions, community features and dashboards showing health and financial progress. One user said:

“You guys have not only helped me save a ton of money, but you’re helping prolong my life for my family, which is priceless.”

What’s next?

Following the pilot’s success, every London borough has agreed to continue funding free access to the Smoke Free app throughout 2025/26 via the London Tobacco Alliance. The service is now a useful tool in London’s stop-smoking toolkit. NHS pathways integration is also being explored.

These evaluations show that digital interventions can expand support and complement local stop smoking services,  helping more Londoners take their first step towards being smoke free.

Read the summary Smoke Free App pilot evaluation report