Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Latest NewsSmokingWellbeing

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence calls for employer support for smokers who want to quit

by Mike Berry 25 Apr 2007
by Mike Berry 25 Apr 2007

Smokers should be given paid time off work to help them kick the habit, new public health guidance has recommended.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) claimed the move would help to cut the estimated £5bn annual cost of lost productivity, absenteeism and fire damage caused by smoking. Smoking also costs the NHS about £1.5bn each year.

It is the first time that Nice has issued guidance that applies beyond the NHS, effectively including every workplace in England.

The new advice comes as workplaces in England prepare to go smoke-free from 1 July.

Andrew Dillon, chief executive of Nice, said: “Our advice is based on the best evidence of which workplace approaches are effective for smokers and make business sense for employers.”

The institute also recommends providing information on local stop-smoking services, and allowing smokers to attend clinics during working hours without loss of pay.

The guidelines were welcomed by charity Action on Smoking and Health.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

But David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, told The Times: “My concern first of all is about Nice. It shows how divorced from reality it is.

“The idea that business should pick up the tab for an individual’s problem just shows how far it is from economic reality.”

Mike Berry

previous post
HR and number crunchers reach best-ever level of understanding
next post
Part-timers who don’t work Mondays not entitled to time off for bank holidays

You may also like

Barclays Bank boss warns Reeves over public sector...

12 Sep 2025

MPs probe Asda financial links with workplace lender

12 Sep 2025

Companies named for failing to report gender pay...

12 Sep 2025

Business rates rises could put 100k retail jobs...

12 Sep 2025

How to steer EDI through a ‘permacrisis’

12 Sep 2025

Immigration: ‘Hyundai factory raid is threat to US...

12 Sep 2025

Sainsbury’s manager awarded £60k following colleague’s aggressive behaviour

11 Sep 2025

Slightly shorter working week could reap big benefits

11 Sep 2025

Immigration: record number of sponsor licences revoked

11 Sep 2025

Estate agent ‘demoted’ after desk move awarded £21k

11 Sep 2025

  • Workplace health benefits need to be simplified SPONSORED | Long-term sickness...Read more
  • Work smart – stay well: Avoid unnecessary pain with centred ergonomics SPONSORED | If you often notice...Read more
  • Elevate your L&D strategy at the World of Learning 2025 SPONSORED | This October...Read more
  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits Live
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise