Two new ASH Wales/YouGov reports provide fresh evidence on tobacco and vape regulation and smoking-related inequalities in social housing in Wales.
NEW RESEARCH • 2026
Smoking and Social Housing in Wales
Published ASH Wales/YouGov findings on smoking, vaping, health, household smoking and tobacco-control attitudes among people living in social housing in Wales.
Social-housing subgroup: unweighted base 130 • Drawn from the 2026 survey of 1,119 Welsh adults • Fieldwork 18 February–19 March 2026
Headline findings
The figures below come from the published social-housing subgroup. They should be read as ASH Wales/YouGov survey findings, not as official National Survey for Wales prevalence estimates.
28%
currently smoke
Compared with 12% across Wales in this survey
20%
smoke every day
Social-housing subgroup
21%
currently vape
Compared with 12% across Wales in this survey
57%
believe vaping is as harmful as, or more harmful than, smoking
Among the social-housing findings reported
33%
reported a mental-health condition treated in the past year
Self-reported
23%
reported someone smoking in the home most days
Compared with 12% across Wales in this survey
Health and home
Health information in this report is self-reported and was not verified against clinical or NHS records.
7%
reported COPD
Compared with 2% across Wales in this survey
26%
reported depression
Compared with 13% across Wales in this survey
11%
reported being on an NHS mental-health waiting list
Compared with 6% across Wales in this survey
9%
of households with children under 18 reported someone smoking in the home most days
Published report finding
Illegal tobacco and attitudes
8% of social-housing respondents said they may have bought tobacco that was smuggled or untaxed in the previous 12 months, compared with 3% across Wales in this survey. This is a self-reported survey measure and is not an estimate of the size of the illegal tobacco market.
The report also records high support for several smoke-free measures among social-housing respondents, including 91% support for smoke-free school grounds and 91% support for smoke-free children’s play areas.
About the research
The survey was conducted online by YouGov plc for ASH Wales Cymru. The total sample was 1,119 Welsh adults aged 18+ and was weighted to be representative of the Welsh adult population by age, gender, social grade and region.
The social-housing subgroup — local authority or housing-association tenants — has an unweighted base of 130. All figures in the published report are drawn from questions asked of that full subgroup. Health conditions and waiting-list status are self-reported.





