![How Many People Vape in the UK? [New Statistics 2026]](http://piratevapes.co.uk/cdn/shop/articles/How_Many_People_Vape_in_the_UK_0a145b1b-7cbf-4840-b534-665fc5966405.jpg?v=1787588051&width=1600)
Around 5.5 million adults in Great Britain now vape, according to the newest estimate. That is 10.3% of the adult population, so the short answer is roughly one in every ten adults.
ASH published the figure in July 2026. It includes England, Scotland and Wales, but Northern Ireland is counted separately. There, 9% of people aged 16 and over report that they currently vape.
The figures below cover adult and youth use, differences between age groups, smoking status, popular devices and how vaping rates have changed over time.
Key Takeaway
-
Around 5.5 million adults currently vape in Great Britain.
-
That works out to 10.3% of people aged 18 and over.
-
Northern Ireland records its figures separately, with 9% of people aged 16 and over currently vaping.
-
Adult vaping climbed considerably between 2012 and 2024, but the rate has since levelled out.
-
An estimated 370,000 young people aged 11 to 17 currently vape in Great Britain.
How Many Adults Vape in the UK in 2026?
According to the 2026 ASH Smokefree GB Adult Survey, 5.5 million adults currently vape in Great Britain. In percentage terms, that is 10.3% of those aged 18 and over.
The research ran online between 18 February and 19 March 2026 and gathered responses from 13,259 people. Those responses were then weighted so that the results better represented Great Britain’s wider adult population.
Current use should not be confused with simply having tried a vape. A person who took a few puffs several years ago, for instance, would not necessarily be classed as a current vaper.
Does the 5.5 Million Figure Cover the Whole UK?
No. Great Britain covers England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland, which is not part of the ASH estimate.
Northern Ireland’s Latest Health Survey found that 9% of respondents aged 16 and over were current users of e-cigarettes or vaping devices in 2024/25.
At present, no single survey measures all four UK nations using the same questions, age groups and methods. Simply adding Northern Ireland’s percentage to the ASH total would therefore give a misleading result. The 5.5 million estimate applies to Great Britain, not the UK as a whole.
Why Is the Number of Vapers an Estimate?
Survey researchers do not ask every person in Great Britain whether they vape. They question a large sample instead, then weight the answers to make that sample more representative of the wider population.
ASH uses the measured vaping rate alongside the latest available Great Britain population estimate. For its 2025 and 2026 calculations, it relied on the 2024 population figure. As with any survey result, there is still room for sampling uncertainty, inaccurate self-reporting and rounding.
Why Do UK Vaping Statistics Give Different Numbers?
Different UK vaping statistics are not necessarily contradicting one another. They may measure different years, locations, ages, or types of use.
| Source | Data period | Geography and age | Measure | Headline result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASH Adult Survey | 2026 | Great Britain, 18+ | Current vaping | 10.3%, approximately 5.5 million |
| ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey | 2024 | Great Britain, 16+ | Daily or occasional use | 10.0%, approximately 5.4 million |
| Health Survey Northern Ireland | 2024/25 | Northern Ireland, 16+ | Current use | 9% |
| ASH Youth Survey | 2026 | Great Britain, 11-17 | Current vaping | 6%, approximately 370,000 |
The ASH figure is the newest adult estimate. The ONS 2024 Release, meanwhile, provides the latest official government benchmark for e-cigarette use in Great Britain.
“Ever tried”, “current use”, “occasional use” and “daily use” are not interchangeable. Adult and youth results must also be kept separate.
Has Vaping Increased in the UK?
Adult vaping increased considerably after ASH began measuring use across the adult population in 2012.
| Year | Adult vaping rate | Estimated adult vapers in Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1.7% | 0.8 million |
| 2016 | 5.7% | 2.9 million |
| 2020 | 6.3% | 3.3 million |
| 2022 | 8.3% | 4.3 million |
| 2024 | 10.7% | 5.7 million |
| 2025 | 10.4% | 5.6 million |
| 2026 | 10.3% | 5.5 million |
That is an estimated increase of around 4.7 million adult vapers between 2012 and 2026. Growth was particularly noticeable from 2020 to 2024. Since then, the rate has slipped slightly, from 10.7% in 2024 to 10.3% in 2026.
Line chart showing the number of adult vapers in Great Britain increasing from 0.8 million in 2012 to 5.5 million in 2026.
The better reading is that adult vaping has plateaued. Two small annual changes are not enough to establish a lasting downward trend.
What Percentage of UK Adults Vape Every Day?
ASH reports that 7.8% of adults in Great Britain vape daily in 2026, up from 4.5% in 2020. The remaining current vapers use their devices less frequently.
ONS recorded a lower daily rate of 6.7% in 2024. This is not a direct contradiction. ONS included people aged 16 and over, while the ASH adult survey starts at 18 and uses a different sample and methodology.
Which Age Group Vapes the Most in the UK?
The answer depends on whether “most” refers to the highest rate within an age group or the largest number of people. ASH provides the clearest comparison of prevalence.
Vaping Rates by Age
Current vaping in 2026 was highest among 25 to 34-year-olds, at 15%. The rate was 14% among 35- to 44-year-olds and approximately 11% among those aged 18 to 24. Adults aged 55 and over recorded the lowest rate, at 6%.
Current vaping is most common among adults aged 25 to 34 in the 2026 ASH survey.
A separate change appeared in experimentation. The proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds who had ever tried vaping rose from 32% in 2025 to 39% in 2026. That does not mean 39% currently vape.
Do More Men or Women Vape?
ONS found almost no overall difference in 2024. Daily or occasional e-cigarette use was reported by 10.1% of men and 10.0% of women aged 16 and over in Great Britain.
Patterns varied within individual age groups, but the overall gap of 0.1 percentage points should not be treated as meaningful without supporting statistical evidence.
Is Vaping More Common in Disadvantaged Groups?
ASH reports current vaping among 12% of adults in social grades C2DE, compared with 9% in the ABC1 group.
This pattern overlaps with wider inequalities in smoking prevalence. It does not prove that a person’s social grade directly causes them to vape.
How Many Vapers Are Current, Former or Never-Smokers?
The 5.5 million current adult vapers can be divided by smoking status:
| Smoking Status | Share of current vapers | Estimated Number |
|---|---|---|
| Ex-smokers | 60% | 3.3 million |
| Current smokers | 32% | 1.7 million |
| Never-smokers | 8% | 400,000 |
Most adults who vape previously smoked but no longer do. Around one-third currently both smoke and vape, while a smaller group reports never having smoked.
Smoking status of adults who currently vape in Great Britain in 2026.
These figures describe people’s reported status. They should not be turned into guaranteed smoking-cessation claims.
How Many Young People Vape in the UK?
The separate 2026 ASH Youth Vaping Survey estimates that 6% of 11 to 17-year-olds currently vape, equal to approximately 370,000 young people in Great Britain.
Infographic showing that ever trying a vape, current vaping, regular vaping and daily vaping are separate measures.
A further breakdown shows that:
-
2% vape daily, approximately 140,000 young people.
-
19% have tried vaping at least once, approximately 1.1 million.
-
4% of 11 to 15-year-olds currently vape.
-
13% of 16 to 17-year-olds currently vape.
Selling nicotine vapes to anyone under 18 is illegal.
Current Vaping Is Not the Same as Ever Trying a Vape
“Ever vaping” may include someone who tried a vape only once or twice. Current vaping covers more recent use under the survey’s definition, while regular and daily vaping describe narrower groups.
Therefore, it would be inaccurate to describe all 1.1 million young people who have ever tried vaping as current vapers. The current estimate is 370,000.
Are There More Vapers Than Smokers in the UK?
The 2024 survey from ONS revealed the number of e-cigarette users exceeded the number of current smokers in Great Britain for the first time. It estimated there to be 5.4 million e-cigarette users who said they used the devices daily or occasionally, versus 4.9 million current smokers.
Something quite different emerges when you look at the 2026 survey conducted by ASH, which shows adult smoking sits at 11% and current vaping is reported as being only 10.3%. The surveys differed in year, age group, and methodology.
The long-term verdict is that vapers outnumbered smokers within the ONS 2024 Great Britain survey, not necessarily across the entire UK in 2026.
What Types of Vapes Do UK Adults Use?
The latest ASH device breakdown shows a noticeable move away from single-use products:
Tank systems and pod devices are the main device types used by adult vapers in Great Britain.
-
Tank systems: 48%
-
Pod devices: 42%
-
Single-use devices: 8%
Single-use use peaked at 31% in 2023. Selling or supplying these products became illegal throughout the UK on 1 June 2025, although the GOV.UK Guidance confirms that compliant reusable devices remain legal.
Current options include reusable vapes and refillable pod kits.
Conclusion: How Many People Vape in the UK Daily?
The most recent estimate puts the number of adult vapers in Great Britain at 5.5 million (10.3% of adults). Compared with England, Daily use is 7.8%; in Northern Ireland, separately, this iuodreportedd41% ofvpeople aged 6 to over currently vaping.
Although adult vaping has grown sharply since 2012, it appears more stable over the most recent years (2024). Constraints: Before we compare UK vape stats, please check geography, year, age range, and definition.
FAQs
How Many Adults Vape in the UK?
Approximately 5.5 million adults currently vape in Great Britain. There is no directly comparable current estimate covering the entire UK.
What Percentage of the UK Population Vapes?
ASH estimates that 10.3% of adults aged 18 and over vape in Great Britain. Northern Ireland separately reports 9% among people aged 16 and over.
How Many People Vape Every Day?
ASH reports daily vaping among 7.8% of Great Britain’s adult population. That works out at roughly 4.2 million adults when applied to the same population base, although ASH presents the percentage rather than a separate daily-user total.
Which Age Group Has the Highest Vaping Rate?
Adults aged 25 to 34, at 15% in the 2026 ASH survey.
How Many Teenagers Vape in the UK?
Around 370,000 people aged 11 to 17 currently vape in Great Britain. Approximately 140,000 vape daily.
Are There More Vapers Than Smokers in Britain?
ONS found that there were more daily or occasional e-cigarette users than current smokers in its 2024 Great Britain survey.
Is Vaping Increasing or Decreasing in the UK?
Adult vaping rose from 1.7% in 2012 to 10.7% in 2024. It then eased to 10.4% in 2025 and 10.3% in 2026, suggesting a plateau rather than a clear long-term decline.
Why Do ASH and ONS Report Different Vaping Figures?
They use different surveys, age thresholds, definitions, data periods, and methodologies. Their figures should be compared with those differences clearly stated.
