Tobacco is thought likely to be targeted in tomorrow's Budget as Chancellor Philip Hammond searches for revenue raisers

The number of smokers in Britain has plunged to just 17.2 per cent as the number of people quitting hits a 40-year high.

Five years ago more than 20 per cent of people still smoked and the decline accelerated in 2015.

Data from the Office for National Statistics said 56.7 per cent of those who had previously smoked had quit, the high proportion of quitters since 1974.

The annual survey of adult smoking found smoking is most common in Northern Ireland and the biggest falls were recorded in Scotland and Wales.

Tobacco is thought likely to be targeted in tomorrow's Budget as Chancellor Philip Hammond searches for revenue raisers.

Cigarette smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in the UK, the ONS said. In 2014, 80,000 deaths were partly put down to smoking.

Deputy chief medical officer Gina Radford said last year: 'The best thing a smoker can do for their health is to stop smoking.

'There is more help and support available now than ever before.

'The introduction of standardised packs removes the glamorous branding and brings health warnings to the fore and e-cigarettes, which many smokers find helpful for quitting, are now regulated to assure their safety and quality.'

The number of smokers in Britain has plunged to just 17.2 per cent (blue line) as the number of people quitting hits a 40-year high (red line)

Across the country, smoking remains more common among the lowest earners and unemployed compared to better off, working people.

In 2015, of all employed persons 18.8 per cent were current smoker.

Ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage is among an increasingly rare band of smokers

By contrast, 29.3 per cent of those looking for work were current smokers.

Since 1990, smokers who are currently looking for work tend to smoke more cigarettes each day relative to smokers who are currently employed

It is less common across all age groups, the ONS said.

On average, people smoke just over 11 cigarettes a day - the lowest figure since 1974.

Some 2.3million people use e-cigarettes - half of whom to help them quit smoking while 14.4 per cent of vapers also use tobacco.

Dr Mike Knapton, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do for your heart health.

'Coronary Heart Disease is the UK’s single biggest killer and by giving up smoking you’ll be dramatically reducing your chances of having a potentially deadly heart attack or stroke.'