MORE than £6m is spent in Barnsley every year to help people over 50 with smoking-related illnesses to remain in their own homes.
The cost to the council is £3.5m, while individuals face a bill of £2.6m.
The figures are from health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) which conducted research estimating the cost of smoking to the social care system.
It revealed current smokers over 50 are twice as likely to need help with day to day living and on average need care nine years earlier than non-smokers.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, said: "From next April when the Care Act 2014 becomes law, councils will also have to fund the extra social care costs of preventative measures in order to reduce the need for care in people's homes – this at a time when they face further cuts to their budgets.
"Investing in tobacco control and supporting smokers to quit will have to be high on the list of preventative measures to enable councils to cut their social care bills in the future."
