The average cost of 20 cigarettes is set to soar past £14 as Jeremy Hunt confirmed tobacco tax will increase with the rate of inflation.
The move will hit the UK’s more than 6.6million remaining smokers in the pocket by a whopping £1.63.
According to the ONS, the average price of a pack of 20 was £12.84, meaning that an increase at the 12.7 per cent RPI rate of inflation plus the additional 2 per cent added to pre-rolled cigarettes would take the price to £14.47.
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Anti-smoking charity Ash said the change would mean there was no packet of 20 on sale for less than £11.95 from 6pm tonight.
The Chancellor made the announcement as he also raised tax on a wide variety of alcoholic drinks.
