Overview
- Freedom of information data from Mums for Lungs shows that between September 2024 and August 2025 there were 15,195 complaints, resulting in only 24 fines and a single prosecution.
- Complaints in designated smoke control areas reached 9,274, a 65% year-on-year rise, indicating growing concern in zones where stricter limits apply.
- Although the Environment Act 2021 allows penalties such as £300 for smoke-emitting chimneys and £1,000 for unauthorised fuel use, local authorities report funding and capacity constraints that limit enforcement.
- Health bodies warn that wood-burning is a major source of PM2.5 linked to serious disease, with air pollution estimated to contribute to up to 36,000 premature UK deaths annually.
- Policy gaps persist as promised tighter emission limits for new stoves remain unlegislated, even as UCL data shows rising stove uptake and councils in places like Swale, Birmingham, Manchester, Wakefield and Dorset record high complaint volumes.