Worthing Ranked Second Worst in UK for Air Quality, Study Reveals

Worthing has been named the second worst town or city in the UK for air quality, according to a new study measuring pollution exposure in terms of cigarette equivalence.

Research by HouseFresh calculated the annual exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in UK towns and cities, translating pollution levels into an equivalent number of cigarettes inhaled per year. Worthing was found to have pollution levels equal to smoking 166 cigarettes annually, second only to Liverpool’s 171.

The study used PM2.5 concentration data from 2024 and applied the ‘Berkeley Earth’ rule, which equates 22 µg/m³ of PM2.5 to one cigarette per day. Among the UK’s most affected areas were industrial and urban centres like Manchester and Northampton, as well as several southern coastal towns including Worthing, Bournemouth and Bristol.

The findings highlight health concerns linked to airborne pollutants, which the World Health Organization estimates contribute to seven million premature deaths globally each year. HouseFresh’s analysis aims to raise awareness by presenting air quality data in a more relatable context for the general public.