West Berkshire's free stop smoking, vaping and weight service is now taking sign-ups online or by text. Who can join, what you get, and what is still to come.

West Berkshire’s new free healthy lifestyle service is now taking sign-ups. Live Well Reading and West Berkshire offers help to stop smoking or vaping, lose weight, get more active and drink less.

It replaced several separate council-funded services on 1 October. Its website was not working at launch: when we checked on 4 October, livewellrwb.org showed only a hosting error. It is now live, with an online joining form.

What is on offer now

West Berkshire Council announced the service on 30 September. It was commissioned jointly with Reading Borough Council and is run by ICE Creates, a health behaviour company based on the Wirral.

From 1 October, the council says residents can get:

  • stop smoking and stop vaping support
  • adult weight management
  • physical activity programmes
  • emotional wellbeing support
  • health and wellbeing coaching
  • behaviour change and healthy lifestyle support

Each person gets one named wellbeing coach. The council says that means people no longer have to “repeat their story to multiple services”.

The service’s own site describes a 12-week programme built around your goal. Sessions can be one to one or in a group, in person, by phone, by video or online, with text and app support in between.

Who can use it

The service is for anyone aged 16 or over who:

  • lives, works or studies in West Berkshire or Reading, or
  • is registered with a GP in the area

You can refer yourself. GPs and community organisations can also refer people, using a separate professional form.

Help to stop smoking

The stop smoking page lists three aids alongside the coaching:

  • nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches and gum
  • vapes, for adults aged 18 and over only
  • varenicline, a prescription medicine that reduces cravings

The site’s own wording on cost is not consistent. Its questions page says the support is “completely free”. The stop smoking page offers “free or low-cost NRT options”. Ask your coach at the first appointment what, if anything, you would pay for.

Still to come

The council says these will be added “within the first six months of opening”, which means by the end of March 2027:

  • weight management support designed for people with learning disabilities
  • a strength and balance programme for adults over 60
  • stop vaping support for children and young people

The service talks about meeting people at local “Health Hubs”. It has not yet published where those are in West Berkshire.

What it means for you

To join: fill in the “Join now” form at livewellrwb.org, or text QUITNOW RWB to 66777. Both routes are listed on the service’s home page.

If you are 16 or 17 and want to stop smoking: you can join, but the vape option is for adults only.

If you are over 60 and want help with balance or falls: the strength and balance programme is not running yet. It is due by the end of March.

If you are already with an older stop smoking or weight service: Live Well has replaced those services. Ask your current contact how your support carries over.

For other help in the district, our pages on bin collection days and council tax bands cover the council’s other everyday services.

Sources

West Berkshire Council, New Live Well service, 30 September 2026; Live Well Reading and West Berkshire, home page, stop smoking and healthy weight pages, read 11 October 2026.