NHS Prescription Costs and Exemptions

In England, the standard NHS prescription charge is £9.90 per prescribed item from April 2024. This means if a prescription has three different medicines listed, you pay £9.90 for each one — a total of £29.70 — unless you are exempt.

Prescription charges do not apply in:

• Scotland — free for all since 2011
• Wales — free for all since 2007
• Northern Ireland — free for all

Charges apply at the point of dispensing, which means hospital outpatient prescriptions issued on an FP10 form are subject to the charge, but medicines administered during a hospital stay or during an outpatient appointment are provided free.

You are automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you are:

• Under 16 years old
• 16–18 years old and in full-time education
• 60 years old or over
• Pregnant, or have had a baby in the last 12 months (you need a Maternity Exemption Certificate — FW8 form)
• Diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition (including diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, myasthenia gravis, hypoparathyroidism, and others) — you need a Medical Exemption Certificate
• Receiving Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or Pension Credit
• An NHS inpatient
• Holding a valid HC2 certificate for full help with health costs (awarded via the NHS Low Income Scheme)

You must sign the declaration on the prescription form if you are exempt. Claiming free prescriptions when you are not entitled is a criminal offence — the NHS checks and issues Penalty Charge Notices.

A Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) caps your prescription costs for a set period, regardless of how many items you need. The 2024–25 prices are:

• 3-month PPC: £31.25 (saves money if you pay for 4 or more items in 3 months)
• 12-month PPC: £111.60 (saves money if you pay for 12 or more items per year)

You can buy a PPC online at the NHSBSA website, by phone on 0300 330 1341, or at some pharmacies. The certificate can be backdated to the date of your most recent paid prescription. You can also spread the cost of a 12-month PPC by direct debit.

A new Serious Illness Exemption was announced in 2023 for cancer patients, providing an exemption certificate rather than requiring a PPC — check the latest NHS guidance for current eligibility.

If you do not automatically qualify for free prescriptions but have a low income, you may be able to get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme:

1. Complete an HC1 form (available from GP surgeries, hospitals, and online at NHSBSA) — this is an application for help with health costs.
2. If awarded, you receive an HC2 certificate for full help (free prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests, and glasses) or an HC3 certificate for partial help.

The assessment takes into account your income, savings, and housing costs. If you receive Universal Credit but do not qualify for free prescriptions on that basis alone (for example, because your earnings are too high), you may still qualify via the HC1 route.