In England, an NHS prescription costs £9.90 per item in 2026. Many people get prescriptions free, including everyone aged 60 or over. If you pay and need more than 3 items in 3 months, or more than 11 in a year, a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) will save you money. Prescriptions are free in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, though there are rules if you cross a border (see below).
The charge is per item, not per form. A prescription with 3 medicines on it costs 3 charges.
Prices in England for 2026 to 2027
| What | Cost |
|---|---|
| One prescription item | £9.90 |
| 3-month PPC | £32.05 |
| 12-month PPC | £114.50, or 10 monthly payments of £11.45 |
| 12-month HRT PPC | £19.80 |
These prices were frozen for 2026 to 2027, so they are the same as the previous year.
Check if you can get free prescriptions
Before you pay or buy a PPC, check whether you qualify. In England you get free prescriptions if you:
- are 60 or over
- are under 16
- are 16, 17 or 18 and in qualifying full-time education
- are pregnant, or had a baby in the last 12 months, and have a valid maternity exemption certificate
- have a listed medical condition and a valid medical exemption certificate
- are an NHS hospital inpatient
- get Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (Savings Credit alone does not count)
- get Universal Credit and your take-home pay in your last assessment period was £435 or less (£935 or less if your award includes a child element or limited capability for work)
- have an HC2 certificate from the NHS Low Income Scheme
- have a valid war pension exemption certificate, for your accepted disability
Some items are always free, such as prescribed contraception.
New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance and New Style Employment and Support Allowance do not give you free prescriptions on their own. You may still get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
The quickest way to be sure is the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) eligibility checker. It asks about your age, where you live and your health.
Medical exemption certificates
You can get a medical exemption certificate if you have one of these conditions:
- cancer, the effects of cancer, or the effects of cancer treatment (certificate lasts 5 years)
- diabetes, unless it is managed by diet alone
- an underactive thyroid (myxoedema) that needs thyroid hormone replacement
- epilepsy that needs continuous treatment
- a permanent fistula, such as a colostomy or ileostomy, that needs continuous dressing or an appliance
- Addison’s disease or another form of hypoadrenalism that needs replacement therapy
- diabetes insipidus or another form of hypopituitarism
- hypoparathyroidism
- myasthenia gravis
- a continuing physical disability that means you cannot go out without help from another person
Certificates for conditions other than cancer last 10 years.
To apply:
- Ask your GP or doctor for the application form. They need to sign it.
- The certificate should arrive by post within 10 working days.
- NHSBSA sends a reminder about a month before it runs out. Ask your GP to renew it.
If you are 60 or over, you do not need one.
Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs)
A PPC covers all your NHS prescriptions for a set time, however many items you need. It includes NHS dental prescriptions. It does not cover things like wigs and fabric supports.
You can only buy a PPC if you live in England.
Worked example: is a PPC worth it?
NHSBSA says you save money with a PPC if you need more than 3 items in 3 months, or more than 11 items in 12 months. Here is how that works out at 2026 to 2027 prices.
| Items you need | Paying £9.90 each | With a PPC | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 a month (24 a year) | £237.60 a year | £114.50 (12-month PPC) | £123.10 |
| 1 a month (12 a year) | £118.80 a year | £114.50 (12-month PPC) | £4.30 |
| 2 a month for 3 months (6 items) | £59.40 | £32.05 (3-month PPC) | £27.35 |
So if you take two regular medicines, a 12-month PPC roughly halves what you pay. Paying monthly, that is 10 payments of £11.45, which add up to the same £114.50.
If you only need medicine for a short time, such as a few months, the 3-month PPC may suit you better. If you might qualify for free prescriptions, check that first.
How to buy a PPC
- Check first that you do not already qualify for free prescriptions.
- Buy online from the NHSBSA PPC page. This is the quickest way.
- Or phone the PPC order line on 0300 330 1341.
- Or ask at a pharmacy. Some pharmacies sell the 3-month PPC and the HRT PPC.
- Choose your start date. Online, you can start it up to 1 month before or after the day you apply.
A digital certificate usually arrives by email in about a day. A paper one can take up to 10 working days.
If you pay for a prescription while you wait, ask the pharmacist for an FP57 refund form. You can claim the money back within 3 months.
Paying monthly
Only the 12-month PPC can be paid monthly, by Direct Debit, in 10 payments of £11.45. You cannot set this up at a pharmacy. Payments show on your bank statement as “NHSBSA PPC”.
Renewing your PPC
How renewal works depends on how you paid:
- Paid by Direct Debit: your PPC normally renews by itself when it ends. NHSBSA will contact you to confirm. It will not renew if you turn 60 within 9 months of it ending, if you still owe money on it, or if the Direct Debit was cancelled.
- Paid in one go: it does not renew by itself. Buy a new one before the old one runs out.
If you want to stop a Direct Debit PPC renewing, cancel the Direct Debit after your last payment and tell NHSBSA as well.
Make a note of your PPC end date. If you claim free prescriptions after it runs out, you could get a penalty charge.
HRT PPC
The HRT PPC costs £19.80 and covers certain hormone replacement therapy medicines for 12 months. It does not cover every HRT medicine, so check the list on the NHSBSA HRT PPC page first. It is not refundable.
If you also pay for other medicines, a standard PPC may save you more.
Avoid a penalty charge
When you tick a box on the back of a prescription to say you get it free, you are responsible for that claim. This applies even if someone else ticked it for you.
If NHSBSA finds you were not entitled, you will be asked to pay the charge plus a penalty. The penalty is 5 times the charge, up to £100. A surcharge may be added if you do not pay within 28 days.
To avoid this:
- use the eligibility checker before you tick a box
- keep your exemption certificate or PPC up to date
- if you get a letter, respond to it quickly. Payment plans are available
Prescriptions in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Wales: free if you are registered with a GP in Wales and collect from a pharmacy in Wales.
- Scotland: free.
- Northern Ireland: free for everyone.
Crossing borders can catch people out. A prescription from an English GP is charged if you collect it in Wales or Scotland, unless you qualify for free prescriptions. If you live in Wales but your GP is in England, ask about an entitlement card, which lets you get free prescriptions at a pharmacy in Wales.
Who runs this
Some people still search for the “Prescription Pricing Authority”. Today, help with prescription costs in England is run by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). It handles PPCs, exemption certificates, the Low Income Scheme and penalty charges.
Ways to make prescriptions easier
- Order repeat medicines online. See ordering repeat prescriptions.
- If you run out, see getting an emergency supply.
When to get help
- Call 999 or go to A&E if you have a medical emergency, such as a severe allergic reaction, whatever the cost worry.
- Use NHS 111 online or call 111 if you have run out of an important medicine and cannot reach your GP surgery.
- Contact your GP surgery to apply for a medical exemption certificate, or to review your medicines if you are struggling with the cost.
- Ask a pharmacist if you are not sure whether you qualify for free prescriptions, or which PPC suits you. Never skip a prescribed medicine because of cost without talking to them or your GP.
