Nearly every household in England has at least one prescription item on an annual basis. In 2019 the overall prescriptions dispensed in England alone were 1.12 billion (1,120,000,000 items) according to the NHS BSA. Englands approximate population in 2019 was 67,530,172 so on average of 16.5 items were dispensed per person, per year. But what is a prescription? how much do they cost? and do I have to pay for prescription?
NHS Prescription
Current NHS prescription charges per item is £9.35 if you pay for your prescriptions. However, not everyone pays for their prescriptions. More information on NHS prescriptions can be found here from PPRX.
Am I eligible for free prescriptions?
Prescription Exemptions
You are eligible for free NHS prescriptions if you:
- are 60 years or over
- are under the age of 16
- are between 16 to 18 and in full-time education
- are pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx)
- have a medical condition with a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
- have a continuous physical disability that prevents you going out without help from another person and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
- hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
- are an NHS inpatient
You’re also entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner (including civil partner) receive, or you’re under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Universal Credit and meet the criteria
If you’re entitled to or named on:
- a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate – if you do not have a certificate, you can show your award notice. You qualify if you get Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits with a disability element (or both), and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less
- a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2)
People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) may also get help.
Private Prescriptions
Private prescriptions are not covered by the NHS and are based on a fee. There is no set price for private prescriptions and prices vary from one pharmacy to another. If you have a private prescription you can speak to one of our pharmacists and they can provide you with pricing and any other queries you have, click here.
Can I get my prescriptions delivered?
With the Global Pandemic still ongoing you may be prevented from going into your GP surgery to collect repeat prescriptions. We are here to help you manage your prescriptions and ensure you receive your medications on time with our fast and efficient delivery service.
How does it work?
Simply sign up to the PPRX NHS prescription service here, which is all completely free. Once your account is set up, you can add which medication you require on repeat, that way PPRX can directly contact your GP on your behalf to begin the order process. We will ensure you are kept up to date with your prescriptions with alerts and reminders.
If you are on a repeat prescription you can nominate PPRX to order and dispense your medication and have it delivered to your chosen address. This process is done electronically, reducing the need for paper prescriptions and trips to your high street pharmacy.
