Exact amount NHS prescription charges to rise NEXT week – are you eligible for free medication?

PRESCRIPTION costs in England are rising next week, so it’s worth checking if you can cut your costs.

Prescription charges usually rise every April in England, and the Department of Health and Social Care sets the exact amount they rise by.

However, they’ll be rising slightly later than usual next week on Wednesday, May 1.

Charges for prescriptions will increase by 2.59%.

This means a single prescription will cost £9.90, up from its current price of £9.65.

Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) will also be affected by the price hike.

A three-month PPC will cost Brits £32.05 from next Wednesday onwards, up from £31.25.

The cost of a 12-month PPC will rise by £2.90 to £114.50, while a hormone replacement therapy PPC will cost £19.80 instead of £19.30.

The government also increased prescription charges in April 2023, having frozen them at £9.35 per item the year before to help Brits cope with the cost of living crisis.

Other items affected by the May price hike include NHS surgical bras, as well as acrylic and human hair wigs.

Many people are exempt from prescription charges namely over 60s, under 16s and those with certain health condition.

England is the only country in the UK that still charges for prescription meds.

Meanwhile, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland scrapped the charges more than a decade ago.

Who’s eligible for free prescriptions?

If you live in England, you can get free prescriptions if you’re in one of the following groups:

• You’re aged 60 or over
• You’re aged under 16 or are 17 or 18 and in full-time education
• You’re pregnant or had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate
• You have a specific medical condition and have valid medical exemption card
• You have a continuing physical disability that prevents you going out without help from another person and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
• You hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
• You are an NHS inpatient

You can also get free prescriptions if you or your partner are claiming certain benefits, or if you’re aged under 20 and dependent on someone claiming certain benefits, including:

• Income support
• Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Pension credit
• Universal Credit and meet the criteria

You won’t always be eligible for free prescriptions if you are on Universal Credit, as it depends on your income.

You can also get free prescriptions if you are entitled to an NHS tax credit exemption certificate.

You qualify for one of these if you receive child tax credits or working tax credits (including a disability or severe disability element).

How can I cut my prescription costs?

Those ineligible for free prescriptions can still make savings by purchasing a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC).

It’s essentially a season ticket which you pay for once, and you can use it to cover any prescriptions you need for one year.

You can also get them to cover three months.

Right now, a one-year PPC costs £111.60, while a three-month PPC costs £31.25.

From Wednesday, a one-year PPC will cost £114.50, while a three-month PPC will cost £32.05.

You can buy them from the NHS Business Services Authority by visiting www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc or via a registered pharmacy.

The point at which you start saving money with the three-month PPC is after buying four or more prescriptions.

With the one-year PPC, you start making savings after 12 or more purchases.

So, if you need a lot of prescriptions every year, a PPC can definitely be worth your time.