NHS prescriptions to rise for second year running – here’s what you’ll pay

Charges for prescriptions are set to rise for the second year in a row. The government has said all NHS prescriptions, including prepayment certificates, as well as wigs and fabric supports will go up from May 1.

People will pay 25p more for a single prescription taking the cost to £9.90. The 2.59% increase will be per item so if you have more than one on a prescription then you will pay 25p more for each of them.

Those who pay in advance through prepayment certificates (PPCs) will also have an increased charge. Three-month PPCs will now cost £32.05 – up 80p, while the 12 month certificated will increase by £2.90 from £111.60 to £114.40.

PPCs cover the cost of all prescriptions bought over the period they are bought for which means if you buy four items or more over a three-month period or 12 items or more over a year it can work out cheaper.

The annual Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) certificate introduced last year to cut costs for menopausal women will rise from £19.30 to £19.80. However this PPC can only be used to pay for listed HRT medicine and not other prescriptions.

The cost of wigs and fabric supports is also going to rise by the same percentage. This means a surgical bra will cost £32.50 while a full bespoke human hair wig will rise by £7.85 to £310.55.

People living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not pay for prescriptions. In England children and young people in full-time education along with people over 60 are entitled to free prescriptions. Others also qualify for free prescriptions including those on low incomes, pregnant and new mums, and those with certain medical conditions.

The full list of new charges for those who do pay in England from 1 May 2024 are: