NHS - Get help with prescription costs

Published 12 Nov 2019 • Updated 18 Nov 2019 • By Josephine O'Brien

Have you heard of prescription aides from the NHS? They may be able to help you to save money on your prescription costs.

Prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) are available in England and they can save you money.

NHS prescription costs

The current prescription charge is £9.00 per item (as of April 2019).

A three monthly PPC is £29.10 and could save you money if you need more than three prescribed items in three months.

A 12-month certificate is £104.00 and could save you money if you need more than 12 prescribed items in a year.

PPCs are available by 10 monthly direct debit instalment payments. The prescription prepayment certificates allow anyone to obtain all the prescriptions they need for £2 per week.

If you need to access the services below then medicines are free:

* Medicines administered at a hospital or an NHS walk-in centre.

* Prescribed contraceptives.

* Medicines personally administered by a GP.

* Medicines supplied at a hospital or Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) clinic for the treatment of a sexually transmitted infection or tuberculosis.

Who is entitled to free prescriptions?

You can get free NHS prescriptions if, at the time the prescription is dispensed, you:

* are 60 or over

* are under 16

* are 16-18 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 specified medical condition and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)

* have a continuing physical disability that prevents you from going out without help from another person and have a valid MedEx

* hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability

* are an NHS inpatient

You are 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, or

* 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 don't 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.

For more info keep reading on the NHS site :)

Initially published on March 24th, 2016. Update on November 12th, 2019.

54 comments

Louise74

on 13/11/2019

I live in Scotland so I get free prescriptions

Longmynd

on 13/11/2019

I already get free prescriptions as I’m of pensionable age. Thankyou.

Trudij

on 13/11/2019

Yes I get free prescription and when I dont I pay for the PPC as I have more than 3 meds a month . .

jonjon

on 13/11/2019

Living in Wales we get all for free.

robjmckinney • Ambassador

on 13/11/2019

As I am over 60 the prescriptions are now free but before 60 I received a War Pension and certain benefits which excluded me again from paying for prescriptions. Before then I was fit enough never to be sick!

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