Save money on prescriptions

Advice and Information - 4 January 2023

The cost of living crisis can make prescriptions hard to afford. But there are ways to reduce costs. Some people can get free prescriptions. And no one needs to pay more than £11 a month.
NHS prescription

We originally wrote this article in January 2023. We have updated it to reflect the increases in prescription charges of 1 April 2023 and 1 May 2024.

Are you entitled to free prescriptions?

Prescriptions are free if you:

  • Are under 16
  • Are aged 16-18 and in full-time education
  • Are aged 60 or over
  • Are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months
  • Get certain benefits or a War Pension, get Tax Credits or have a low income
  • Have certain medical conditions including cancer or diabetes, or if you take medications for epilepsy or low levels of thyroid hormones, as well as some other conditions 

For more information, see this NHS website.

Do you pay for more than one prescription in an average month?

Two years ago, the Money Saving Expert website found that over 1 million people pay too much for their prescriptions.

Each item on prescription costs £9.90. If you pay for one prescription each month, that’s £118.80 a year – for two prescriptions a month the total is over £235.

You can save money with a “season ticket”, also called a prescription prepayment certificate or PPC. A PPC costs £114.50 for a year, and covers the cost of any number of prescriptions. If you set up a Direct Debit, you don’t have to pay the money upfront – you pay ten monthly instalments of £11.45.

If you don’t need a PPC for a whole year, you can buy a 3-month PPC for £32.05, less than the cost of four prescriptions. You have to pay the cost upfront – instalments aren’t available for a 3-month PPC.

Have you been prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for the menopause?

There is a special PPC that only covers certain HRT medications. It costs £19.80 for 12 months. This will be a good deal for you if all of these apply:

  • you need 3 or more prescriptions a year
  • your HRT medication is one of those covered (check the list)
  • you don't get any other medications

How do you get a PPC?

The simplest way to get a PPC is to buy it online. Your PPC will be emailed to you, or you can print it off. Monthly instalments are only available if you buy the PPC online. If you aren’t online, you could consider asking a friend or relative to use their computer or smartphone – you could watch them enter the details so that you remain in control.

You should also be able buy a PPC at certain pharmacies. You have to pay the full cost of a 3-month or 12-month PPC. If you can’t afford £114.50 for a 12-month PPC, you could consider buying four 3-month PPCs during the year. That would cost £128.20 in total, which is around the cost of 13 prescriptions – so if you need more than that, you would save money.

More information

For full details about PPCs, including up-to-date prices, see this NHS website.