Money-saving guru Martin Lewis’ MSE site has urged Brits to check whether they’ll be better off applying for prepayment certificate – instead of paying £9.90 for each individual NHS prescription
They say health is wealth – but more than half a million of Brits are overpaying for their treatments. Last month, the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed NHS prescription charges in England will be frozen for the first time in three years, remaining at £9.90 for a single charge.
While these fee might not seem a lot for someone who might need a course of antibiotics once every couple of years, it can add up for those with repeat prescriptions. For example, collecting a prescription up every month works out at a whopping £118.80 for those living in England (the rest of the UK gets it for free!).
Finance experts over at Martin Lewis’ MSE, have warned that 872,000 patients in England overpaid for medical prescriptions in 2023-24 by not applying for a prepayment certificate. The NHS states that £35 million could have been saved if everyone had moved to the initiative, with average savings of £41 per person.
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“It’s a bit like a prescription season ticket and can mean big savings,” MSE stated. “Yet many don’t take advantage and end up overpaying unnecessarily. As a rule of thumb, prepayment certificates win for people using at least one prescription a month over a long period.”
A three-month prepayment certificate costs £32.05, while a 12-month prepayment certificate has been frozen at £114.50. If you claim two prescriptions each month (every fortnight roughly) for a full year – you will have saved more than £100 compared to paying for each individual prescription.
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“If you are going through perimenopause or menopause and you’re prescribed HRT by your doctor, you can buy a HRT prepayment certificate (HRT PPC) for a one-off fee of £19.80,” MSE added. “This will cover you for a year of prescriptions, including HRT patches, gels and tablets.”
However, this certificate is specific to HRT and will not cover other medicines. You can read the NHS’s full list of prescriptions covered by the HRT PPC here.
Am I eligible for free NHS prescriptions?
Some prescribed items are already free, despite your circumstances. This includes contraceptives and medication issued to hospital patients. You can also claim free NHS prescriptions if you fit any of the below criteria:
- Aged under 16
- Aged 16-18 and in full-time education
- Aged 60 or over
- Receive Income Support / Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance / Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Receive Universal Credit and your earnings for the most recent assessment period were £435 or less (or £935 if your claim includes an element for a child)
- Pregnant women and those who have had a baby in the last 12 months
- Have a valid medical exemption certificate – often offered for a range of illnesses including epilepsy or cancer.
- Have a war pension exemption certificate
You can buy an NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate here. If you need extra help, call 0300 330 1341.
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