NHS Prescription Charges

Zubir Ahmed Excerpts

Monday 24th November 2025 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Dr Zubir Ahmed)]

The Prime Minister has announced that NHS prescription charges in England will be frozen for a second successive year.

This builds on wider Government action as part of the plan for change to tackle the cost of living pressures and will save patients around £12 million in 2026-27.

The single charge for prescriptions in England will remain at £9.90. The cost of prescription prepayment certificates will also remain the same, with three-month PPCs staying at £32.05, 12-month PPCs at £114.50, and the hormone replacement therapy PPC staying at £19.80.

The charges freeze will also apply to NHS wigs and fabric supports. These prices will remain at current levels:

Surgical brassiere—£32.50

Abdominal or spinal support—£49.05

Stock modacrylic wig—£80.15

Partial human hair wig—£212.35

Full bespoke human hair wig—£310.55

Around 89% of prescription items in England are already dispensed free of charge to children, the over-60s, pregnant women, and those with certain medical conditions. This freeze will not impact current exemptions. All working-age adults who would normally pay for their prescriptions, which is estimated to be around 40% of the population, could benefit from the freeze.

In addition to the freeze on charges, the NHS low-income scheme continues to offer help to those on low incomes who otherwise need to pay for prescriptions, while prescriptions are free for eligible people in certain groups such as pensioners, students aged under 19 in qualifying full-time education, and those who receive certain qualifying state benefits or live in care homes.

[HCWS1091]