Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January to Question 22115 on Prescriptions: Fees and Charges, how many people with a maternity exemption certificate that received a penalty charge notice in 2024 were (a) eligible for an exemption certificate but did not hold an exemption at the time they were issued with a penalty charge notice and (b) awarded an exemption certificate after receiving a penalty charge notice.

In 2024, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) issued 48,063 penalty charge notices (PCNs) to people that claimed a maternity exemption on their prescription form, but where no exemption was found/matched as part of the NHS BSA process. Of the 48,063 PCNs, 23,710 were eased. An easement is applied when someone has a condition/circumstance that would allow for free prescriptions but does not have an exemption in place. The process allows for the person to subsequently arrange their exemption, and for the penalty charges to be eased.

The NHS BSA is unable to identify the number of people who were eligible for the maternity exemption (matex) but who had not applied for it when claiming the exemption. It is not possible to state that all 23,710 PCNs were eased due a matex certificate being awarded, as easements could also be for exceptional circumstances, or for other exemptions being applicable.