Well over half a million of Brits are reported to be overpaying for their treatments. Last month, the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that NHS prescription charges in England will be frozen for the first time in three years. A single charge remains at £9.90. The fee which may seem small can be costly for someone who needs repeat prescriptions.
Someone in England who collects a prescription once a month would be forking out a huge £118.80. For those in the rest of the UK it is free. However, finance experts at Money Saving Expert have revealed that a staggering 872,000 patients in England have overpaid for their medical prescriptions in 2023 -24 as a result of not applying for a prepayment certificate.
According to the NHS, £35 million could have been saved if everyone switched to the program,me with individuals being able to save £41.
“It’s a bit like a prescription season ticket and can mean big savings,” MSE explained. “Yet many people don’t take advantage and end up overpaying unnecessarily. As a rule of thumb, prepayment certificate win for people using at least one prescription a month over a long period.”
There are two main types of prepayment certificates – a three-month certficate that costs £32.05, and a 12-month one at £114.50. If you claim two prescriptions a month for a full year, the savings would be £100 more compared to paying for each individual prescription.
“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 continued. “This will cover you for a year of prescriptions, including HRT patches, gels and tablets.”
Though this certificate is specific to HRT and will not cover other medicines. The NHS’s full list of prescriptions covered by the HRT PPC on the NHS website.
There are some prescribed items that are free, despite your circumstances, such as contraceptives and medications issued to hospital patients. You can also claim free 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
NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificates can be bought online and anyone who needs extra help can call 0300 330 1341
