NHS prescription charges of £9.90: who gets free prescriptions, when a Prepayment Certificate (PPC) pays off, and the Low Income Scheme (HC2)
Published: Last checked: October 20265 min read
Short answer
In England a prescription costs £9.90 per item. A 3-month PPC is £32.05 and a 12-month PPC £114.50; they pay off from 4 items in 3 months or 12 in a year. Under-16s, over-60s, pregnant people, medical exemption holders and HC2 holders get free prescriptions; wrong claims are penalised.
In short
- This post is general information, not medical or legal advice. It is based on the NHS, NHSBSA and GOV.UK pages as they were on 18 October 2026 and applies to England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules.
- In England the NHS prescription charge for working-age adults is £9.90 per item on the prescription. A prescription with three medicines costs three charges.
- Some items are always free: contraceptives and medicines given to hospital inpatients.
- If you collect prescriptions often, a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) lowers the cost. People on low incomes can get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
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Official sources
This answer is based on the pages below. Check the source yourself before you decide.
- NHS: NHS prescription charges
- NHSBSA: Prescription prepayment certificate (PPC)
- NHSBSA: Free NHS prescriptions
- NHSBSA: Medical exemption certificates
- NHSBSA: NHS Low Income Scheme
- NHSBSA: Maternity exemption certificates
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