: Regulations have been laid before
Parliament to increase certain National Health Service charges in
England from 1 April 2019.
In the 2015 spending review, the government committed to support
the Five Year Forward View with £10 billion investment in real
terms by 2020 to 2021 to fund frontline NHS services. Alongside
this, the government expects the NHS to deliver £22 billion of
efficiency savings to secure the best value from NHS resources
and primary care must play its part.
This year, therefore, we have increased the prescription charge
by 20 pence from £8.80 to £9 for each medicine or appliance
dispensed. To ensure that those with the greatest need, and who
are not already exempt from the charge, are protected we have
frozen the cost of the prescription prepayment certificates
(PPC)
for another year. The 3-month PPC remains at
£29.10 and the cost of the annual PPC will stay
at £104. Taken together, this means prescription charge income is
expected to rise broadly in line with inflation.
Charges for wigs and fabric supports will also be increased in
line with inflation.
Details of the revised charges for 2019 to 2020 can be found
below.
Prescription charges
- Single charge: £9
- 3-month PPC (no
change): £29.10
- 12-month PPC (no
change): £104
Wigs and fabric supports
- Surgical bra: £29.50
- Abdominal or spinal support: £44.55
- Stock modacrylic wig: £72.80
- Partial human hair wig: £192.85
- Full bespoke human hair wig: £282
