Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Promotion of pre-payment certificates (PPCs) is carried out by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), who promote the use of their online eligibility checker in the first instance, to enable people to check if they are entitled to free prescriptions or the NHS Low Income Scheme, before they purchase a PPC. They undertake PPC-specific communications activity such as:

- paid social media adverts, for instance running adverts in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to promote PPCs;

- posts on the Help with Health Costs Facebook and X channels promoting PPCs, with about one per week, amongst information about other exemptions;

- collaboration with NHS England to run a social media campaign promoting PPCs to people with certain medical conditions that aren’t covered by a medical exemption certificate;

- promotion of PPCs to pharmacy teams in a quarterly e-bulletin; and

- work with the media to place stories promoting PPCs, which are typically annual data-led media releases.

NHSBSA analysis shows that in 2023/24 an estimated 3.3 million patients received a prescription using a PPC, while the number of PPCs issued has steadily risen from approximately 2.29 million in 2018/19 to approximately three million in 2023/24, suggesting growing awareness. Additionally, the hormone replacement therapy PPC was introduced in 2023/24, and 566,000 certificates were issued in its first year.