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Coeliac Disease: Gluten-free Foods

Asked by Alison BennettLiberal DemocratDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 24 March 2026UIN 122359

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the annual average cost of a gluten-free diet for individuals with Coeliac disease compared with a standard diet.

Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson

Gluten‑free staple foods are available on prescription in line with the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Category 1 Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2004, which support access to essential items such as gluten‑free bread and mixes for patients with diagnosed coeliac disease.

Broader retail price comparisons fall outside the scope of the Department, as food pricing is determined by commercial suppliers and retailers. For this reason, the Department has made no recent estimate of the annual average cost of a gluten‑free diet compared with a standard diet for individuals with coeliac disease.

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