Almost one million people in England overpaid for their NHS prescriptions last year, new research shows.
Money saving expert Martin Lewis has called for Britons to “spread the word” and check to see if they or their loved ones could cut costs.
Nearly one million could have saved money by buying a prescription “season ticket” in the 12 months to April 2023, figures obtained by MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) show.
A prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) covers the cost of all prescriptions over a specific period for a set price, and it could mean those requiring several regular prescriptions could save.
Currently, a three-month certificate costs £31.25 and a 12-month PPC is set at £111.60.
The NHS prescription charge is currently £9.65 per item in England.
If a person buys 12 or more prescriptions within a year, they could save with a 12-month PPC.
NHS Business Services Authority data showed in the 2022/23 financial year, 952,874 people in England missed out on combined savings of £39.5million.
This works out at around £42 each, after paying for 16 items on average without a PPC.
A total of 2,901,587 PPCs were purchased in the 12 months to April 2023 – including both annual and three-month certificates.
Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said: "We need to spread the word to anyone in England who regularly gets prescriptions – including some with chronic illnesses – to check out prepayment certificates.”
Prescription charges usually increase in line with inflation in April, although increases for 2024/25 are yet to be confirmed.
Mr Lewis urged Britons to check if they could save “sooner rather than later”, explaining: “There's still a chance the price of these season tickets may rise in April. If so, doing it now would mean you pay less for longer.
"My simple rule of thumb is if you get more than one prescription a month on average, a prepayment certificate is the cheapest option as it caps what you pay.
“They give you unlimited prescriptions for either three months or a year.
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People should check to see if they qualify for free NHS prescriptions before paying for a PPC
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“For someone using an average of two prescriptions a month, it'd be a £120 saving and it'd reduce the worry if you needed more, as you wouldn't have to shell out more."
Before buying a PPC, people should check to see if they are exempt from paying for NHS prescriptions.
For instance, people aged 60 and over, under 16s and those getting certain benefits qualify for free NHS prescriptions, among others.
The NHS BSA offers a free tool so people can check whether they are eligible for free prescriptions.
People who live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not have to pay for NHS prescriptions.
A PPC can be bought online, over the phone (although beware of call charges) or in-person at some pharmacies.
People who paid for prescriptions while waiting for the PPC to arrive may be able to get a refund via the NHS FP57 refund form.
