Prescription Charges Frozen in England to Ease Cost-of-Living Pressures
For the first time in three years, NHS prescription charges in England are being frozen this year, with the cost of a single prescription staying at £9.90 for 2025–26. The government says the move will save patients around £18 million and is part of its wider "Plan for Change" to support working families. Prepayment certificates for three and twelve months will also remain at their current prices, and existing exemptions—including for children, the over-60s, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions—will stay in place.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting called the freeze a way to "put money back into the pockets of millions of patients," while Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said it was about "keeping care closer to home" and avoiding a jump past the £10 mark. Despite these measures, critics say deeper reforms are needed. Rachel Power, CEO of the Patients Association, welcomed the freeze but noted the medical exemption list is outdated, with nearly three million people in England with long-term conditions—like Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease—still ineligible for free prescriptions.
The freeze follows a £617 million boost for community pharmacies and a record £26 billion investment in the NHS. While 89% of prescriptions in England are already issued for free, campaigners are urging the government to review who qualifies for help, warning that the current system fails to reflect modern healthcare realities.
