Paying Less For Prescription Charges

If you have a long-term, chronic condition such as asthma private medical insurance is unlikely to cover you but there may be a way that you can reduce your prescription charges.

Currently prescriptions cost £7.10 for each item purchased. If you or a family member regularly need more than four prescriptions in 3 months or 14 things in 12 months you may find that it is cheaper to buy a Prescription Pre-payment Certificate (PCC). You can buy a yearly certificate and have the option of paying by direct debit over 10 months. 12 months of PCC costs £102.50 and three months £27.85. If you purchase a PCC It is also possible to get a refund for up to a months worth of medication if you have had to pay for prescriptions during this time. You can find out more information about this services at the NHS website.

It is important to also note that many individuals are exempt from paying for prescriptions and therefore do not need a PCC. Information about exemptions is available from the NHS leaflet HC12.