Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, has brought attention to an often overlooked NHS cost-saving option—the Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC). This “season ticket” allows patients to pay a fixed fee covering all NHS prescriptions for a defined period, helping them avoid the standard £9.90 charge per item and potentially saving significant money.
In 2025, nearly one million people in England overpaid for their prescriptions by paying individually rather than using a PPC. The certificate is especially beneficial for those who regularly need more than three prescription items in three months or more than eleven items in a year.
The cost of each prescription item in England stands at £9.90. The PPC offers two pricing options that cover unlimited prescriptions:
- Three-month PPC
- Twelve-month PPC
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According to the latest data shared on MoneySavingExpert.com, the number of patients missing out on potential savings has increased slightly from 872,000 in 2023/24 to nearly a million in 2025. Notably, around 209,000 people could have saved an average of £28 each by purchasing an HRT-specific PPC, collectively saving about £5.8 million—although this is a decrease compared to £7.6 million saved in 2023/24.
For patients who require ongoing prescriptions, especially for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or other long-term treatments, a PPC offers an easy and practical way to avoid overcharging and better manage healthcare expenses.