Martin Lewis' team at Money Saving Expert (MSE) has revealed a cost-effective way NHS patients can avoid overpaying for their £9.90 prescriptions. The advice comes as MSE found that many people could have saved money between 2024 and 2025 if they had taken advantage of the NHS 'season ticket'.

MSE has revealed that 881,000 people across England have been stung by unnecessary prescription costs and could have saved an average of £41 each by buying an annual prescription plan in the twelve months to April 2025.

The number of people missing out has increased slightly compared to 2023/24, when 872,000 patients could have saved money with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). This certificate pays for all your prescriptions for a certain time for a fixed price.

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In England, you have to pay for NHS prescriptions at any community pharmacy like Boots, Tesco, or local chemists. Sometimes, if you are an outpatient, you might need to pay directly at a hospital.

Right now, the cost is £9.90 for each prescription (up from £9.65 in 2023/24), unless you are exempt, which means you don’t have to pay (for example, if you are under 16, over 60, or have a valid exemption certificate). In Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, prescriptions are free.

PPCs are issued by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), the organisation responsible for NHS finances. England remains the only nation in the UK where prescription charges apply, as residents in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can access their medications free of charge.

An NHS PPC lets you get all your NHS medicines for a fixed price over either three or 12 months. This can help you save money if you need more than just a few items. There are also special certificates for HRT medicines.

You can buy it from the NHSBSA website, pharmacies, or by phone. It covers all prescription items, not just per prescription, so if you have one medicine with two ingredients, it still counts as two items.

If you buy a PPC online you receive it immediately via email and it becomes active that same day. If you order a physical one, you'll get their paper certificate within 10 working days.

MSE adds: "If you can't afford the full cost upfront, you can instead pay for a 12-month standard PPC by monthly Direct Debit (this is in 10 payments of £11.45 for standard annual PPCs). And if you've paid for prescriptions while waiting for your season ticket to arrive, you can use an NHS FP57 refund form (ask the pharmacy or dispensary which dispenses your prescription for one) to get your money back."

PPC prices have been frozen for 2026/27. According to MSE, it costs £32.05 for a three-month PPC (up from £31.25 in 2023/24). For a 12-month PPC, it costs £114.50 (up from £111.60 in 2023/24).

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is also available on a PPC. It costs £19.80 for a 12-month HRT PPC (up from £19.30 in 2023/24).

The new figures obtained by MSE shows that "an estimated 209,000 people could have potentially saved around £28 each on average or £5.8 million collectively" by purchasing a HRT PPC. The website adds: "This is a decrease from the 286,000 patients identified in 2023/2024, who could have saved around £7.6 million."

MSE explains: "A 12-month PPC can currently save you at least £4.30 a year if you pay for 12 or more prescribed items. Alternatively, a three-month PPC can currently save you at least £7.55 if you pay for four or more prescribed items. The more prescriptions you need, the more you can save with a season ticket."

Make sure to check whether you can get an exemption and avoid paying for a prescription entirely before you buy a prescription season ticket. You can check a handy NHS tool called 'Can I get free prescriptions?' to see if you qualify.

More people can get free prescriptions than you might expect – it's not only for those with low income or receiving specific benefits. For instance, people who are under 16, those between 16 and 18 who are in full-time education, anyone aged 60 or older, and women who are pregnant or have given birth in the last year – as long as they have a valid maternity exemption certificate.

Check out the NHSBSA website for all the details. Also, keep in mind that if you get prescribed medicine, like painkillers or skin creams that you can buy without a prescription, it’s usually cheaper to just buy them over the counter instead of getting them through a prescription.