These costs are increasing as follows:
- Surgical bras will increase from £28.85 to £29.50.
- Abdominal or spinal supports will rise from £43.60 to £44.55.
- Stock-size modacrylic (ie, synthetic) wigs will go from £71.25 to £72.80.
- Partial human hair wigs will increase from £188.70 to £192.85.
- Full bespoke human hair wigs will rise from £275.95 to £282.
The changes only apply to patients in England, as prescriptions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are free.
However, there is a way to cut down on the cost of your prescriptions by buying a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC).
A prescription prepayment certificate allows you to get as many NHS prescriptions as you need for a set price.
Should you have a regular prescription and frequently pay charges this could save you money.
Read More: NHS spends £3.4m of taxpayer money a year on free prescriptions
A PPC costs:
- £29.10 for 3 months
- £104 for 12 months
- £10.40 per month by direct debit for 10 months
You can buy a PPC online and it is then immediately emailed out to you to use.
The PPCs are available to buy through the official NHS website here.
If you need:
- Two items each month – you can save more than £100 with a 12-month PPC
- Three items each month – you can save £212 with a 12-month PPC
- Four items each month – you can save £318 with a 12-month PPC
The price of the PPC is fixed for a year, which means that the price won’t change when the prescription charges increase.
However, there are circumstances which mean certain people are eligible for free prescriptions in England.
Free prescriptions available to those:
- Under 16
- Aged 16-18 and in full-time education
- Aged 60 or over
- Women who are pregnant or who have given birth in the last 12 months
You are also entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you receive
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
However, if you claim a free prescription when not entitled you could face a fine of up to £100.
You can check exactly what grants a free prescription according to NHS guidelines here.
