Prescription costs in England will remain unchanged for the 2025–26 financial year, marking the first price freeze since 2022. The standard fee for a single prescription will continue at £9.90, with the cost of both three-month and 12-month prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) also staying the same at £32.05 and £114.50 respectively. The government has confirmed that all current exemptions will remain in place.

While prescription fees still apply in England, patients in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are not required to pay, following decisions made by their devolved governments in previous years. In England, almost 90% of prescriptions are dispensed free of charge, with exemptions in place for children, people over 60, expectant mothers, those on low incomes, and people with certain long-term health conditions.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, welcomed the price freeze as a "positive step," but stressed that it doesn't go far enough to address wider problems. She highlighted that the criteria for medical exemptions have barely changed since the 1960s, meaning many people with serious modern-day conditions are still expected to pay.

Among the long-term illnesses not covered by current exemptions are Parkinson’s, cystic fibrosis, and motor neurone disease. Ms Power urged the government to conduct a thorough review of the outdated exemption list and the overall system for charging patients.