Cost of NHS prescriptions frozen by Chancellor Rachel Reeves

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the freeze as part of the Government’s strategy to manage the cost of living.

The freeze on the current £9.90 price is expected to save patients around £12 million next year.

Ms Reeves said: “No one should put their health at risk because they can’t afford their medication, and as the cost of living still puts pressure on households I’m extending the cash freeze on prescription charges.”

The decision aims to ensure that patients have access to necessary care without the financial burden of medication.

This initiative is part of a broader plan to reduce NHS waiting lists and national debt, while also managing living expenses.

The government has been committed to resolving NHS issues, with waiting lists reportedly reduced by 230,000 over the past year.

As a further effort to ease the cost of living, the freeze on NHS prescription charges, started last year, will continue into the next year.

Currently, around 89 per cent of prescriptions in England are dispensed free of charge to children, over-60s, pregnant women, and those with specific medical conditions.

The costs of three-month and annual prescription prepayment certificates will also be frozen for 2026/27.

The NHS Low Income Scheme continues to offer support with prescription payments, providing free prescriptions to eligible groups such as pensioners, students, and those receiving state benefits or living in care homes.

Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care, said: “This government will always put patients first, and our moves today to freeze prescription charges again will put money back into the pockets of millions of people.”

The upcoming Budget will focus on the government’s commitment to reducing waiting lists, national debt, and living costs.