NHS prescription charges from April 2017
Charges for NHS prescriptions, wigs and fabric supports, and dental care.
As at the start of previous financial years, regulations have today been laid before Parliament to increase certain National Health Service charges in England from 1 April 2017.
The prescription charge will increase by 20 pence from £8.40 to £8.60 for each medicine or appliance dispensed. To ensure that those with the greatest need, including patients with long-term conditions, are protected, we have frozen the cost of the prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) for another year. The 3 month PPC remains at £29.10 and the cost of the annual PPC will stay at £104, allowing unlimited prescriptions within a specified time period. Taken together, and in the interest of fairness, this means prescription charges are expected to rise broadly in line with inflation.
Existing arrangements for prescription charge exemptions will remain in place, principally covering those with certain medical conditions like cancer, epilepsy and diabetes, pregnant women and new mothers, children under 16 and anyone over 60, and those on a low income.
As part of a 2 year settlement announced last year, the patient charges for NHS dental care in 2017/18 will be as follows:
- a band one course of treatment and urgent treatment will increase by 90p from £19.70 to £20.60
- a band two course of treatment will increase by £2.40 from £53.90 to £56.30
- a band three course of treatment will increase by £10.60 from £233.70 to £244.30
The maximum band three charge is for the approximately 5% of treatments that include items such as crowns or bridges.
Charges for wigs and fabric supports will rise in line with inflation.
Prescription charges
- Single charge: £8.60
- 3 month PPC (no change): £29.10
- 2 month PPC (no change): £104.00
Wigs and fabric supports
- Surgical brassiere: £28.40
- Abdominal or spinal support: £42.95
- Stock modacrylic wig: £70.15
- Partial human hair wig: £185.80
- Full bespoke human hair wig: £271.70
Dental charges
- Band 1: £20.60
- Band 2: £56.30
- Band 3: £244.30
- Urgent: £20.60