NHS Prescription Charge Exemptions

Age Exemptions

You're automatically exempt from prescription charges if you are:

• Under 16 years old
• 16 to 18 years old and in full-time education
• 60 years old or over

Medical Exemptions

You can apply for a medical exemption certificate if you have a permanent disability that prevents you from going out without the help of another person, or one of the following conditions:

• A continuing physical disability
• Cancer (including the effects of cancer or cancer treatment)
• Diabetes mellitus — except where treatment is diet alone
• Hypoparathyroidism
• Epilepsy — requiring continuous anticonvulsive therapy
• A fistula requiring dressing or appliance
• Hypoadrenalism (including Addison's disease)
• Myasthenia gravis
• Myxoedema (underactive thyroid gland)

Maternity Exemption

You're exempt from prescription charges if you were pregnant when the prescription was issued, or if you had a baby within 12 months of the prescription being issued. You must have a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx), obtained from your GP or midwife.

Benefits Exemptions

You're entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner (including civil partner) currently receive any of the following:

• Income Support
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
• Universal Credit — and your earnings are no more than £435 a month (or £935 with a child or limited capability for work)

War Pension Exemption

You're entitled to free prescriptions for your accepted disability if you receive a war pension or armed forces compensation scheme payment.

NHS Tax Credit Exemption

If you receive Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (with a disability element), or if you receive Child Tax Credits only and are not entitled to Working Tax Credit, you may qualify. Your income for tax credit purposes must be £15,276 or less.

If you're entitled to free NHS prescriptions through tax credits, you'll automatically get an NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate.

NHS Pre-Payment Certificate (PPC)

If you don't qualify for free prescriptions but need a lot of medications, an NHS Pre-Payment Certificate (PPC) may save you money. A PPC allows you to pay a set amount for all your NHS prescriptions for either 3 or 12 months.

Find out more about the NHS PPC