Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2023 to Question 1512 on Prescriptions: Fees and Charges, what percentage of prescriptions are exempt from charges due to (a) Prescription Prepayment Certificates and (b) other reasons.

The NHS Business Services Authority collects data on the number of prescription items that are exempt from charges. 5% of prescription items are paid for at the point of dispensing. 95% of prescription items are exempt from charges, and within this figure 3% are covered by a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC). The remaining 92% includes every item with an exempt category or “unknown” exemption category so may also include some PPC exemptions.