Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients does the government assess will be impacted by its decision to freeze prescription charges in England.

Approximately 40% of people who receive prescriptions are not entitled to exemption from National Health Service prescription charges and will therefore benefit from the decision to freeze charges for the second successive year, keeping the cost of a prescription below £10 and the cost of a prepayment certificate at just over £2 a week.

The remaining approximately 60% of patients receiving prescriptions are entitled to exemption from charges. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.