One in ten people in England have gone without vital medicines because of the cost of NHS prescriptions, according to a new poll. Pharmacists and charities have now launched a campaign calling for prescription charges to be scrapped in the country, as they have been in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The survey of 1,781 adults in England, conducted by Savanta on behalf of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), found that 10% went without medicines due to cost, while a further 12% delayed getting them for the same reason.
Call to end 'cruel tax on illness'
NPA chairman Olivier Picard said: "No patient should ever see cost as being a barrier to accessing the medicines they need but this polling shows an alarming number do."
He added: "It is a national scandal and deeply unfair that anyone could consider stopping vital medicines because of cost. This cruel tax on illness, where some patients are exempt but others are forced to pay simply because they have the wrong kind of illness, undermines the founding principles of the NHS."
Picard urged the Chancellor to "bring England into line with the rest of the UK and scrap this unfair and complex prescription tax", arguing it would help tackle the rising cost of living and health inequalities.
Charges already abolished across the rest of the UK
The current prescription charge in England is £9.90 per item. Prescription costs were abolished in Wales in 2007, in Northern Ireland in 2010 and in Scotland in 2011.
The NPA, which represents around 6,000 community pharmacies, has teamed up with a group of charities to call for the charge to be axed completely.
Sarah Sleet, chief executive of the charity Asthma and Lung UK, said: "For people with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), being able to take medication shouldn't come down to whether or not you can afford it. But because respiratory conditions aren't included on the prescription charges exemptions list, people are left essentially paying for their right to breathe."
Charities back campaign ahead of Budget
Marianne Radcliffe, chief executive at Crohn's and Colitis UK, added: "We support calls to scrap prescription charges in England. People with long-term conditions should not be forced to choose between their health and their finances simply because they need medication every day."
Fiona Loud, from Kidney Care UK, said: "It's simply not a fair system because it penalises ill health. Everyone should be able to access the medication they need to stay well for free, without worrying about whether or not they can afford it."
Laura Cockram, head of campaigns at Parkinson's UK, added: "The upcoming Budget is an opportunity for the Government to take meaningful action. If they are serious about tackling the cost of living crisis and preventing avoidable ill health, the Government must scrap prescription charges in England, bringing us in line with the rest of the UK."
Peter Lloyd, Senior Policy Manager at the MS Society, said: "It's outrageous that anyone should face the choice between financial sacrifice and going without essential medicines."
Who is exempt from charges?
Some prescriptions are free, including contraception and medicines prescribed for hospital inpatients. Some people are exempt from paying the charge, including under 16s, those aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, people aged 60 and over, those with certain medical conditions and some benefit recipients.
The NPA said that an estimated 11.6 million patients paid prescription charges in 2025/26, raising an estimated £733 million. Some 3.3 million people paid for a prescription prepayment certificate, which covers NHS prescriptions for a fixed fee and can reduce costs for people who need medicines regularly. There is also a PPC for women taking hormone replacement therapy, with around 730,000 women using this in 2025/26.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
