NHS Repeat Prescriptions

About 95% of NHS GP surgeries in England now use the EPS. Your GP can let you know if they’re set up with the NHS Electronic Prescription Service and can provide you with the information you need to sign up to use it. 

Anyone registered with a GP in England can use the NHS Electronic Prescription Service. If you’d benefit from free home delivery and a handy app to request your medicines on the go, we can take care of your NHS prescriptions for you, including repeat and one-off items. 

If your GP already uses the EPS, they’ll automatically issue your prescriptions electronically. When you sign up to use our free prescription home delivery service, we’ll ask for: 

• Your name and date of birth 

• The details of your GP surgery 

• The details of any medicines you’re prescribed. 

You can make the registration process even quicker by providing your NHS number, if you know it. 

Confirm what medication you need and when you’ll need it. We can then arrange for your GP to approve your prescription. Once approved, our pharmacy team will check and dispense your medication, before sending it for delivery by Royal Mail for free. 

The electronic prescription is received by your chosen pharmacy as soon as the doctor sends it. 

You should order your prescription as soon as you need it, but please leave enough time for processing and delivery.  

Pharmacy2U aims to check, dispense, pack, and dispatch prescriptions as quickly as possible, ensuring it’s with Royal Mail within 5 days of your request. We recommend placing your request 10 working days before you need your medicine in the unlikely event of any delays. 

All Pharmacy2U NHS prescription deliveries are free. 

The NHS Electronic Prescription Service lets you choose the pharmacy you want to dispense your prescriptions. You can change your chosen pharmacy at any time, and no one else can change this without your consent. You can use the NHS app to change your preferred pharmacy, or tell your GP which pharmacy you want the prescription to go to.  

If you need to make a temporary change to your chosen pharmacy, for example, if you need to collect it when you’re away from home or when your regular pharmacy is closed, speak to your GP or pharmacist during your consultation. They can give you what’s called a ‘non-nominated’ digital prescription or a paper prescription which can be used at any pharmacy. 

If one-off nomination functionality is available within the prescribing system, this can be used to override your regular nominated pharmacy for a single prescription. At the point of prescribing, there will be the option to choose a one-off nomination for a community pharmacy listed in the Directory of Services (DOS), with their opening times displayed. Further prescriptions will go back to the normal nominated pharmacy. 

Ask your GP or pharmacist when they’re prescribing your medication if you’d prefer to collect a paper prescription and take it in person to a local pharmacy. 

The EPS means you can organise for your prescription to be sent to another pharmacy in England as a one-off, or on a temporary basis. Just update your preferred pharmacy in the NHS app, or let your GP surgery know the details of the pharmacy you’d like your next prescription to be sent to. If you’re changing it in the NHS app, remember to change back to your usual pharmacy before you request your next prescription.  

While the EPS can’t be used to send prescriptions overseas, you can place your prescription request from anywhere in the world using Pharmacy2U’s website or app.  

Safety and security have been considered at every stage of the NHS Electronic Prescription Service. Only authorised healthcare workers have access to the Electronic Prescription Service and can only access it with authentication from the NHS Care Identity Service 2 (NHS CIS2). 

Business Continuity Mode is used to keep your information safe, generating an alert on the NHS Spine database of health and social care organisations, workers, and IT systems when entered. 

Only the same people who have access to paper prescriptions can also access digital prescriptions, including GP surgeries, pharmacies, NHS prescription payments, and fraud agencies. 

Yes. Visit your account settings and choose from popular reminder cycles or choose a date that suits you. We can then email, text, or send you an app notification when you need reminding to order your repeat prescription online. 

Contact Pharmacy2U’s Customer Care Team on 0113 265 0222 or use the live chat service on our website. 

Yes. Just add details of your NHS payment exemption or prescription prepayment certificate in your online account. 

Anyone who is registered with a GP in England can use this service, including for one-off prescriptions. We also accept prescription prepayment certificates and exemptions, as well as major payment methods. 

When you register, we’ll ask you for: 

• Your name and date of birth 

• Your GP surgery’s details 

• Any medicines you are prescribed 

You can speed up the registration process by also providing your NHS number too, if you know it. 

Just ensure you’re registered with Pharmacy2U and have us selected as your nominated (chosen) pharmacy. You can do this in the NHS app or through your GP. When your GP prescribes you with a short-term medicine in the future, it will be sent directly to us electronically to check, dispense, and dispatch your items via Royal Mail. If your one-off prescription is for an urgent medical condition like an infection and you’ve been prescribed antibiotics, we recommend collecting your prescription from a local pharmacy that same day so you can start your treatment as soon as possible.  

The current NHS prescription is £9.90 per item (as of May 2024). If you are exempt from paying or have a valid prescription prepayment certificate, just add details of these in your online account. 

If you pay for your NHS prescriptions, just make sure your payment details are correct and up to date in your Pharmacy2U account. If you have a valid exemption or prescription prepayment certificate, you can also add details of these to your online account. 

If you order from an established, regulated pharmacy like Pharmacy2U, it is safe to order one-off prescriptions online. 

Pharmacy2U aims to check, dispense, pack and dispatch your prescriptions as quickly as possible, ensuring it’s with Royal Mail within 5 days of your request, but sometimes even earlier. They will then aim to deliver it within 2-3 working days. 

There are certain situations where you can order a one-off prescription, without having to book a GP appointment first. 

Most pharmacies now offer a service called Pharmacy First, which means a pharmacist can issue an appropriate treatment for a small range of conditions without needing to see a GP first. Conditions include impetigo, sinusitis, sore throat, earache, shingles, infected insect bites, and urinary tract infections.  

Pharmacy2U offers this service for all conditions except earache (which requires a physical examination). Visit the Pharmacy First page to learn more. 

If you have a new medication you need to start the same day the prescription is issued by your GP, we’d recommend using your local pharmacy to collect it. But if your GP is happy for you to wait a few days for it, you can still use the Pharmacy2U service and have it delivered to your chosen address for free. 

Anyone who is registered with a GP in England can use the Pharmacy2U Family Account feature. You can add patient profiles to your account and manage medicines for others, helping you take care of the whole family’s prescriptions.

To set up a Family Account and manage prescriptions for others, just select ‘Add another patient’ from your account dashboard and follow the steps to set up their patient profile. 

Yes, it’s free to register for a Family Account and we’ll also deliver any NHS prescriptions ordered via this service for free too. 

You can add anyone who relies on you to take care of their NHS prescriptions, whether it’s children, parents, partners, friends, neighbours, or anybody else who needs it. You just need to ensure you have their consent if they’re over 18.

We’ll ask you for the patient’s:  

• Name, address, and date of birth  

• Their relationship to you  

• Their GP surgery details  

• Their NHS number if you know it  

• Their payment or exemption details

There are no limits placed on the number of patient profiles you can have linked to your Family Account with Pharmacy2U. 

No. Any patients you have linked to your Family Account can be at the same address as you, or at a different address. All you need to do is make sure that the address provided is the same one they are registered with at their GP surgery. You can also set a delivery address of your or their choosing for each patient profile. 

Your GP or dispenser will contact you to inform you of any issues with your prescription or the prescription of someone you look after. They can then arrange for a new prescription to be issued after the consultation. 

You can switch between different patient profiles quickly and easily in your account dashboard. Just select the name of the patient you want to view.

If there are medication changes, use your account dashboard to amend the details for any person you care for. Make sure any changes are made before you request their next prescription. 

The current cost of an NHS prescription for 2024-2025 is £9.90 per item. 

The cost of private prescriptions in the UK varies depending on the treatment you receive. You’ll usually pay a fee for the consultation with a private doctor, and a fee to the issuing pharmacy which will include the full cost of the medicine.  

Full time students under 19 are eligible for free NHS prescriptions and dental care. Students aged 19 and over can apply for help with prescription costs through the NHS low-income scheme. You can apply online in certain circumstances, otherwise you'll need to complete a HC1 form from your GP surgery and post it to the address provided.  

Yes, everyone aged over 60 gets free NHS prescriptions in the UK. 

Yes. In the UK, you pay for each individual item that’s on your prescription, not one price for the entire prescription. For example, if your prescription consists of three medicines, you will be the prescription charge three times. 

No, your NHS contraception is always free. 

You can be eligible for free NHS prescriptions if you’re in one of the following groups when your prescription is dispensed: 

Age 

• aged 60 or over 

• under 16 years old 

• are 16 to 18 and in full-time education 

Income 

If you receive one of these benefits below, then you, your partner, and any dependent aged under 20 are also entitled to free prescriptions. 

• Income Support 

• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance 

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance 

You are entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you or your partner receive: 

• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit 

• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit 

If you’re receiving Pension Credit Savings Credit alone, or contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance then you can apply for help with prescription costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. 

You are entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you receive: 

• Universal Credit and meet the criteria 

Tax Credits 

If you're entitled to, or named on: 

• A valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate. 

You qualify for this if you get Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits including a disability element (or both), and your annual family income for tax credit purposes is £15,276 or less. 

Low Income 

You can apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme for one of the below certificates: 

• A valid HC2 certificate, for full help with health costs including NHS prescription charges 

• Named on a HC3 certificate, but this is only for partial help with health costs and does not entitle you to free NHS prescriptions 

Medical Reasons 

You qualify for free prescriptions if you: 

• Are pregnant or have had a baby in the past 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx) 

• Have specific medical condition and have a valid medication exemption certificate (MedEx) 

• Have a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability 

• Medication given to NHS hospital inpatients is always free 

Contraception 

• All contraception that is prescribed on an NHS prescription is free. 

You can find out if you’re eligible for free NHS prescriptions by checking online, as well as finding out about help with other NHS costs, including eyesight tests and NHS dental treatments. 

Some prescribed items, like contraception and medicines given to hospital inpatients, are always free. 

There are different ways to apply depending on the NHS exemption certificates you’re eligible to get: 

• Medication exemption certificates – speak to your GP surgery  

• Maternity exemption certificates – speak to your doctor, midwife, or health visitor  

• NHS tax credit exemption certificates – there’s no need to apply. HMRC will inform the NHS that your financial situation means you’re eligible and the NHS will send your medical exemption certificate to you.   

No, you can’t apply for an NHS medical exemption certificate online.  

You need to speak to your GP or doctor first to find out if you’re entitled to an exemption certificate because of your medical condition or circumstances and if so, they will supply you with an application form to fill out.  

Once your application form is received, you should receive your medical exemption certificate in the post within 10 working days. 

There are a series of different medical conditions that entitle you to free NHS prescription exemptions – you can find a list here. 

You will need to get your GP to confirm the diagnosis of your condition and they will then give you an NHS prescription exemption application form to complete.

Your NHS medical exemption certificate is valid for 5 years or until your 60th birthday, whichever is sooner. If you’re a Pharmacy2U patient, we’ll send you a notification when your medical exemption certificate is about to expire and you will need to speak to your doctor to reapply. 

If you have lost or damaged your prescription exemption certificate, you can request a replacement here. To renew your medical exemption certificate, you will need to contact your GP. If you’re a Pharmacy2U patient, we’ll notify you around a month before it expires, and the NHS should also remind you. You can check if your NHS prescription exemption is still valid online.  

If you’re not currently entitled to free NHS prescriptions, you could still save money by purchasing a prescription prepayment certificate. This is like a 'season ticket' – you pay a set price and it will cover you for as many prescriptions as you need until it expires.  

There are two options - you can buy a 3-month certificate for £32.05 or a 12-month certificate for £114.50 (as of 1st May 2024), which can be paid upfront or in instalments. Take the time to think about the number of prescription items you need, one of these items could help you save money compared to having to pay for each item individually. 

If you have already applied for your prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) or HRT PPC, you can get a refund (although not for HRT PPC itself). You need to ask your pharmacist, hospital or doctor for an NHS receipt and then request an FP57 refund form when you pay for your medication – you cannot get one at a later date.  

The receipt and form will tell you exactly what you need to do to get your refund. You need to apply for a refund within three months of paying the prescription charge. If you have a good reason for why you could not apply within three months, you can send an explanation letter with your FP57 form and this will be taken under consideration.  

An NHS prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) helps patients with the cost of NHS prescriptions. It’s available to buy for a 3 or 12-month period and can save you money if you’re prescribed 2 or more medicines on a repeat basis.  

If you regularly pick up NHS prescriptions on a regular basis, then you can benefit from an NHS prescription prepayment certificate. 

Certain types of NHS PPCs, like the HRT PPC and the Tax Credit Exemption, have specific eligibility criteria.

The easiest way to purchase an NHS prescription prepayment certificate is online. It can be valid right away or you can get it backdated by a month, which means you can get refunds on any prescriptions you paid for in that period, as long as you have an official FP57 receipt for the prescription. 

The NHS will send details of your certificate to you by email rather than sending a physical card. You can also buy and renew NHS PPCs over the phone or from a UK high street pharmacy. 

Make sure you check you’re not entitled to free NHS prescriptions before you purchase a PPC. 

It helps with the cost of hormone replacement medicines, often prescribed to women who experience menopause symptoms. It covers the cost of a year’s supply of HRT medicine for the same cost as two prescription items. 

The costs for an NHS prescription prepayment certificate are: 

• a 3-month PPC costs £32.05 

• a 12-month PPC costs £114.50 

• a 12-month PPC for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) costs £19.80 

Yes. If you want to buy a 12-month prescription payment certificate (PPC), you can pay for it in 10 monthly instalments by Direct Debit. This option is available online or by phone only, not at pharmacies or any other dispensers. 

The easiest way to purchase an NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate is online. They can also be bought over the phone or in person from a high street pharmacy that’s registered to sell them. 

Yes. You can add details through your online account or speak to our Customer Care Team on 0113 265 0222. 

You will not be able to get a refund on your NHS PPC if you stop needing the medications you’ve been prescribed in the past. However, you may be able to claim a full or partial refund on your NHS prescription prepayment certificate if you become entitled to free NHS prescriptions, or if you go into hospital.  

The refund will depend on how long your PPC is valid for and when and how your circumstances change. You need to apply for a refund within 3 months from when you became entitled to free NHS prescriptions. Visit the NHS SBA PPC terms and conditions page for more info.  

If your certificate is damaged or lost, contact the NHS BSA. If you’d rather, you can switch to a digital certificate at this point and receive your PPC by email. If not, you should receive your replacement paper certificate within 10 working days.

You’ll find your personal health dashboard in your Pharmacy2U account. Here, you can:  

• See current and historic orders  

• Place an order  

• Update your preferences  

• Set reminders  

• Add another patient  

Yes. You can download the Pharmacy2U app to your mobile or tablet. You can manage your NHS prescriptions, set your preferences and arrange handy reminder notifications all in one place. 

You can visit the Pharmacy2U Help & Support hub for answers to frequently asked questions, or you can call the Customer Care Team on 0113 265 0222.  

You can update your contact details from your account dashboard. 

You can update your delivery address from your account dashboard. 

You can update your surgery details from your account dashboard. 

All NHS prescriptions are sent using either Royal Mail Tracked 24 or 48. You’ll receive a tracking number from Royal Mail with an estimated delivery date when we’ve dispatched your order. 

Yes, all NHS prescription deliveries are free with Pharmacy2U.  

Yes, you can update your delivery address in your account at any time. If you wish to change your delivery address after you’ve placed your order but it has not yet been dispatched, you need to contact the Pharmacy2U customer care team on 0113 265 0222 or via the live chat service on our website.  

You can use Royal Mail’s Track & Trace service to follow your order. Enter the reference number we send you once we’ve dispatched your item to see the progress of your prescription delivery.  

You can choose a convenient delivery method that suits you. If an item is too big for your letterbox, we’ll let you know and provide a 2-hour delivery window, so you can arrange to be in for delivery.  

You can track your order anytime, anywhere through your personal dashboard located in ‘My Account’. 

We will get in touch with you to let you know which item has been delayed. We will then give you the option to split your order, so we can send your other items straight away, or the option to return the full prescription to the NHS database so that you can get it dispensed locally if required. We will keep you informed about the progress of your delayed item. 

We will contact you directly if we need to check something. Sometimes, we may also contact your GP if it’s a query they can answer. We will keep you informed about any changes to your estimated dispatch date in the meantime. 

We will do everything we can to make sure our service works around you, but we can give you the option to collect your prescription from your local pharmacy and send you a code for the pharmacy you’ve chosen to dispense your prescription. 

You can request your prescription at an earlier date in your account. We will try our best to accommodate early requests and process your prescription in plenty of time for when you need it. We will inform your GP of your request and your reason for doing so. 

We accept all major payment methods, as well as prescription prepayment certificates and exemptions. 

You can update your payment details from your account dashboard. 

Yes you can. Just add the details of your NHS prescription prepayment certificate in your account dashboard. 

Pharmacy2U aims to process refunds within 3–5 working days of receiving your item, but it can take up to 30 days to receive the refund via the original payment method. 

Your order will be held if we do not have valid exemption or payment details. Please log in to your Pharmacy2U account and update your payment or exemption details.