Prescription charges

While the NHS was envisaged to provide a completely free health service for all, the growing drugs bill resulted in plans to introduce prescription charges in 1951 resulting in the resignation of Aneurin Bevan.

• 1st June 1952- Charge at one shilling per script was introduced.
• 4th December 1956 - Charge one shilling per item
• 1959 - Charge two shillings per item
• 1st Feb 1965 - Abolished
• 10th June 1968 - Restored
  • Two shillings and sixpence per item
  • Exceptions:
    • Old and young people
    • Beneficiaries
    • Chronic diseases (eg diabetes) but list does not include cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and as unknown at time HIV/AIDS. The exception list has remained unchanged since
• 1971 - 20p per item
• July 1979 - 45p per item
• Apr 1980 - 70p per item
• Dec 1980 - £1 per item
• Charges from 1st April^[1]
  • 1982- £1.20 per item
  • 1983- £1.40 per item
  • 1984- £1.60 per item
  • 1985- £2.00 per item
  • 1986- £2.20 per item
  • 1987- £2.40 per item
  • 1988- £2.60 per item
  • 1989- £2.80 per item
  • 1990- £3.05 per item
  • 1991- £3.40 per item
  • 1992- £3.75 per item
  • 1993- £4.25 per item
  • 1994- £4.75 per item
  • 1995- £5.25 per item
  • 1996- £5.50 per item
  • 1997- £5.65 per item
  • 1998- £5.80 per item
  • 1999- £5.90 per item
  • 2000- £6.00 per item

Prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) offer considerable savings to those not exempt.

• Charges from 1st April^[2]
  • 2001- £6.10 per item
  • 2002- £6.20 per item
  • 2003- £6.30 per item
  • 2004- £6.40 per item
  • 2005- £6.50 per item
  • 2006- £6.65 per item
  • 2007- £6.85 per item
  • 2008- £7.10 per item

Exemption categories

• Men and women aged 60 and over;
• Children under 16;
• Young people in full-time education aged 16, 17 and 18;
• Pregnant women and women who have had a child in the previous 12 months who hold a valid exemption certificate;
• People who hold a valid exemption certificate for a War disablement pension but only in respect of medication for the disablement;
• People suffering from the following conditions who hold a valid exemption certificate:
  • Hypoadrenalism, Addison's disease
  • Diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism
  • Diabetes mellitus (except diet alone)
  • Hypoparathyroidism
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Myxoedema
  • Epilepsy
• Continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving his residence without the help of another person.
• A person or partner receiving Income support; Pension Credit guarantee credit; or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Tax credit where income is £15,050 per year or less and meeting qualifying conditions

• 2001 Welsh Assembly abolishes prescription charges for people aged 16 to 25 and starts phased reduction at £6 per item
• 1st Oct 2004- £5 per item
• 1st April 2005- £4 per item
• 1st April 2006- £3 per item
• 1st April 2007- Completely abolished

• Prescription charges are expected to be abolished by 2010

• Charges from 1st April^[3]
  • 2001- £6.10 per item
  • 2002- £6.20 per item
  • 2003- £6.30 per item
  • 2004- £6.40 per item
  • 2005- £6.50 per item
  • 2006- £6.65 per item
  • 2007- £6.85 per item
  • 2008 Phased reduction begins at £5 per item
• Prescription charges are expected to be abolished by 2011