Patients in England will have to pay more for their NHS prescriptions from this month.

Despite the cost of living crisis continuing to place pressure on household budgets – the Department of Health has confirmed it is increasing its charges.

From May 1 the charge for each medicine or appliance dispensed will go up by 25p – from £9.65 to £9.90 – or an increase of 2.59%.

Patients requiring multiple prescriptions over the course of a year are being encouraged to consider whether purchasing a pre-payment certificate – that covers the cost of prescriptions for a set amount of time and set price – would make their healthcare more economical.

However these too are increasing in price from the first of this month.

Pre-payment certificates

Pre-payment certificates will cover all the medicine you need – including dental prescriptions – for the duration of your certificate.

A three-month PPC will cost £32.05 and a 12-month PPC will cost £114.50 now that charges have increased across the board.

Therefore if you know that you are likely to need more than three prescriptions in one month – an advanced certificate is likely to be worth considering.

The pre-payment certificate for HRT medicine – which was first introduced last year to make it easier and cheaper for women taking regular hormone replacement therapy – is rising by 50p from £19.30 to £19.80 for 12 months. This will help those needing more than two prescriptions during a year to make a saving too.

It’s quickest, says the NHS to buy your PPC online. The certificate will start from the day you submit that application unless you want to request a different start date – which must be within one month.

You can also apply by calling the order helpline on 0300 330 1341 while some pharmacies are able to sell three-month PPCs or the HRT PPCs.

You can find out more information about the process and how to submit your request here.

Other NHS-issued items

Charges for wigs and fabric supports, says the NHS, will also be increased from today meaning that the following charges will apply:

* Surgical bra: £32.50

* Abdominal or spinal support: £49.05

* Stock modacrylic wig: £80.15

* Partial human hair wig: £212.35

* Full bespoke human hair wig: £310.55

England is the only country in the UK that still charges for prescriptions.

Patients in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are no longer charged for prescribed medication and can receive it for free.

News of the rise has been greeted with disappointment among some of those representing people with long-term health issues.

Free prescriptions

You might, says the Department of Health, be able to get free NHS prescriptions and help with other NHS costs if you meet its eligibility criteria.

Some groups in society are automatically entitled to free prescriptions – perhaps because of their age, because they’re in full time education or because of the benefits they are already receiving.

Other patients can apply for free prescriptions – such as those on low incomes or with medical conditions that means they are entitled to medical excemption certificates.

Whether you’re entitled to extra financial support may depend on your age, income, any benefits you currently receive and whether you have an existing medical condition or – for example – may be pregnant or recently had a baby.

Patients keen to know if they are eligible for free medicine can check online here.

It is also worth nothing that some prescribed items are always free, such as contraception or medicines given to patients in hospital.