England, priced from the September 2026 Drug Tariff
How much does a private prescription cost?
There is no fixed charge on a private prescription. You pay the medicine at roughly its NHS Drug Tariff price, the pharmacy's dispensing fee, and 20% VAT on the lot. Choose the medicine and quantity for a line-by-line estimate against the £9.90 NHS charge, or check whether an NHS prescription would be free for you.
Question 1
Which prescription are you pricing?
A private prescription is one a private GP, an online clinic or a specialist wrote outside the NHS. The pharmacy sets its price; the NHS charge does not apply.
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We will send you these figures and a link back to them. One email, nothing else unless you tick the box.
What 12 UK pharmacies and prescribers publish about private prescription fees (read 8 September 2026)
Last updated
Every guide on this subject says a dispensing fee is £5 to £15. This table records what named providers actually publish on their own pages: one pharmacy commits to a figure, three prescribers publish a prescribing fee, and the rest quote per item.
Twelve providers' own pages were read on 8 September 2026. Each row quotes what the page says about a dispensing or prescribing fee and links the page; a row reading not published means the provider quotes per item, which is recorded rather than guessed. Fees are per prescription item and exclude the medicine. The table is re-read quarterly and a changed row is dated.
| Provider | Type | What it publishes | Fee per item | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy2U (Royal Mail Health) | online pharmacy | minimum dispensing fee | £9.90 | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| Dr Fox | online doctor and pharmacy | prescription fee by order value; free delivery for posted private prescriptions | £1.00 to £4.00 | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| Pharmacy M | independent pharmacy (online) | typical range, own fee not stated | £5.00 to £15.00 | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| Crighton Pharmacy | independent pharmacy | typical range, own fee not stated | £5.00 to £15.00 | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| Chemist4U | online pharmacy | no fixed fee published | not published | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| Hot Chemist | online pharmacy | quoted per item; delivery from £10 | not published | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| e-Surgery | online pharmacy | price includes dispensing; no separate fee shown | not published | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| Green Lanes Pharmacy, London N21 | independent pharmacy | no fixed fee published | not published | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| The Online GP | online prescriber | typical range | £0.00 to £5.00 | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| The Online Clinic | online prescriber | prescribing fee; dispensing set by the pharmacy | £29.95 | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| Private Medical Clinic | private GP | prescribing fee; dispensing set by the pharmacy | £25.00 | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
| South Downs Health and Care (GP federation) | NHS and private GP provider | no fixed fee | not published | provider page, read 2026-09-08 |
- Of 12 UK providers read on 8 September 2026, one pharmacy (Pharmacy2U) publishes a private dispensing fee: a minimum of £9.90 per item. (Pharmacy2U private prescriptions)
- Where no fee is published, the ranges pharmacies quote are £5 to £15 per item (Pharmacy M, Crighton Pharmacy) and £0 to £5 (The Online GP). (Pharmacy M, private prescription costs 2026)
- A 21-capsule course of amoxicillin 500mg is £1.30 at the September 2026 Drug Tariff price; with a £9.90 fee and 20% VAT the private price is about £13.44, against £9.90 on the NHS. (NHSBSA Drug Tariff Part VIIIA, September 2026)
Cite this page
“What 12 UK pharmacies and prescribers publish about private prescription fees (read 8 September 2026)”, Prescription Price Checker, https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/ (updated 2026-09-08). Twelve providers' own pages were read on 8 September 2026. Each row quotes what the page says about a dispensing or prescribing fee and links the page; a row reading not published means the provider quotes per item, which is recorded rather than guessed. Fees are per prescription item and exclude the medicine. The table is re-read quarterly and a changed row is dated.
Want an exact price from a pharmacy?
The estimate above is the Tariff price plus a typical fee. For the actual figure, tell us how you would like the prescription dispensed and we will introduce you to a registered pharmacy that quotes for private prescriptions. We do not ask what the prescription is for.
We may receive a fee from the pharmacy we introduce you to. It does not change the price you are quoted, and we never see or pass on medical information.
What it does and does not check
- A private prescription (from a private GP, an online clinic or a specialist): the medicine at its September 2026 Drug Tariff basic price, pro rata to the quantity, plus a dispensing fee and 20% VAT, set beside the NHS charge. 68 common medicines are priced; the fee is the one published figure (Pharmacy2U, £9.90 minimum) or the £5 to £15 range pharmacies quote.
- An NHS prescription: the England charge of £9.90 per item, the free-prescription routes (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; age; MatEx and MedEx; qualifying benefits; the Low Income Scheme) and the prepayment maths (a 12-month PPC at £114.50 beats paying per item at 12 or more items a year).
- It does not cover controlled-drug prescribing rules, NHS dental or optical charges, or medicines outside the 68 listed; for those the medicine line is a placeholder and the pharmacy's quote is the answer.
Prescription Price Checker is an independent information site operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. It is not a pharmacy, is not affiliated with the NHS, NHSBSA or any government body, and nothing here is medical or financial advice. We may be paid a fee by a pharmacy we introduce you to; that does not change the price you are quoted. Private estimates use the September 2026 Drug Tariff and NHS charges are the rates currently published for England; confirm the current figures on nhsbsa.nhs.uk and nhs.uk before relying on them.
Common questions
How much does a private prescription cost?
The medicine at roughly its NHS Drug Tariff price, plus the pharmacy's dispensing fee, plus 20% VAT. For a cheap generic that is about £7 to £20 an item depending on the fee; for a branded or specialist medicine the medicine itself dominates. The estimator above prices 68 common medicines line by line.(NHSBSA Drug Tariff Part VIIIA, September 2026)
What is a typical private prescription dispensing fee?
Pharmacies quote £5 to £15 per item and most do not publish a figure. Of 12 providers read on 8 September 2026, Pharmacy2U is the one that does: a minimum of £9.90 per item. Some online prescribers say £0 to £5.(Pharmacy2U private prescriptions)
Is there VAT on a private prescription?
Yes. Medicines dispensed on a private prescription are standard-rated at 20%; the same medicine on an NHS prescription is zero-rated. The estimator adds VAT to the medicine and the fee together, which is how pharmacies quote.(HMRC VAT Notice 701/57, sections 3.1 and 11.4)
Can I ask the price before I hand over a private prescription?
Yes. Any pharmacy will quote a private prescription before dispensing it, and the same script can be priced differently at two pharmacies on the same street. Phone with the medicine name, strength and quantity as written.
How much are prescriptions on the NHS?
£9.90 per item in England, the charge currently published on nhs.uk. Prescriptions are free for everyone in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The charge is reviewed each April, so check nhs.uk for the current figure.(nhs.uk prescription charges)
When does a prescription prepayment certificate save money?
It makes for cheaper prescriptions once you pass the breakeven: a 12-month PPC (£114.50) beats paying per item at 12 or more items a year. A 3-month PPC (£32.05) pays off at 4 or more items in three months. One medicine collected monthly is already 12 items a year.(nhsbsa.nhs.uk prepayment certificates)
Sources
Price the medicine first, then choose the route.
The estimator gives a private price line by line; the NHS branch says whether you should be paying at all.
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