# Prescription Price Checker

> A private prescription priced line by line: the medicine at the NHS Drug Tariff rate, the pharmacy's dispensing fee and 20% VAT, set beside the £9.90 NHS charge.

## Key facts

- 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: https://health.royalmail.com/prescriptions/?patienttype=2)
- 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: https://www.pharmacym.co.uk/how-much-does-a-private-prescription-cost-in-the-uk-in-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: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2026-08/Drug%20Tariff%20Part%20VIIIA%20September%202026.pdf)

## Key pages

- [How much is a private prescription?](https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/): the main tool, answer above the fold.
- [How much is a prescription in the UK? £9.90 in England, 2026](https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/nhs-prescription-charge/): £9.90 per item in England, free for everyone in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. What counts as an item, who is exempt, and when a £114.50 PPC is cheaper.
- [PPC cost 2026: £32.05 for 3 months, £114.50 for 12 (NHS prepayment)](https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/prescription-prepayment-certificate/): A 3-month PPC costs £32.05 and a 12-month £114.50. The 12-month certificate pays for itself at 12 items a year. How to buy, breakeven maths, and refunds.
- [Who gets free NHS prescriptions? The full exemption list](https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/free-nhs-prescriptions/): Free NHS prescriptions in England: age exemptions, pregnancy (MatEx), medical conditions (MedEx), qualifying benefits, Universal Credit rules and the HC2 certificate.
- [Private prescription cost examples: six medicines priced line by line](https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/private-prescription-cost/): Six common private prescriptions priced from the September 2026 Drug Tariff with a £9.90 fee and 20% VAT, beside the £5 to £15 fee range and the NHS charge.
- [What 12 UK pharmacies and prescribers publish about private prescription fees (read 8 September 2026)](https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/#data): original data table, updated 2026-09-08.
- [Full site content as markdown](https://prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk/llms-full.txt)

## Data

- What 12 UK pharmacies and prescribers publish about private prescription fees (read 8 September 2026). Methodology: 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.
- Last updated: 2026-09-08. Every figure cites its source inline.
- Source: NHSBSA Drug Tariff Part VIIIA, September 2026: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2026-08/Drug%20Tariff%20Part%20VIIIA%20September%202026.pdf
- Source: HMRC VAT Notice 701/57, sections 3.1 and 11.4: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/health-professionals-pharmaceutical-products-and-vat-notice-70157
- Source: Pharmacy2U private prescriptions: https://health.royalmail.com/prescriptions/?patienttype=2
- Source: nhs.uk prescription charges: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/nhs-prescription-charges/
- Source: NHS, who can get free prescriptions: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/
- Source: nhsbsa.nhs.uk prepayment certificates: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc
- Source: NHSBSA, medical exemption certificates: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/medical-exemption-certificates
- Source: NHSBSA, NHS Low Income Scheme: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-low-income-scheme

## Citation

Cite as: "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).

## About

- Prescription Price Checker is an information site. 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.
- Operated by prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk. Contact: enquiries@prescriptionpricechecker.co.uk