Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed an NHS prescription rule change, freezing charges at £9.90 to help households amid global turmoil from the Iran war and the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The Labour Party Chancellor announced the cost of living package in a government press release on Thursday, May 21.
The release stated: "This comes on top of action the government has already taken to reduce the cost of living, including cutting energy bills, freezing prescription charges, protecting motorists from fuel duty increases and raising the minimum wage."
Ms Reeves confirmed that freezing the cost of a single prescription at £9.90 will save patients around £12 million next year. She said: "No one should put their health at risk because they can't afford their medication, and as the cost of living still puts pressure on households I'm extending the cash freeze on prescription charges."
She added: "Since taking office, we've been committed to fixing the NHS, and waiting lists are down by 230,000 over the past year. At next week's Budget I will take the fair choices to deliver what matters most to the country: cutting waiting lists, cutting the cost of living and cutting the national debt."
When the freeze was first announced, then-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said: "This government will always put patients first, and our moves today to freeze prescription charges again will put money back into the pockets of millions of people. We've already made the morning-after pill available free of charge at all pharmacies, and as well as keeping prescriptions under a tenner, we're making sure you can get the care you need closer to home to keep travel costs down. We are fixing our NHS and making it so it's once again there for you when you need it."
