Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I request the following information for the last three full calendar years, and for 2024 to date:

1. The total number of NHS prescription penalty charges issued annually.

2. Of those, how many were issued to individuals who were receiving income-related benefits at the time (e.g. Universal Credit, ESA, Income Support, Pension Credit, etc.).

3. The number of these penalties that were successfully appealed and cancelled.

4. The number of penalties issued to individuals who held a valid NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate at the time of the prescription.

Please provide the data in spreadsheet or table format. If exact benefit type is not recorded, I request any internal data or estimates NHSBSA holds regarding eligibility checks or appeals referencing benefits.’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 16 June 2025.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested, and a copy of the information is attached.

Please note that all data relates to the Prescription Exemption Checking Service (PECS) for the last full 3 calendar years and current calendar year up to May 2025.

Question 1 - The total number of NHS prescription penalty charges issued annually.

A copy of the data is attached.

The significantly lower number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) issued in 2022 was a result of our decision to stop issuing PCNs during COVID.

Question 2 - Of those, how many were issued to individuals who were receiving income-related benefits at the time (e.g. Universal Credit, ESA, Income Support, Pension Credit, etc.).

A copy of the data is attached.

No PCNs were issued to individuals who were receiving income-related benefits in 2022.

Question 3 - The number of these penalties that were successfully appealed and cancelled.

A copy of the data is attached.

Question 4 - The number of penalties issued to individuals who held a valid NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate at the time of the prescription.

A copy of the data is attached.

Please note that a PCN is issued due to no exemption being found, this could be down to data mismatch. The attached data shows cases that were closed due to an exemption being confirmed, this is where the patient has provided proof of their exemption. We cannot confirm if a prescription prepayment certificate was held at the time the prescription was received.

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2025”. Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.