Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding prescription items dispensed in England. Specifically, I would like to request the following data:

The number of prescription items dispensed in England for the following financial years (April to March:

• 2022-23

• 2023-24

• 2024-25 (if available)

Please provide this data broken down into the following 4 categories:

1. Items provided free of charge due to exemptions (or other reasons)

2. Items dispensed to holders of valid Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPCs)

3. Items dispensed to patients paying a one-off prescription charge

4. Items dispensed and later paid for due to a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) being served’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 21 June 2025.

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

Our response

Questions 1, 2 & 3

We have considered this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA 2000).

The NHSBSA does hold the requested information; however, the information you requested is available at the following web link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/prescription-cost-analysis-england

Please note, exemption category: ‘Unassigned’ shows the chargeable prescriptions. We do not differentiate between a ‘one-off’ charge and a chargeable prescription.

We’re giving you this link because the information you have requested has already been published and is therefore available in the public domain. Under Section 21 of the FOIA we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you.

Please see the following link to view the section 21 in full - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/21

Question 4

A copy of the data is attached.

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.