Prescription Pre-payment Certificates (PPCs)

	Telephone Advice/Order Line 0845 850 0030
	On-Line PPC Sales General Public IMPORTANT - you must be resident in England to purchase a PPC from us. If you are not resident in England, details of what you need to do to purchase a PPC are provided below. NB** 128 Encryption is required for this application **
	PPC Direct "On-line" - Registered Pharmacies NB** 128 Encryption is required for this application **
	General Enquiry

People who have to pay for more than 3 prescription items in 3 months, or 14 items in 12 months, could save money by buying a PPC. From 1 April 2008, the charge for a single prescription item is £7.10, whereas a 3-month PPC will cost you £27.85 and a 12-month PPC £102.50. The most convenient way to pay for your 12 month PPC is by Direct Debit meaning you can spread the yearly cost over 10 monthly instalments.

Once your Direct Debit is set up, we will send you an advance notice showing the amount we will debit from your bank account each month. We will then collect that amount without you having to do a thing.

Because we can renew your PPC automatically each year, you'll never have to worry about forgetting to renew it in the future.

The Authority's PPC Issue Office is responsible for issuing PPCs to people resident in England only, on behalf of the Department of Health.

IMPORTANT - some people can get free prescriptions. You should check whether you could get free prescriptions before buying a PPC. For information click here.

About the Prescription Prepayment Certificate

You can only use a PPC, an example of which is shown on the right, for your own NHS prescriptions.

It is our intention to send reminder letters to those patients who hold a PPC, which is about to expire. However, please remember to apply for a new PPC in good time, otherwise you will have to pay charges when your old PPC runs out.

If you have to pay a prescription charge while you are waiting for your PPC, you may get a refund if you have an NHS receipt. The NHS receipt form is an FP57 (England). The pharmacist or dispensing doctor can only issue an FP57 at the time you pay for a prescription charge; they cannot give you one later. You can claim the prescription charge(s) back up to 3 months after paying, the FP57 tells you what to do.

The PPC Application Process

If you are resident in England, there are four ways to apply for a PPC:

1. Over the Internet via our Website - General Public

To order a PPC via our website please click click on the On-Line PPC Sales link above.

NB** A minimum of 128 Encryption is needed for this application **

If your browser does not support 128-bit encryption, please visit the website that provides upgrades to your browser software. If you are using a Microsoft or Netscape browser, you should upgrade to Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or later or Netscape Navigator 6.2 or later:

Microsoft® Internet Explorer 128-Bit Browser (Windows Users)
Microsoft® Internet Explorer 128-Bit Browser (Macintosh Users)

Netscape Navigator® 128-Bit Browser (Windows & Macintosh Users)

2. Postal Applications

If you want to apply by post, please complete the PPC application form FP95, available from pharmacies and doctors surgeries. You can also download an application form in portable document format by clicking here

When you have completed and signed the form, send it with your cheque, postal order or credit/debit card details to:

NHS Business Services Authority
PPC Issue Office
PO Box 854
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE99 2DE

Our PPC Issue Office aim to process postal applications within 7 days of receiving the form.

Your PPC will start from the date we receive your postal application unless you ask for a different start date. This can be up to one month earlier or later than the date we receive your postal application.

3. Over the Telephone

To order a PPC over the telephone, ring our order line. The local call rate number for this service is 0845 850 0030. Please have your:

• debit or credit card details ready if you want to pay in full; or
• your bank or building society account details ready if you want to pay for a 12-month PPC by 10 monthly Direct Debit instalments.

Your PPC will start from the date we receive your phone call unless you ask for a different start date. This can be up to one month earlier or later than the date of your phone call.

4. From a Pharmacy Registered to Sell PPCs

To purchase a PPC at a registered pharmacy you must either:

A list of the pharmacies that have registered with us to sell PPCs on our behalf is available here.

Your PPC will start from the date you purchase your PPC or complete an "On-line" application at a pharmacy registered to sell PPCs on our behalf unless you ask for a different start date. This can be up to one month earlier or later than the date you purchase your PPC or complete the "On-line" application.

People Resident in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

We can only issue PPCs to people resident in England. If you are resident outside England the action you need to take to purchase a PPC depends upon the country you are resident in. If you are resident in:

• Scotland you can purchase a PPC from most pharmacies or dispensing doctor practices, or you can apply for a PPC by post using form EC95. The form is available from pharmacies, NHS Boards or NHS National Services Scotland Practitioner Services Division's area offices. It tells you what to do. For further information, click here.
• Wales from 1 April 2007 people registered with a GP in Wales, or resident in Wales but have a GP in England and have an accompanying entitlement card, and get their prescription from a pharmacist in Wales, will receive their prescriptions free of charge.
• Northern Ireland you can purchase a PPC from most pharmacies.

Refunds of PPC Fees

If you wish to claim a refund of your PPC fee please send the original certificate and a letter explaining why you want a refund to:

NHS Business Services Authority
PPC Issue Office
PO Box 854
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE99 2DE.

For full details on PPC refund arrangements including the time limit for claiming a refund check leaflet HC11 (Help with Health Costs) available here.

Leaflet HC11 (Help with Health Costs) is also available from some pharmacies and GP surgeries. Alternatively, by writing to:
Department of Health, PO Box 777, LONDON SE1 6XH

Frequently Asked Questions

Important Information for Pharmacists and Doctors Surgeries in England

Further supplies of the PPC application forms are available from your Primary Care Trust (PCT) Form Supply Unit (this may be a different organisation from the PCT) or Health Authority, which is the same place you have always ordered them from and is the same place that you get your Prescription receipt forms (FP57).

Further supplies of the envelopes used to send PPC applications to us by pharmacies registered to sell PPCs on our behalf are available from us by contacting: