# The Dose Club

> A non-profit guide to paying less for health in the UK: NHS charges, private care, dental, weight loss medicines and everyday pharmacy costs. Every figure shows its official source and the date it was checked.

Run by Dose Club. Pages are written in UK English (en-GB). The Dose Club does not sell, prescribe or dispense medicines.

## How to cite

Quote a figure with the page link and its check date, for example: "The Dose Club, checked 22 October 2026, https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/prescription-charge/". Prices for Mounjaro, Wegovy, the Wegovy pill and Foundayo come from the GLP Index (https://glpindex.co.uk/) and carry the pharmacy name and GPhC number.

## Scope

- UK only: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are named separately where charges differ.
- Not a provider: no medicines are sold, prescribed or dispensed here. No bookings, no medical advice.
- The Wegovy pill and Foundayo are not available on the NHS.

## GLP-1 weight loss medicine prices UK: Mounjaro, Wegovy and Foundayo

- [GLP-1 weight loss medicine prices UK: Mounjaro, Wegovy and Foundayo](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/): Cheapest discount prices for a first order on 21 October 2026, with delivery and the prescriber consultation included: Mounjaro 2.5 mg from £88.00 at Medicspot (GPhC 9012559), Wegovy 0.25 mg from £44.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code IGOVY12, the Wegovy pill 1.5 mg from £53.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code OGOVY12 and Foundayo 0.8 mg from £46.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code DAYO12. Only Mounjaro and the Wegovy injection are available on the NHS, for limited groups.
- [Mounjaro price UK: cheapest by dose](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/mounjaro-price/): The cheapest Mounjaro discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £88.00 at Medicspot (GPhC 9012559) for a 2.5 mg pen, across 80 UK registered pharmacies. The cheapest ongoing price at the same dose was £105.00 at Curate (GPhC 9012920) with code NEWMONJ. At 15 mg the cheapest ongoing price was £234.00, against a median of £299.99. Every price includes the prescriber consultation and delivery.
  - Cheapest 2.5 mg discount price: £88.00
  - Cheapest 2.5 mg ongoing: £105.00
  - Cheapest 15 mg discount price: £219.00
  - Cheapest 15 mg ongoing: £234.00
  - Pharmacies tracked: 80
  - Prices checked: 21 October 2026
- [Wegovy price UK: cheapest injection by dose](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/wegovy-price/): The cheapest Wegovy discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £44.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code IGOVY12 for a 0.25 mg pen, across 72 UK registered pharmacies. The cheapest ongoing price at 2.4 mg, the standard maintenance dose, was £139.00 at Molecule (GPhC 9011284), against a median of £202.95. The 7.2 mg pen was cheapest at £199.88 ongoing. Prices include the consultation and delivery.
  - Cheapest 0.25 mg discount price: £44.00
  - Cheapest 0.25 mg ongoing: £74.00
  - Cheapest 2.4 mg ongoing: £139.00
  - Cheapest 7.2 mg discount price: £169.00
  - Cheapest 7.2 mg ongoing: £199.88
  - Pharmacies tracked: 72
- [Wegovy pill price UK: cheapest by dose](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/wegovy-pill-price/): The cheapest Wegovy pill discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £53.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code OGOVY12 for a month of 1.5 mg tablets, across 56 UK registered pharmacies. At the 25 mg maintenance dose the cheapest ongoing price was £102.99, against a median of £189.48. The Wegovy pill is not available on the NHS. Prices include the consultation and delivery.
  - Cheapest 1.5 mg discount price: £53.00
  - Cheapest 1.5 mg ongoing: £84.55
  - Cheapest 25 mg discount price: £128.00
  - Cheapest 25 mg ongoing: £102.99
  - Pharmacies tracked: 56
  - NHS availability: Not available
- [Foundayo price UK: cheapest orforglipron by dose](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/foundayo-price/): The cheapest Foundayo discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £46.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code DAYO12 for a month of 0.8 mg tablets, across 32 UK registered pharmacies. At the 17.2 mg top dose the cheapest ongoing price was £139.95, against a median of £167.00. Foundayo is not available on the NHS. Prices include the consultation and delivery.
  - Cheapest 0.8 mg discount price: £46.00
  - Cheapest 0.8 mg ongoing: £79.99
  - Cheapest 17.2 mg discount price: £114.00
  - Cheapest 17.2 mg ongoing: £139.95
  - Pharmacies tracked: 32
  - UK licence granted: 10 August 2026
- [Switching pharmacy for Mounjaro or Wegovy: how much you save](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/switching-pharmacy/): The cheapest Mounjaro 7.5 mg discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £168.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code MONJ12. Ongoing, a 7.5 mg pen cost £175.00 at the cheapest pharmacy and £236.74 at the median one. Moving saves £61.74 a month, or £740.82 over 12 pens. For Wegovy 1.7 mg the gap was £42.00 a month. You stay on your current dose or move up with the new prescriber's agreement.
  - Mounjaro 7.5 mg, cheapest ongoing: £175.00
  - Mounjaro 7.5 mg, median ongoing: £236.74
  - Monthly saving at 7.5 mg: £61.74
  - Yearly saving at 7.5 mg: £740.82
  - Wegovy 1.7 mg, monthly saving: £42.00
  - Mounjaro missed dose window: 4 days
- [Weight loss injection subscription or pay monthly: which costs less](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/subscription-vs-pay-monthly/): The cheapest Mounjaro 5 mg discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £120.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code MONJ12. The cheapest pay-monthly ongoing price, with no tie-in, was £125.00. Pay monthly costs less, because a 3, 6 or 12 month plan commits you to one pharmacy's price while cheaper pharmacies remain open to you every month. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 you have 14 days to cancel a distance contract.
  - Cooling off period: 14 days
  - Cheapest Mounjaro 5 mg pay monthly: £125.00
  - Median Mounjaro 5 mg pay monthly: £179.00
  - Cheapest Wegovy 1 mg pay monthly: £79.95
  - Refund deadline after cancelling: 14 days
  - Cancellation period if rights not explained: Up to 12 months
- [NHS weight loss injections 2026: who can get Mounjaro and Wegovy](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/nhs-weight-loss-injections/): A GP in England can prescribe Mounjaro to adults with a BMI of 40 or more and at least four of five named conditions. Wegovy comes only through specialist weight management services. An NHS prescription costs £9.90 per item in England and nothing in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The Wegovy pill and Foundayo are private only. If you do not qualify, the cheapest private Mounjaro 2.5 mg discount price on 21 October 2026 was £88.00 at Medicspot (GPhC 9012559).
  - NHS prescription charge, England: £9.90 per item
  - Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland: Free
  - GP rollout of Mounjaro began: 23 June 2025
  - First cohort BMI: 40 or more
  - First cohort conditions: 4 of 5
  - Wegovy NHS limit: 2 years
- [What a weight loss injection price includes: consultation, delivery, needles](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/what-the-price-includes/): The cheapest Mounjaro 2.5 mg discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £88.00 at Medicspot (GPhC 9012559). Like every price on this site, the figure covers one four-week supply, the prescriber consultation and standard delivery. The Wegovy pack includes four needles. The Mounjaro leaflet lists the pen alone, so ask about needles. Sharps bins, express delivery, clinician calls and blood tests are the items most often charged on top.
  - Included in every index price: Consultation and standard delivery
  - Supply per price: 4 weeks
  - Needles in Wegovy pack: 4
  - Cheapest Mounjaro 2.5 mg ongoing: £105.00
  - Highest Mounjaro 2.5 mg discount price: £229.00
  - Prices checked: 21 October 2026
- [First order price against ongoing price for weight loss injections](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/first-order-vs-ongoing-price/): The cheapest Mounjaro 2.5 mg discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £88.00 at Medicspot (GPhC 9012559). The first order price is a one-off. The cheapest ongoing price at the same dose was £105.00 at Curate (GPhC 9012920) with code NEWMONJ, and at the median pharmacy a 2.5 mg pen cost £133.99 as a first order and £153.21 ongoing. Budget on the ongoing price from month two.
  - Mounjaro 2.5 mg discount price: £88.00
  - Mounjaro 2.5 mg cheapest ongoing: £105.00
  - Mounjaro 2.5 mg median ongoing: £153.21
  - Wegovy 0.25 mg discount price: £44.00
  - Wegovy 0.25 mg cheapest ongoing: £74.00
  - Prices checked: 21 October 2026
- [Mounjaro vs Wegovy cost UK: price by dose and over a year](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/mounjaro-vs-wegovy-cost/): The cheapest discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £88.00 at Medicspot (GPhC 9012559) for Mounjaro 2.5 mg and £44.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code IGOVY12 for Wegovy 0.25 mg. At the top maintenance doses, the cheapest ongoing price was £234.00 for Mounjaro 15 mg and £139.00 for Wegovy 2.4 mg, or £2,808.00 and £1,668.00 over 12 months. Which medicine you take is for your prescriber and you.
  - Mounjaro 2.5 mg cheapest ongoing: £105.00
  - Wegovy 0.25 mg cheapest ongoing: £74.00
  - Mounjaro 15 mg cheapest ongoing: £234.00
  - Wegovy 2.4 mg cheapest ongoing: £139.00
  - Year at top dose, Mounjaro: £2,808.00
  - Year at 2.4 mg, Wegovy: £1,668.00
- [How to avoid fake weight loss injections in the UK](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/avoid-fake-weight-loss-injections/): The cheapest Mounjaro 2.5 mg discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £88.00 at Medicspot (GPhC 9012559). A far lower price is a warning sign. Buy only from a pharmacy on the GPhC register, after a prescriber consultation. The MHRA says only a legitimate pharmacy with a valid prescription can guarantee a genuine GLP-1 medicine. On 24 February 2026 it reported falsified Mounjaro 15 mg pens, batch D873576, supplied through a UK online pharmacy.
  - Falsified Mounjaro batch (MHRA): D873576, 15 mg pens
  - MHRA alert date: 24 February 2026
  - Cheapest genuine Mounjaro 2.5 mg discount price: £88.00
  - Cheapest genuine Wegovy 0.25 mg discount price: £44.00
  - Register to check (Great Britain): GPhC
  - Where to report: Yellow Card
- [Weight loss injection yearly cost calculator UK](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/glp-1/yearly-cost-calculator/): The cheapest Mounjaro 10 mg discount price for a first order on 21 October 2026 was £188.00 at New Health (GPhC 9011199) with code MONJ12. Twelve months at the cheapest ongoing price, £203.00 a pen, comes to £2,436.00. At the median pharmacy, £259.00 a pen, the year is £3,108.00. The calculator below totals any medicine, dose and number of months from the same GLP Index data.
  - Mounjaro 10 mg cheapest ongoing: £203.00
  - 12 months at that price: £2,436.00
  - 12 months at median: £3,108.00
  - Difference over a year: £672.00
  - Price data date: 21 October 2026
  - Pharmacies in index: 80

## NHS costs: what you pay and how to pay less

- [NHS costs: what you pay and how to pay less](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/): NHS care is free at the point of use across the UK. England still charges £9.90 per prescription item, £27.90 to £332.10 for a course of dental treatment and the optician's own price for a sight test unless you are exempt. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have no prescription charge. Prepayment certificates, exemption certificates and the Low Income Scheme cut the English bill.
- [NHS prescription charge 2026: £9.90 per item in England](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/prescription-charge/): The NHS prescription charge in England is £9.90 per item and stays at £9.90 for the whole of 2026/27. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland charge nothing. You pay once for each item on the form, so a prescription with three medicines costs £29.70. A 12-month prepayment certificate at £114.50 beats paying once you collect 12 items a year.
  - Charge per item, England: £9.90
  - 2026/27 change: Frozen at £9.90
  - Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland: No charge
  - Prescription validity: 6 months (28 days for most controlled drugs)
  - Support tights, hospital only: £19.80 per pair
  - Always free: Contraception, inpatient medicines
- [NHS prepayment certificate: cost, break-even and how to buy](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/prepayment-certificate/): A prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) costs £32.05 for 3 months or £114.50 for 12 months in England and covers every NHS prescription item in that period. The 12-month PPC can be paid in 10 monthly Direct Debit instalments of £11.45. It saves money from the 4th item in 3 months or the 12th item in 12 months.
  - 3-month PPC: £32.05
  - 12-month PPC: £114.50
  - Direct Debit option: 10 instalments of £11.45
  - Breaks even at: 4 items in 3 months or 12 in 12 months
  - Refund claim window: 3 months, with form FP57
  - Phone line: 0300 330 1341
- [PPC calculator: is a prescription prepayment certificate worth it?](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/prepayment-certificate-calculator/): Enter how many NHS prescription items you collect and the calculator compares the £9.90 per-item charge in England with a 3-month PPC at £32.05 and a 12-month PPC at £114.50. One item a month loses £4.30 on the annual certificate. Two items a month saves £123.10. Three items a month saves £241.90.
  - Charge per item: £9.90
  - 3-month PPC: £32.05
  - 12-month PPC: £114.50
  - 1 item a month, yearly: Pay as you go, £118.80
  - 2 items a month, yearly: 12-month PPC saves £123.10
  - 3 items a month, yearly: 12-month PPC saves £241.90
- [Free NHS prescriptions: who qualifies in England and how to prove it](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/free-prescriptions/): In England you get free NHS prescriptions if you are under 16, 16 to 18 in full-time education, 60 or over, pregnant or within 12 months of giving birth with a MatEx certificate, hold a medical exemption certificate, hold an HC2 certificate, or receive a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit with take-home pay of £435 or less. Each free item saves £9.90.
  - Saving per free item: £9.90
  - Free on age: Under 16, 16 to 18 in education, 60 or over
  - Universal Credit limit: £435 take-home pay (£935 with child or LCW)
  - Maternity exemption: Pregnancy plus 12 months after birth
  - Eligibility checker: About 3 minutes, nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check
  - Penalty for a wrong claim: Up to £100 plus the charge
- [Medical exemption certificate (MedEx): conditions, FP92A form and validity](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/medical-exemption-certificate/): A medical exemption certificate gives free NHS prescriptions in England to people with a listed condition such as diabetes treated with medicine, epilepsy, hypothyroidism or cancer under treatment. Apply on form FP92A through your GP practice. Certificates for applications received from 15 July 2026 last 10 years (5 years for cancer alone) and start one month before the NHSBSA receives the form. Three items a month saves £356.40 a year.
  - Application form: FP92A from the GP practice
  - Validity, applications from 15 July 2026: 10 years (5 years for cancer alone)
  - Validity, applications before 15 July 2026: 5 years
  - Backdating: Starts one month before the form is received
  - Certificate posted within: 10 working days
  - Saving at 3 items a month: £356.40 a year
- [HRT prepayment certificate: £19.80 for 12 months of listed HRT](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/hrt-prepayment-certificate/): The HRT PPC costs £19.80, lasts 12 months and covers unlimited prescriptions of listed hormone replacement therapy medicines in England, including Evorel, Estradot, Oestrogel, Utrogestan, Femoston, Kliovance, Lenzetto, Vagifem and generic equivalents. It equals two £9.90 charges, so it pays for itself from the third HRT item. The certificate is non-refundable.
  - HRT PPC price: £19.80
  - Validity: 12 months from the start date
  - Pays for itself at: 3 HRT items in 12 months
  - Start date window: One month before or after purchase
  - Refund of the certificate: None
  - Phone line: 0300 330 2089
- [NHS Low Income Scheme: HC1 form, HC2 and HC3 certificates](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/low-income-scheme/): The NHS Low Income Scheme gives full help with health costs through an HC2 certificate or partial help through an HC3 certificate to people with £16,000 or less in savings, investments and property other than their home (£23,250 for permanent care home residents in England or Scotland, £24,000 in Wales). Apply on form HC1 or online. It covers prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests, glasses, travel to NHS treatment and wigs.
  - Capital limit: £16,000
  - Capital limit, permanent care home: £23,250 (£24,000 in Wales)
  - Application form: HC1, or online under £6,000 capital
  - Full help certificate: HC2
  - Partial help certificate: HC3
  - Certificate issued within: About 4 weeks
- [NHS prescription refund: FP57, HC5 forms and the 3-month limit](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/prescription-refund/): To get a £9.90 prescription charge back in England you must ask for refund form FP57 at the moment you pay. It cannot be issued later. Take the FP57 and proof you were exempt on the collection date to any pharmacy within 3 months. Dental refunds use form HC5(D), optical HC5(O), travel HC5(T) and wigs HC5(W), each within 3 months of payment.
  - Prescription refund form: FP57, issued only when you pay
  - Claim deadline: 3 months from payment
  - Dental refund form: HC5(D)
  - Optical refund form: HC5(O)
  - Travel refund form: HC5(T), post only
  - Wigs and fabric supports: HC5(W), post only
- [NHS charges by nation: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compared](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/charges-by-nation/): England charges £9.90 per prescription item and the other three nations have no charge. All four charge for NHS dental treatment: England by band (£27.90 to £332.10), Scotland and Northern Ireland at 80% of the fee up to £384, Wales by care package up to £384. Scotland gives everyone a free eye examination. Hospital parking is free at NHS-run car parks in Scotland and Wales.
  - Prescription, England: £9.90 per item
  - Prescription, Scotland, Wales, NI: Free
  - Dental maximum, Scotland, Wales, NI: £384 per course
  - Dental Band 3, England: £332.10
  - Eye examination, Scotland: Free for all residents
  - Hospital parking, Scotland and Wales: Free at NHS-run car parks
- [Free NHS sight tests and optical vouchers: who qualifies and voucher values](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/free-sight-tests-and-glasses/): In England a free NHS sight test goes to under 16s, 16 to 18 year olds in full-time education, people aged 60 or over, people with diabetes or glaucoma, relatives aged 40 or over of a glaucoma patient, registered sight-impaired people, HC2 holders and people on qualifying benefits. Optical vouchers run from £42.40 (A) to £233.56 (H). Scotland gives every resident a free eye examination. A routine private test at Specsavers costs £25.
  - Free sight test on age, England: Under 16, 16 to 18 in education, 60 or over
  - Voucher A, single vision: £42.40
  - Voucher D, single vision: £212.40
  - Voucher H, bifocal: £233.56
  - Scotland eye examination: Free for all residents
  - Private routine test, Specsavers: £25
- [NHS penalty charge notice: the £100 cap, the 28-day window and how to challenge](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/penalty-charge-notice/): If the NHSBSA cannot confirm you were entitled to a free prescription or dental treatment, it issues a penalty charge of five times the amount owed, capped at £100, plus the original charge. You have 28 days from the notice to pay or challenge. Miss it and a surcharge of 50% of the penalty, up to £50, is added. Checking your exemption before ticking the box avoids the whole process.
  - Penalty formula: 5 times the charge owed
  - Penalty cap: £100
  - Plus: The original charge
  - Time to pay or challenge: 28 days from the notice
  - Late surcharge: 50% of the penalty, up to £50
  - Example, one item: £9.90 charge plus £49.50 penalty
- [Universal Credit and NHS health costs: the £435 and £935 earnings limits](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/nhs/universal-credit-health-costs/): Universal Credit gives free NHS prescriptions, dental treatment and sight tests in England only when your total take-home pay in the last full assessment period was £435 or less, or £935 or less if your award includes a child element or limited capability for work. Couples count joint earnings. Above the limit you pay, and can apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme instead.
  - Earnings limit, standard: £435 take-home pay
  - Earnings limit, child element or LCW: £935 take-home pay
  - Period tested: Last full assessment period before the prescription date
  - Couples: Joint take-home pay
  - Dependants covered: Aged 19 and under on the award
  - Sanctioned claimants: Not entitled while payment is stopped

## Hospital trip costs: travel, parking and overnight stays

- [Hospital trip costs: travel, parking and overnight stays](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/hospital/): NHS hospital treatment is free, but the trip around it often is not. In England the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme refunds fares and fuel if you hold an HC2 or HC3 certificate or get a qualifying benefit, with 3 months to post form HC5(T). NHS hospital parking is free in Scotland and Wales. English trusts must park four groups free, Blue Badge holders among them. Charity houses beside children's hospitals charge families nothing.
- [Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme: getting hospital fares refunded](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/hospital/travel-costs-scheme/): The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme refunds the cheapest reasonable cost of travel to NHS hospital or specialist care in England. You need a referral from a doctor, dentist or ophthalmic practitioner and either a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or Universal Credit with net earnings of £435 or less, or an HC2 or HC3 certificate. Claim at the hospital cashier on the day or post form HC5(T) within 3 months.
  - Postal claim form: HC5(T), post only
  - Claim deadline: 3 months from the date you paid
  - Universal Credit limit: Net earnings £435 or less (£935 with a child element or LCW)
  - Full help: HC2 certificate
  - Partial help: HC3 certificate
  - Most you pay, Isles of Scilly: £5
- [Hospital travel refund checker: can you claim your fares back?](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/hospital/travel-refund-checker/): Answer five questions to see whether England's Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme will refund a journey to hospital: a referral from a doctor, dentist or ophthalmic practitioner, NHS-funded care, a qualifying benefit or an HC2 or HC3 certificate, the cheapest reasonable transport, and a journey within the last 3 months. Universal Credit counts when net earnings were £435 or less. The result tells you whether to claim at the hospital cashier or post form HC5(T).
  - Questions in the checker: 5
  - Referral needed from: Doctor, dentist or ophthalmic practitioner
  - Universal Credit limit: £435 net earnings, or £935 with a child element or LCW
  - Full help: HC2, or a qualifying benefit
  - Postal claim: HC5(T) within 3 months
- [Hospital parking: who parks free and how to get a concession](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/hospital/parking/): NHS hospital car parks in Scotland and Wales are free. English trusts may charge, but the NHS car parking principles make four groups free: Blue Badge holders, outpatients with at least 3 appointments in 30 days over 3 months, parents of a child under 18 kept in overnight (7.30pm to 8am, up to 2 cars) and night-shift staff. Northern Ireland charges until 12 May 2029 at the latest. Concessions start with a form from the ward.
  - Frequent outpatient rule, England: 3 appointments in 30 days, over at least 3 months
  - Parents of children kept in overnight, England: Free 7.30pm to 8am, up to 2 vehicles
  - Night-shift staff, England: Shift starting after 7.30pm and ending before 8am
  - Scotland, estimated saving since 2008: £54 million
  - Wales guidance: WHC (2018) 010, issued 5 April 2018
  - Northern Ireland charges end: No later than 12 May 2029
- [Non-emergency patient transport: who gets NHS transport to hospital](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/hospital/patient-transport/): Non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS) carry patients to NHS hospital care when a medical condition or mobility need makes other travel unsafe. NHS England's criteria of 31 May 2022 say most people should travel independently. You book with the local provider, or your GP or consultant books in Northern Ireland. If you are turned down but hold an HC2 or get a qualifying benefit, the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme refunds your fares instead.
  - England eligibility criteria: NHS England, 31 May 2022
  - Basis for transport: Medical need, mobility or safety, not income
  - Trips to primary care: Not provided
  - Northern Ireland notice: At least 48 hours, requested by a doctor
  - Wales booking line: 0300 123 2303
  - Scotland booking line: 0300 123 1236
- [Overnight stays near hospital: free and low-cost places to sleep](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/hospital/overnight-stays/): Families of children in hospital can stay free at 14 Ronald McDonald Houses after a hospital referral. Families of young cancer patients stay free at 10 Young Lives vs Cancer Homes from Home in 8 cities. Hospital relatives' rooms charge by the night, for example £45 single or £55 twin at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. The NHS travel scheme refunds fares, not beds. English hospitals park parents of a child kept in overnight free from 7.30pm to 8am.
  - Ronald McDonald Houses: 14 in the UK, free, hospital referral needed
  - Families in a Ronald McDonald House, 2023: Over 8,415
  - Young Lives vs Cancer Homes from Home: 10 in 8 cities, free
  - Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham relatives' room: £45 single, £55 twin a night
  - Royal Brompton relatives' room: £54 single, £70 double a night (from 1 April 2023)
  - Southampton Ronald McDonald House: 53 en-suite rooms, £25 refundable key deposit
- [What you pay as an NHS hospital patient in England](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/hospital/what-you-pay-as-an-nhs-patient/): As an NHS inpatient in England you pay nothing for treatment, for medicines on the ward or to take home, or for wigs and fabric supports supplied during your stay. Outpatients pay £9.90 an item for take-home medicines unless exempt. Outside a stay, wigs cost £80.15 to £310.55 and a surgical bra £32.50, refundable on form HC5(W) within 3 months if you qualify. Bedside TV and parking are charged separately.
  - Inpatient treatment and medicines: Free, including medicines to take home
  - Outpatient take-home medicines: £9.90 per item unless exempt
  - Stock modacrylic wig: £80.15
  - Full made-to-order human hair wig: £310.55
  - Abdominal or spinal support: £49.05
  - Wig and fabric support refund: HC5(W), within 3 months

## Dental costs UK: NHS charges and cheaper ways to see a dentist

- [Dental costs UK: NHS charges and cheaper ways to see a dentist](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/): From 1 April 2026 a course of NHS dental treatment in England costs £27.90 (band 1), £76.60 (band 2) or £332.10 (band 3). Urgent care costs £27.90. Under 18s, pregnant women, new mothers and people on qualifying benefits pay nothing. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set a £384 ceiling per course. Dental schools treat some patients free of charge.
- [NHS dental charges 2026: band 1, 2 and 3 prices in England](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/nhs-dental-charges/): From 1 April 2026 NHS dental treatment in England costs £27.90 for band 1 (check-up, X-rays, scale and polish), £76.60 for band 2 (fillings, root canals, extractions) and £332.10 for band 3 (crowns, bridges, dentures). Urgent care costs £27.90. You pay one charge per course at the highest band in it, and further treatment in the same or a lower band within 2 months is free.
  - Band 1: £27.90
  - Band 2: £76.60
  - Band 3: £332.10
  - Urgent treatment: £27.90
  - Same or lower band within 2 months: No extra charge
  - Regulation 11 replacement appliance: £99.60 for one, £199.20 for two
- [Free NHS dental treatment: who qualifies in England](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/free-nhs-dental-treatment/): NHS dental treatment in England is free if you are under 18, under 19 in full-time education, pregnant or had a baby in the last 12 months, or get Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, income-related ESA or Universal Credit with take-home pay of £435 or less (£935 with a child element or LCW). An HC2 gives free care and an HC3 caps the charge. A wrong claim risks a penalty of up to £100.
  - Age: Under 18, or under 19 in full-time education
  - Pregnancy and birth: Pregnant, or baby born in the last 12 months
  - Universal Credit take-home pay limit: £435, or £935 with a child element or LCW
  - Low Income Scheme: HC2 free, HC3 capped
  - Penalty for a wrong claim: Up to £100 plus the charge
  - Refund deadline: 3 months, form HC5(D)
- [NHS dental charges by nation: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/charges-by-nation/): England charges a fixed band per course: £27.90, £76.60 or £332.10. Wales charges per care package, from £25 for a recall to £182.72 for back-tooth root canal work. Scotland and Northern Ireland charge 80% of the dentist's fee for each item. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland cap a course at £384. Check-ups are free for every Scottish resident and for under 25s and over 60s in Wales.
  - England crown course (band 3): £332.10
  - Wales crown and bridge package: £140.44
  - Northern Ireland metal crown, back tooth: £76.93 to £102.84
  - Scotland and Northern Ireland charge: 80% of the fee
  - Cap per course, Scotland, Wales, NI: £384
  - Free treatment age limit, Scotland: Under 26
- [Free dental treatment at UK dental schools and teaching hospitals](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/dental-schools/): Dental schools at Guy's Hospital in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Portsmouth, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen state they treat suitable patients free of charge. Supervised students do the work. Many take only people not registered with a dentist, start with an assessment, run in term time and book appointments of 1 to 3 hours. Several state they give no emergency care to new patients.
  - Cost at schools that state it: Free
  - Typical appointment: 1 to 3 hours
  - Availability: Term time, weekdays
  - Usual condition: Not registered with a dentist
  - Saving against an NHS band 3 course: £332.10
  - Saving against a mydentist private crown, England and Wales: £826
- [Dental plans vs pay as you go: when Denplan saves money](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/dental-plans-vs-pay-as-you-go/): A dental payment plan spreads private check-ups and hygiene visits into a monthly fee set by your practice. At Wood Lane Dentistry, two check-ups and two hygiene visits cost £284.60 a year paid one at a time, against £192.84 to £429.60 on Denplan Essentials. The plan wins only at £23.71 a month or less. Two NHS band 1 courses in England cost £55.80.
  - Denplan Essentials, Wood Lane Dentistry: £16.07 to £35.80 a month
  - Denplan Care, Wood Lane Dentistry: £21.80 to £65.51 a month
  - Denplan Essentials, Dental Smiles Takeley: £26.58 a month
  - Pay as you go, 2 check-ups and 2 hygiene visits, Wood Lane: £284.60 a year
  - Break-even Essentials fee, same four visits: £23.71 a month
  - Two NHS band 1 courses, England: £55.80
- [Private dentist prices UK: check-up, hygienist, filling and crown](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/private-check-up-prices/): On 22 October 2026 a routine private check-up cost £59.30 to £96 at the practices which charge for one, a hygienist visit £70 to £117, a white filling from £78 to £300 and a crown from £495 to £1,535. The NHS in England charges £27.90 for a check-up course, £76.60 for any number of fillings and £332.10 for a crown. Bupa, mydentist and Wood Lane Dentistry prices are listed below.
  - Routine private check-up, adult: £59.30 to £96
  - Private hygienist visit: £70 to £117
  - Private white filling, starting price: £78 to £300
  - Private crown: From £495 to £1,535
  - NHS check-up course, England: £27.90
  - NHS crown course, England: £332.10
- [Emergency dentist cost: NHS 111, urgent charges and private fees](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/emergency-dental-costs/): Urgent NHS dental treatment in England costs £27.90 from 1 April 2026, the same as band 1, including out of hours. Call NHS 111 or use 111 online if your own dentist cannot see you. Wales charges £37.50 for urgent care. Private emergency appointments at five Bupa practices cost £74 to £170. Go to A&E or call 999 for facial injuries, heavy bleeding or swelling which affects breathing.
  - NHS urgent treatment, England: £27.90
  - NHS urgent care package, Wales: £37.50
  - Knocked-out adult tooth: Care within 1 hour, or as soon as possible
  - Other urgent symptoms: Treatment within 24 hours or 7 days
  - Private emergency appointment, Bupa: £74 to £170
  - Phone line, England: NHS 111
- [How to find an NHS dentist accepting new patients](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/finding-an-nhs-dentist/): Search the NHS Find a dentist service with your postcode, then phone practices and ask for an NHS appointment by name. In England you can contact any NHS dentist, and a registration form at your first visit does not guarantee future NHS care there. If no practice can take you, contact your local integrated care board. An NHS check-up costs £27.90 against £98 to £139 for a new patient at five Bupa practices.
  - Search tool: NHS Find a dentist, by town, city or postcode in England
  - Registration with a practice: No guarantee of future NHS care
  - If you cannot find one: Contact your integrated care board
  - NHS check-up course, England: £27.90
  - Private new patient check-up, Bupa: £98 to £139
  - Urgent care while you wait: NHS 111, £27.90
- [NHS vs private dentist cost checker](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/dental/nhs-vs-private-cost-checker/): Pick the treatment and enter a private quote. The checker shows the NHS charge in England from 1 April 2026 (£27.90 for a check-up or urgent care, £76.60 for fillings, extractions or root canal work, £332.10 for crowns, bridges or dentures) and the difference in pounds. A £157 private white filling at Wood Lane Dentistry costs £80.40 more than the NHS band 2 charge.
  - Check-up course (band 1): £27.90
  - Urgent treatment: £27.90
  - Fillings, extractions, root canal (band 2): £76.60
  - Crowns, bridges, dentures (band 3): £332.10
  - Example: private small white filling, Wood Lane: £157, £80.40 above band 2

## Private healthcare costs in the UK: what you pay

- [Private healthcare costs in the UK: what you pay](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/): Private healthcare in the UK is paid for in one of three ways: self-pay for a single treatment, a private medical insurance policy, or a health cash plan. A self-pay hip replacement starts at £13,199 at Practice Plus Group. One insurer's example premium is £44 a month for a 35-year-old. Cash plans start at £5 a month. Private insurance is unlikely to cover Mounjaro, Wegovy, the Wegovy pill or Foundayo.
- [Self-pay vs health insurance: which costs less](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/self-pay-vs-insurance/): Paying for one operation yourself costs less than years of premiums when you already know what you need. A fixed-price hip replacement starts at £12,750 at Circle Health Group and £13,199 at Practice Plus Group. Vitality's example premium is £44 a month, or £528 a year, for a 35-year-old with a £250 excess. Insurance only pays for new conditions, so a known problem is a self-pay job.
  - Vitality Core Cover example premium: £44 a month
  - Circle Health Group hip replacement: from £12,750
  - Practice Plus Group cataract surgery, one eye: £2,099
  - Circle interest-free finance: 10 months at 0%
  - Practice Plus Group longer finance: 14.9% APR over 24 to 60 months
  - People who claimed on health insurance in 2024: 1.8 million
- [Health cash plans: prices, limits and whether they pay back](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/health-cash-plans/): A health cash plan refunds everyday health bills up to a yearly limit. HSF's cheapest plan costs £5 a month and pays back up to £30 for dental and £35 for optical a year. Westfield Health Level 1 costs £8.58 a month with £45 dental and £45 optical limits. Medicash Level 1 costs £7.20 with £40 dental, £40 optical and £100 for consultations. A plan pays back more than it costs only if you claim most of the limits.
  - HSF V1 plan: £5 a month
  - Medicash Level 1: £7.20 a month
  - Westfield Health Level 1: £8.58 a month
  - Westfield Level 1 dental and optical limits: £45 each a year
  - HSF waiting period: 3 months
  - NHS Band 1 dental charge, England: £27.90
- [Private GP appointment prices in the UK](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/private-gp-prices/): A private GP appointment costs from £49 for a 10-minute video call at Superdrug to £159 for 30 minutes face to face at Bupa. Spire charges £115 to £120 for 30 minutes and Nuffield Health York charges £80 for a 20-minute phone call. The fee covers the consultation and writing a prescription. The medicine is extra, at the pharmacy's private price rather than the £9.90 NHS charge.
  - Superdrug video GP, 10 minutes: £49
  - Bupa remote GP, 15 minutes: £59
  - Nuffield Health York phone GP, 20 minutes: £80
  - Practice Plus Group private GP: £95
  - Spire Parkway GP, 30 minutes: £120
  - Bupa face to face, 30 minutes: £159
- [Private blood test prices: FBC, thyroid, vitamin D and more](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/private-blood-test-prices/): A single private blood test costs £36 to £59 by finger prick on 22 October 2026. Medichecks charges £39 for vitamin D, £39 for free and total testosterone, £45 for thyroid function and £55 for cholesterol with HbA1c. A full blood count needs a venous sample and costs £59 plus £35 for a clinic draw. Randox sells a finger-prick vitamin D test for £36. NHS blood tests are free when a clinician orders them.
  - Randox vitamin D finger prick: £36
  - Medichecks vitamin D: £39
  - Medichecks thyroid function (TSH, FT3, FT4): £45
  - Medichecks cholesterol and HbA1c (Core Health): £55
  - Medichecks full blood count, venous: £59 plus £35 clinic draw
  - NHS Health Check in England: free, ages 40 to 74, every 5 years
- [Health insurance excess and exclusions explained](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/insurance-excess-and-exclusions/): The excess is the first part of each claim you pay yourself. Bupa offers £100 to £2,000 a policy year and Vitality offers zero to £1,000. A higher excess lowers the premium. Standard exclusions are chronic conditions, pre-existing conditions, pregnancy, cosmetic surgery, accident and emergency admissions and weight loss treatment. Under moratorium underwriting the look-back is usually five years. You have 14 days to cancel under FCA rules, and Bupa gives 21.
  - Bupa excess options: £100, £150, £200, £250, £500, £1,000 or £2,000
  - Vitality excess options: zero, £100, £250, £500 or £1,000
  - Moratorium look-back (AXA Health): usually 5 years
  - AXA Health plan look-back: 3 years, lifted after 2 trouble-free years
  - FCA cancellation period: 14 days
  - Bupa cancellation period: 21 days
- [How to compare health insurance quotes in the UK](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/compare-health-insurance/): Compare policies on the same excess, out-patient limit, hospital list and underwriting method, or the quotes mean nothing. Vitality's example premium is £44 a month for a 35-year-old with a £250 excess and £500 out-patient limit. Comparison sites give several quotes at once but do not show the exclusions. No policy compared is likely to cover Mounjaro, Wegovy, the Wegovy pill or Foundayo.
  - Vitality Core Cover example premium: £44 a month
  - Vitality out-patient limit options: £500 to £1,500 or full cover
  - Yearly premium rise with age (Vitality): around 3%
  - People covered through work in 2024 (ABI): 4.8 million of 6.5 million
  - FCA cancellation period: 14 days
  - Weight loss medicines: unlikely to be covered
- [Self-pay surgery prices: hip, knee, cataract, hernia and MRI](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/private-healthcare/self-pay-surgery-prices/): On 22 October 2026 a self-pay hip replacement costs from £12,750 at Circle Health Group, £13,199 at Practice Plus Group, £16,024 at Spire Parkway, £16,505 at Nuffield Health York and £17,280 at Ramsay's Yorkshire Clinic. Cataract surgery on one eye runs from £2,065 to £4,060. A hernia repair is £3,449 to £5,190 and an MRI of one body part £350 to £590. The NHS does all of these free with a GP referral.
  - Hip replacement, Circle Health Group: from £12,750
  - Hip replacement, Practice Plus Group: £13,199
  - Knee replacement, Circle Health Group: from £13,020
  - Cataract, standard lens, Spire Bushey: £2,065
  - Hernia repair, Practice Plus Group: £3,449
  - MRI one body part, Practice Plus Group: £350

## Men's health costs: TRT, erectile dysfunction and hair loss prices

- [Men's health costs: TRT, erectile dysfunction and hair loss prices](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/): Private men's health treatment in the UK runs from £3.50 for four generic sildenafil tablets to £169 a month for testosterone replacement. The NHS prescribes generic sildenafil for erectile dysfunction at £9.90 an item in England. Tadalafil and hair loss medicines are mostly private.
- [TRT cost UK: what private testosterone replacement costs per month](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/trt-cost-uk/): Private TRT in the UK costs £59.99 to £169 a month for the medicine plan, based on clinic price pages fetched on 22 October 2026. Blood tests (£19 to £169 each) and a first consultation (£79.95 to £280) are charged on top at most clinics. Leger Clinic puts year one at about £1,477.
  - Cheapest monthly plan found: £59.99 (Manual, oral)
  - Injectable plans: £99 to £169 a month
  - Leger Clinic year one estimate: £1,477
  - First consultation: £79.95 to £280
  - Legal status: Class C, Schedule 4 Part 2
- [TRT blood test prices: testosterone tests in the UK](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/trt-blood-test-prices/): A private total testosterone test costs £19 at Medichecks or Leger Clinic as a finger-prick kit, based on pages fetched on 22 October 2026. Full TRT monitoring panels run from £99 to £169. A venous draw at a clinic adds £35 to £55. A GP arranges the test free on the NHS when symptoms justify it.
  - Cheapest total testosterone test: £19 (Medichecks, Leger Clinic)
  - Clinic venous draw fee: £35 (Medichecks)
  - Full TRT panel: £149 to £169
  - NHS GP blood test: Free when clinically needed
  - Samples needed for diagnosis: Two, morning, one week apart
- [NHS vs private TRT: how testosterone treatment works and what each costs](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/nhs-vs-private-trt/): NHS testosterone treatment costs £9.90 per prescription item in England and nothing in Wales and Northern Ireland, after a GP blood test and a specialist confirms a level below 12 nmol/L. Private clinics charge £59.99 to £169 a month plus tests and consultations, based on pages fetched on 22 October 2026.
  - NHS prescription charge, England: £9.90 per item
  - NHS referral threshold: Total testosterone below 12 nmol/L
  - NHS confirmed deficiency: Below 8 nmol/L
  - Private plan per month: £59.99 to £169
  - Private year one (Leger Clinic): £1,477
  - Supply limit per NHS prescription: 30 days (controlled drug)
- [Sildenafil vs Viagra price: what the generic costs against the brand](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/sildenafil-vs-viagra-price/): Four generic sildenafil 50 mg tablets cost from £3.50 at UK online pharmacies checked on 22 October 2026, about 88p a tablet. Four branded Viagra 50 mg tablets cost £29.40 to £30.00, or £7.35 to £7.50 a tablet. Viagra is the brand name for sildenafil. You can also get sildenafil on NHS prescription, at £9.90 an item in England.
  - Generic sildenafil 50 mg, 4 tablets: £3.50 to £13.99
  - Viagra 50 mg, 4 tablets: £29.40 to £30.00
  - Generic price per 50 mg tablet: From 88p
  - Viagra price per 50 mg tablet: £7.35 to £7.50
  - Saving on 4 tablets at one pharmacy: £18.00 to £25.90
  - NHS charge per item in England: £9.90
- [Viagra Connect price: cost without a prescription in the UK](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/viagra-connect-price/): Viagra Connect 50 mg costs £16.00 to £21.99 for four tablets and £32.00 to £38.99 for eight at UK pharmacies checked on 22 October 2026, or £4.00 to £5.50 a tablet. A pharmacist can sell it without a prescription after checking it suits you. Generic sildenafil 50 mg on a private prescription costs from 88p a tablet.
  - Viagra Connect 50 mg, 4 tablets: £16.00 to £21.99
  - Viagra Connect 50 mg, 8 tablets: £32.00 to £38.99
  - Price per tablet, packs of 4 or 8: £4.00 to £5.50
  - Generic sildenafil 50 mg on private prescription: From 88p a tablet
  - MHRA reclassification announced: 28 November 2017
  - Legal status: Pharmacy medicine (P), men over 18
- [Tadalafil price UK: generic tadalafil vs Cialis by strength](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/tadalafil-price/): Generic tadalafil costs from £6.90 for four 10 mg tablets and £17.00 for 28 tablets of 5 mg at UK online pharmacies checked on 22 October 2026. Branded Cialis costs £34.40 to £45.99 for four 10 mg tablets and £66.59 to £78.99 for 28 tablets of 5 mg. The NHS prescribes tadalafil for erectile dysfunction only for men with specific conditions.
  - Generic tadalafil 20 mg, 4 tablets: £7.50 to £19.00
  - Cialis 20 mg, 4 tablets: £35.20 to £45.99
  - Generic tadalafil 5 mg, 28 tablets: £17.00 to £29.00
  - Cialis 5 mg, 28 tablets: £66.59 to £78.99
  - Saving on 28 tablets of 5 mg, same pharmacy: £49.59 to £49.99
  - NHS prescription for erectile dysfunction: Specific conditions only
- [Hair loss treatment prices UK: finasteride and minoxidil costs](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/mens-health/hair-loss-treatment-prices/): Generic finasteride 1 mg costs from £10.00 for 28 tablets at UK online pharmacies checked on 22 October 2026, against £42.40 for 28 Propecia tablets. Minoxidil 5% solution costs from £19.95 for a month's 60 ml bottle, or £29.00 as Regaine. The NHS website says finasteride for hair loss is available on private prescription only.
  - Generic finasteride 1 mg, pack of 28: From £10.00
  - Propecia 1 mg, 28 tablets: £42.40
  - Minoxidil 5% solution, 60 ml (one month): £19.95 to £29.00
  - Regaine Extra Strength foam, 3 months: £66.00 to £66.99
  - Six months of finasteride, generic against Propecia: £43.50 against £214.00
  - Finasteride for hair loss on the NHS: Not available

## Vitamins and supplements: NHS advice and what you need to pay

- [Vitamins and supplements: NHS advice and what you need to pay](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/): The NHS says adults and children over 4 should consider 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day in autumn and winter. Anyone trying for a baby should take 400 micrograms of folic acid a day until week 12 of pregnancy. Own-brand tablets cover both for a few pence a day. Healthy Start gives free vitamins and £4.65 to £9.30 a week to qualifying families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- [Healthy Start vitamins and card: who qualifies and what you get](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/healthy-start-vitamins/): Healthy Start gives free vitamins and a prepaid food card to qualifying families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The card pays £4.65 a week from the 10th week of pregnancy, £9.30 a week for each child under 1 and £4.65 a week for each child aged 1 to 4. You need a qualifying benefit, such as Universal Credit with take-home pay of £408 a month or less, or to be pregnant and under 18.
  - Pregnancy, from week 10: £4.65 a week
  - Child from birth to age 1: £9.30 a week
  - Child aged 1 to 4: £4.65 a week
  - Universal Credit take-home pay limit: £408 a month
  - Best Start Foods, child under 1 (Scotland): £44.80 every 4 weeks
  - Healthy Start helpline: 0345 607 6823
- [Vitamin D price per 10 microgram dose: own brand against branded](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/vitamin-d-price-per-dose/): The NHS dose is 10 micrograms (400 IU) a day. On 22 October 2026 own-brand tablets cost from 0.99p a day for Vit Store 12.5 micrograms at Savers to 2.15p for Valupak 25 micrograms at Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464). Branded Vitabiotics Ultra Vitamin D 400 IU cost 4.17p a tablet at Sainsbury's. A Vitl vitamin D subscription works out at 18.17p a day.
  - NHS daily dose: 10 micrograms (400 IU)
  - Adult upper limit: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) a day
  - Valupak 25 micrograms, 60 tablets, Chemist4U: £1.29, 2.15p a tablet
  - Vitabiotics Ultra Vitamin D 400 IU, 96 tablets, Sainsbury's: £4.00, 4.17p a tablet
  - Vitl Vitamin D3 subscription, 30 softgels: £5.45 a month
  - 360 days of Valupak including one delivery charge: £11.69
- [Own-brand vs branded vitamins: the price per tablet compared](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/own-brand-vs-branded/): On 22 October 2026 own-brand multivitamins cost 3.3p to 5.5p a tablet at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464). Branded Centrum Advance cost 15p to 20p a tablet at Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco. Tesco Health Multivitamin and Centrum Advance both list 5 micrograms of vitamin D a tablet. A year of the Tesco own brand costs £12.00, against £72.00 for Centrum bought at Tesco.
  - Tesco Health Multivitamin, 90 tablets: £3.00, 3.3p a tablet
  - Centrum Advance at Tesco, 30 tablets: £6.00, 20p a tablet
  - Centrum Advance at Sainsbury's, 30 tablets: £4.50, 15p a tablet
  - Valupak Multivitamin at Chemist4U, 50 tablets: £1.69, 3.4p a tablet
  - Folic acid 400 micrograms, Tesco Health vs Solgar: 1.78p vs 7p a tablet
  - Name required on every label: food supplement
- [Vitamin subscription vs one-off purchase: the yearly cost](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/subscription-vs-one-off/): On 22 October 2026 Vitl charged £5.45 a month for vitamin D, Nourished £37.99 every 28 days for its Essentials stack, Vitl £39.95 every 28 days for a personalised pack and Heights £99 every 3 months for Vitals+. A year of Vitl vitamin D costs £65.40. Four packs of Vitabiotics vitamin D at the same 25 micrograms cost £19.80 at Asda. Online orders carry a 14-day right to cancel from the first delivery.
  - Vitl Vitamin D3 subscription, 30 softgels: £5.45 a month
  - Vitl Personalised Pack: £39.95 every 28 days
  - Nourished Essentials subscription: £37.99 every 28 days
  - Heights Vitals+ 3-month plan: £99 for 3 bottles
  - Cancellation period, regular deliveries: 14 days from the first delivery
  - New subscription rules expected: Spring 2027
- [Folic acid price: 400 microgram tablets compared](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/folic-acid-price/): The NHS advises 400 micrograms of folic acid a day from when you start trying for a baby, ideally 3 months before, until week 12 of pregnancy. On 22 October 2026 Valupak cost £1.29 for 90 tablets at Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464), or 1.43p each. Asda charged £2.00 for 120 and Sainsbury's £7.00 for 100 Solgar tablets. A GP prescribes the higher 5 mg dose.
  - NHS daily dose: 400 micrograms
  - When to take it: Ideally 3 months before pregnancy until week 12
  - Valupak Folic Acid, 90 tablets, Chemist4U: £1.29, 1.43p a tablet
  - ASDA Pregnancy Folic Acid, 120 tablets: £2.00, 1.67p a tablet
  - Solgar Folacin, 100 tablets, Sainsbury's: £7.00, 7p a tablet
  - Higher dose: 5 mg, prescribed by a GP
- [Vitamins on prescription: when the NHS still prescribes them](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/vitamins-on-prescription/): NHS England tells GPs not to prescribe vitamins and minerals unless there is a medically diagnosed deficiency or another listed exception, such as calcium and vitamin D for osteoporosis. A prescribed item costs £9.90 in England. On 22 October 2026 Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464) sold 60 Valupak vitamin D tablets for £1.29. A prescribed vitamin costs nothing in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
  - NHS England advice on vitamins and minerals: Do not prescribe, except listed cases
  - Prescription charge, England: £9.90 an item
  - Valupak vitamin D 25 micrograms, 60 tablets, Chemist4U: £1.29
  - Valupak folic acid 400 micrograms, 90 tablets, Chemist4U: £1.29
  - 12-month prescription prepayment certificate: £114.50
  - Prescriptions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Free

## Medicine costs in the UK: prescriptions, generics and pharmacy services

- [Medicine costs in the UK: prescriptions, generics and pharmacy services](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/): An NHS prescription costs £9.90 per item in England and nothing in Scotland or Wales. Many everyday medicines cost less on the shelf: 16 own-brand paracetamol tablets cost 35p at Tesco and Asda on 22 October 2026. Contraception is free on the NHS, Pharmacy First treats seven conditions without a GP appointment and four travel vaccines are free at your GP surgery.
- [Private prescription fees: what a private prescription costs](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/private-prescription-fees/): A private prescription costs the prescriber's fee plus the medicine at the pharmacy's own price. The £9.90 NHS charge does not apply. On 22 October 2026, 28 omeprazole 20 mg capsules cost £7.99 including the consultation at Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464), £9.00 plus a £1 prescription fee at Dr Fox (GPhC 1124326) and £16.00 at Superdrug Online Doctor (GPhC 9010736). Delivery adds £2.90 to £3.95.
  - NHS prescription charge, England: £9.90 per item
  - Omeprazole 20 mg x 28, Chemist4U, consultation included: £7.99
  - Omeprazole 20 mg x 28, Dr Fox, before fee and delivery: £9.00
  - Omeprazole 20 mg x 28, Superdrug Online Doctor: £16.00
  - Dr Fox prescription fee per consultation: £1 to £4
  - Pharmacy2U minimum charge for an outside private prescription: £9.90 per item
- [Generic vs branded medicine prices: the same ingredient for less](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/generic-vs-branded-prices/): A generic medicine contains the same active ingredient as the branded one and is licensed by the MHRA. On 22 October 2026 Tesco sold 16 Nurofen 200 mg tablets for £1.90, or 11.9p a tablet, and 16 Tesco Health ibuprofen 200 mg tablets for 35p, or 2.2p a tablet. Thirty Clarityn tablets cost £11.50 there against £2.95 for Tesco Health loratadine 10 mg.
  - Nurofen 200 mg x 16, Tesco: £1.90 (11.9p a tablet)
  - Tesco Health ibuprofen 200 mg x 16: 35p (2.2p a tablet)
  - Panadol Advance 500 mg x 16, Asda: £2.14 (13.4p a tablet)
  - ASDA paracetamol 500 mg x 16: 35p (2.2p a caplet)
  - Clarityn 10 mg x 30, Tesco: £11.50 (38.3p a tablet)
  - Tesco Health loratadine 10 mg x 30: £2.95 (9.8p a tablet)
- [Hay fever tablet prices: cetirizine, loratadine and fexofenadine](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/hay-fever-tablet-prices/): In single packs of 30, generic hay fever tablets cost 6.7p to 24.2p each on 22 October 2026. Thirty cetirizine 10 mg tablets cost £2.00 at Asda, 30 loratadine 10 mg cost £2.95 at Tesco and 30 fexofenadine 120 mg cost £6.49 at Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464). Branded packs of 30 cost £11.00 to £12.50 at full price. Fexofenadine 120 mg needs no prescription.
  - Cetirizine 10 mg x 30, Asda: £2.00 (6.7p a tablet)
  - Loratadine 10 mg x 30, Tesco Health: £2.95 (9.8p a tablet)
  - Fexofenadine 120 mg x 30, Chemist4U: £6.49 (21.6p a tablet)
  - Allevia fexofenadine 120 mg x 30, Tesco: £11.50
  - Fexofenadine 120 mg moved to general sale: MHRA report published 22 December 2020
  - NHS prescription charge, England: £9.90 per item
- [Contraception costs in the UK: free on the NHS, and private prices](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/contraception-costs/): Contraception is free on the NHS, including the pill, emergency contraception and condoms from sexual health clinics. No prescription charge applies in England. Since October 2025 most pharmacies in England supply the morning after pill free. Bought privately on 22 October 2026, a levonorgestrel morning after pill cost £9.99 at Superdrug Online Doctor (GPhC 9010736) and £11.00 at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor (GPhC 9011437).
  - NHS contraception: Free, including for under 16s
  - Free morning after pill at pharmacies in England: Since October 2025
  - Pharmacies offering NHS oral contraception, March 2026: 9,958 of 10,398 (95.8%)
  - Levonorgestrel morning after pill, Superdrug Online Doctor: £9.99
  - ellaOne morning after pill, Superdrug: £29.99
  - Rigevidon combined pill, 3 x 21 tablets, Superdrug Online Doctor: £14.99
- [Pharmacy First in England: the 7 conditions, age limits and cost](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/pharmacy-first/): Pharmacy First lets a pharmacist in England assess and treat seven conditions without a GP appointment: sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women aged 16 to 64. Any NHS medicine supplied carries the £9.90 prescription charge per item unless you are exempt. A 10-minute private video GP appointment costs £49 at Superdrug (GPhC 9010126).
  - Conditions covered in England: 7
  - Service launched: 31 January 2024
  - Consultations since launch: 14 million (NHS England, September 2026)
  - Charge for NHS medicine supplied, England: £9.90 per item unless exempt
  - Common Ailments Service, Wales: 28 conditions, free consultation and medicine
  - Private video GP, 10 minutes, Superdrug: £49
- [Over the counter vs prescription: which costs less in England](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/over-the-counter-vs-prescription/): An NHS prescription costs £9.90 per item in England, so any medicine on the shelf for less is cheaper to buy. On 22 October 2026 Tesco sold 6 loperamide capsules for £1.00 and 20 g of clotrimazole cream for £4.50. NHS England asks GPs not to prescribe routinely for 35 minor conditions. A prescription costs less for repeat use of dearer medicines and for anyone with a prepayment certificate.
  - NHS prescription charge, England: £9.90 per item
  - Minor conditions on NHS England's self-care list: 35
  - Loperamide 2 mg x 6, Tesco Health: £1.00
  - Clotrimazole 1% cream 20 g, Tesco: £4.50
  - Esomeprazole 20 mg x 14, Tesco Health: £9.00 (£7.00 with Clubcard)
  - 12-month prescription prepayment certificate: £114.50
- [Travel vaccine prices in the UK: what is free and what you pay](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/medicines/travel-vaccine-prices/): Four travel vaccines are free on the NHS at your GP surgery: cholera, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio, given as the combined diphtheria, tetanus and polio jab. You pay for hepatitis B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis and yellow fever. On 22 October 2026 a three-dose rabies course cost £218.97 at VSM Pharmacy (GPhC 1105418) and £222 at Well Pharmacy (GPhC 9010492 for its online pharmacy).
  - Free on the NHS for travel: Cholera, hepatitis A, typhoid, polio (with diphtheria and tetanus)
  - Rabies, 3 doses, VSM Pharmacy: £218.97
  - Hepatitis B, 3 doses: £149.97 at VSM Pharmacy, £150 at Well Pharmacy
  - Japanese encephalitis, 2 doses, Well Pharmacy: £196
  - Yellow fever, 1 dose: £69.99 to £78
  - When to get advice: 4 to 6 weeks before travel

## About the site

- [Health cost calculators](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/tools/): Four free calculators that run in your browser and send nothing anywhere: whether an NHS prescription prepayment certificate saves you money, what 12 months of a weight loss medicine costs at the lowest listed prices, whether you can claim hospital travel costs back, and how an NHS dental band compares with a private quote.
- [Join The Dose Club](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/club/): The Dose Club is free email membership. Members get an email when a price in one of the medicine tables drops, and one round-up a month of the NHS, dental and private care savings worth knowing about. There is no paid tier, no pharmacy marketing and a one-click unsubscribe on every email.
- [About The Dose Club](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/about/): The Dose Club is a non-profit guide to paying less for health in the UK. It covers NHS charges, hospital costs, dental, private care, weight loss medicines and everyday pharmacy prices, and it names the source and check date for every figure. The site sells nothing, and every price table is sorted by price.
- [How we check prices and charges](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/how-we-check-prices/): Weight loss medicine prices refresh every day at 13:00 from the GLP Index and show the mg dose, the pharmacy, its GPhC number, the offer link and any code. Other figures are read from a live official or provider page on the date shown. An NHS charge names the nation and links to the NHS or NHSBSA page it came from.
- [Editorial policy: sources, checks and corrections](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/editorial-policy/): Every page on The Dose Club is written from official or provider sources read on the day shown, carries one answer box with the figure a reader came for, and is corrected with a new date when a figure changes. The site accepts no payment for placement and gives no medical advice.
- [Contact The Dose Club](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/contact/): Use this page to see what to send when you report a wrong price or charge or suggest a guide: the page address, the figure and the source showing the correct one. Do not send medical records, and do not ask for medical advice, because the site cannot give it. Urgent health questions go to NHS 111.
- [Privacy notice](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/privacy/): The Dose Club collects no personal data from reading the site. There are no analytics scripts, no advertising trackers and no cookies set by the site. Images are loaded from Unsplash, which sees the request like any image host. The club sign-up, when live, stores an email address, chosen topics and the sign-up date, nothing else.
- [Website terms](https://www.doseclub.co.uk/terms/): The Dose Club publishes information about health costs in the UK. It is not medical advice, it sells nothing, and no medicine, prescription or booking can be obtained through the site. You may quote any figure with the page link and its check date. Copying tables or the price dataset is not licensed.

Full text of every page: https://www.doseclub.co.uk/llms-full.txt