Morning-after pill made free at pharmacies throughout England

Emergency contraception, or the ‘morning-after’ pill, has been made available for free on the NHS in nearly 10,000 high street pharmacies, including Boots. 

The morning-after pill, sometimes also called Plan B or emergency oral contraception, is a pill normally taken after unprotected sex and works to prevent pregnancy by delaying or preventing ovulation.

Before this initiative, the morning-after pill typically cost £10-£25 depending on the brand, type, and pharmacy, with some pharmacies charging up to £30.

[This is] a game changer in making reproductive healthcare more easily accessible for women

Dr Susie Mann, NHS National Clinical Dir. for Women’s Health

In 2023-24, nearly 95,000 emergency contraception pills were provided by sexual health services, while high-street pharmacies prescribed 65,623 pills.

Women could previously access free morning-after pills in some sexual health clinics, but this would involve booking an appointment.

Now, this initiative means four in five people in the UK will be within walking distance of free emergency oral contraception.

This service is another example of how the NHS is already delivering on our ten-year health plan

Dr Susie Mann

Dr Susie Mann, the NHS’s National Clinical Director for Women’s Health, said: “This is one of the biggest changes to sexual health services since the 1960s and a game changer in making reproductive healthcare more easily accessible for women”.

This change is part of an expansion of pharmacy services across the UK and will also allow those on new antidepressant prescriptions to discuss their medications and options with pharmacists.

Access to free emergency contraception has been a postcode lottery for patients

Henry Gregg, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association

Dr Mann added: “This service is another example of how the NHS is already delivering on our ten-year health plan commitment to shift care into the heart of communities”.

Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, Janet Morrison, said: “Many pharmacies have been involved in similar local schemes for years, so we’re pleased to see this important new service introduce a consistent offer to women nationally”.

Henry Gregg, the Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association, also pointed out that “access to free emergency contraception has been a postcode lottery for patients, with local arrangements only existing in certain parts of the country”.

He added: “It’s really important that pharmacies, who are under significant pressure and closing in record numbers, are sustainably funded so they can continue to provide services to patients such as these”.