Birmingham named as ‘worst place in country’ for unpaid prescription charges

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Highest number

Birmingham patients have clocked up Britain’s highest number of fines for unpaid prescription charges, according to new research.

A total of 2,810 penalties were issued for non-payment of prescription fees in 2020.

That was 1,000 more than second-ranked Manchester which saw 1,757 fines were issued during the same time period.

In third place was Leeds, where a total of 1,636 fines were issued to people for not paying their prescriptions on time.

Birmingham also had the highest values of fines – a whopping £252,257 – almost £100,000 more than any other local authority.

Locations

The top ten locations, which also included Bradford, Liverpool and Sheffield, received well over 14,000 fines combined.

But researchers noted that figures had not been adjusted for population – meaning larger local authorities tend to top the list.

However, the wellness company added research showed which parts of the country struggled with prescription fees the most.

Cost of a prescription

According to the data, the cost of a prescription on the NHS on average has risen by 2.54% each year since 2012.

And the cost of a prescription has risen by £1.70, equating to a rise of 22.22% over the last 8 years.

A spokesperson said: “While this increase is usually only by a small margin, they do add up.”

“This is especially the case if you require more than one prescription to treat one or various ailments.”

“Thankfully, some groups are exempt from paying prescription charges.”

“Seniors and children both receive their prescriptions free of charge, which alleviates the financial strain on parents and the elderly, both of which are groups that often experience financial hardships.”