Everyday
What to actually budget for healthcare in the UK
The NHS is free at the point of use, so healthcare rarely gets its own line in a budget — until a repeat prescription or a filling shows up and it turns out several parts of it aren't free at all.
The prescription decision, in one sum
In England, most prescriptions cost a flat £9.90 per item (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are free). If you take more than one or two repeat medicines a year, a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) caps the damage — but only past a threshold you can work out in advance.
| Single item, paid as you go | £9.90 |
| 3-month PPC | £32.05 |
| 12-month PPC | £114.50 |
| Breakeven, 3-month PPC | 4 items in 3 months |
| Breakeven, 12-month PPC | about 1 item a month |
Below that, pay item by item. Above it, the certificate wins — and the 12-month one, paid monthly by direct debit, is the cheapest way to hold a repeat prescription long-term.
⚠ Check for an exemption before buying anything. Pregnancy, a recognised long-term condition, being under 16 or over 60, and low income all qualify for free prescriptions — a PPC you didn't need is money you can't get back.
NHS or private dentist?
NHS dental treatment in England is banded, not itemised: a check-up is £26.80 (Band 1), fillings or extractions £75.30 (Band 2), and crowns or dentures £329.60 (Band 3) — whatever the actual work involved. Private treatment has no such ceiling and can run to several times those figures, but it comes with an appointment this month rather than a wait for an NHS place.
For routine care, NHS dentistry is the budget-rational choice by a wide margin. The real cost of « private » isn't the treatment, it's what you pay for not waiting.
Private health insurance: worth the price?
Private cover typically runs £30 to £100+ a month per person depending on age and excess. What it buys is speed for planned treatment — a shorter wait for a scan, a consultant, a hip replacement. It does not replace the NHS for emergencies: a serious accident still goes to A&E.
- Worth it if an employer offers it as a benefit at little or no extra cost to you, or if a long referral wait is a genuine problem for your situation.
- Not worth it as a default purchase on an ordinary budget: the monthly premium is certain, the benefit is conditional on getting ill in a way it covers.
The free move that pays the most
Before paying for a PPC or private cover, check whether you already qualify for free NHS prescriptions or an HC2 certificate under the NHS Low Income Scheme. It takes one form, and for some households it removes the whole cost this article is about.
Common questions
Should I get a Prescription Prepayment Certificate?
Work out the breakeven: a 3-month PPC pays off past 4 items in 3 months, the 12-month one past roughly one item a month. Below that, pay per item.
Who gets free NHS prescriptions?
Pregnancy and the 12 months after, certain long-term conditions, under 16 or over 60, and low income under the NHS Low Income Scheme (HC2 certificate) all qualify — check before buying a PPC.
NHS or private dentist?
NHS treatment is banded (roughly £27 / £75 / £330 in England regardless of the exact work), and is the budget-rational choice for routine care. Private buys a shorter wait, at several times the price.
Is private health insurance worth it?
Mostly for speed on planned treatment, not for emergencies. Worth it if an employer largely covers the cost, or if waiting times are a real problem for you — not as a default line in an ordinary budget.
You might also like
Projects
The emergency fund: how much, where, and in what order
Three months of spending, they say. How to work out your number, where to keep it, and why it comes first.
Track this line like any other
A single ‘health’ category, and you know what it really costs you across the year.
Download MonniFree to start · No account · No bank connection