Is the contraceptive pill free?

If you use either the combined contraceptive pill or the progestogen-only pill (POP or mini pill), then you’ll be aware that these are daily medications (sometimes taken with breaks) that require a regular supply for proper use. Finding a way of accessing contraceptive pills that suits your lifestyle and needs can help to remove unnecessary hassle from your day-to-day life and reduce the likelihood of unwanted pregnancy.

Is the contraceptive pill free in the UK?

Currently, you can access oral contraception for free on the NHS from a GP, some pharmacies or a sexual health clinic. Some young people may also be able to access the combined pill or the mini pill free from young people’s services - these services usually have a cut-off age, so check the specifics to avoid disappointment. Whichever option you choose, it’s always best to ring them up ahead of time to check that they offer the free contraceptive pill.

Depending on where you go to get the contraceptive pill for free, there may be some variation in what to expect. However, generally, you’ll need to speak to a medical professional (e.g. your GP, a pharmacist or a healthcare worker at a clinic or young people’s service). They’ll ask questions about your overall health and may take certain details such as your weight, your height and your blood pressure. This helps them to determine which pill is better for you: the combined pill or the mini pill. 

Once they’ve made a decision, you’ll be able to access the pill. If you’ve gone to a GP, you may be offered a repeat prescription so that you don’t have to bother with making an appointment every single time you need more pills. Instead, you’ll be able to go straight to a pharmacy or other dispensary and receive your prescription - though you’ll likely be asked to attend a pill review appointment periodically so your doctor can check that your current method of contraception is still right for you. 

If you don’t get a repeat prescription, you’ll likely have to book another appointment and go through the same process the next time you run out of pills. Whether you go down the repeat prescription route or not, accessing your oral contraception from bricks and mortar locations is completely free on the NHS - a great option if money is tight and you need protection. 

However, it’s no longer the case that you can only access contraceptive pills in this manner. Whether this is your first time trying contraceptive pills or you’ve used them before, you can now buy oral contraception through participating pharmacies. This applies to both prescription and pharmacy-only contraceptives. 

Wondering why you’d pay for contraception when you can get it for free? Well, choosing to buy contraceptive pills can remove hassle from the process. Instead of having to wait for an in-person appointment with your GP or a sexual health clinic, you can go through a short, simple, online consultation with a qualified pharmacist. Once they have established that your contraceptive pill of choice is suitable for you, it will be dispatched and delivered to your door, meaning you can access your usual contraceptive pills without even having to leave the house. 

Naturally, this option has big benefits for those with a busy lifestyle where finding the time for a doctor’s appointment or a visit to the pharmacy is difficult. It’s especially helpful for people who work full time, as you don’t need to worry about having to take time off work so you can be at the GP surgery or pharmacy during working hours. As an added bonus, many online pharmacies - including us here at Curely - offer completely free delivery, so you only need to cover the cost of the medication itself. 

Anyone can benefit from the ease of ordering contraceptives online, but it can be especially useful for you if you:

Live in a remote area/need to travel to reach your nearest bricks and mortar pharmacy or GP surgery
Find getting out to appointments difficult due to disabilities, prior commitments or personal circumstances
Struggle with in-person consultations due to sensory issues, learning disabilities or impaired senses.

How to get the contraceptive pill

Want to access the contraceptive pill through Curely? It’s simple. You have a choice of a range of contraceptive pills, from prescription options such as desogestrel to pharmacy-only medications such as Lovima. You’ll also have a choice of the mini pill or the combined contraceptive pill so you can choose the one that’s right for you. There is plenty of information available on each option to help you decide.

If you choose a prescription contraceptive pill, click ‘Get started’ to begin a short consultation. This will ask questions about your health and, if applicable, your previous experiences of taking hormonal contraception. This helps our prescribers to better understand which pill is right for you, as it’s them who will make the final decision of whether or not to prescribe the medication you’ve chosen. 

Once you’ve completed all the questions in the consultation, you’ll be informed of the recommended choice, as well as all other suitable options. You can then select the medication you’d like to order and continue on to complete your purchase. 

Alternatively, if you opt for a pharmacy medication, you can simply add it to your basket and check out without the need for a consultation. Our team may get in touch with you to verify that the medication is suitable before it can be dispensed. After that, it will be delivered free of charge to your door.

Accessing hassle-free contraceptive pills really is that easy, so why not try it today? Explore our range of contraceptive pills to get started.