Community pharmacies in England are warning that they are being forced to “pay from our own pockets” to keep the NHS running, as rising costs and underfunding push many to the brink of closure.
Moin Kolia, owner of Moin’s Chemist and Wellbeing Centre in Leicester and Market Harborough, said survival was now “a big question” for community pharmacies struggling under financial pressure.
Pharmacies hit by decade of underfunding
A report by Community Pharmacy England revealed that funding for the sector has been cut by 30% in real terms over the past decade, with 51% of pharmacies now operating at a loss. The survey of more than 800 owners found that 45% were relying on personal savings to keep their businesses afloat.
Pharmacy leaders have warned that despite a funding uplift announced earlier this year, many community pharmacies remain “teetering on the brink.” Rising costs, inflation, staff wages, and unpredictable income are threatening the sustainability of services that provide essential care, including dispensing prescriptions and running vaccination campaigns.
Pharmacists speak out on growing challenges
Mr Kolia told the BBC that he had already used most of his savings and borrowed money from friends and family to support his business.
“We’re having to invest and pay from our own pockets to fund the NHS,” he said.
Harvinder Singh, a pharmacist at Glasshouse Chemist in Nottingham, said funding issues for certain drugs had forced pharmacies to give out medicines at a loss. “If you’re giving out medicines at a loss, with staff wages and utility bills to cover, no business can survive,” he explained.
To cope with financial pressures, some pharmacies have branched into non-NHS services, offering treatments such as hydrafacials and Botox to diversify income streams.
Government pledges more support
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) defended its support for the sector, saying pharmacies are “at the heart of local healthcare” and central to shifting more care out of hospitals under its Plan for Change.
A DHSC spokesperson said funding for community pharmacies had risen to nearly £3.1 billion for 2025/2026, the largest uplift across any NHS sector that year.
Community Pharmacy England welcomed the increase but said it fell far short of addressing a £2 billion funding gap. Mr Kolia also acknowledged the uplift but stressed that it had “not even come close” to bridging the shortfall.
