The morning-after pill, used to prevent pregnancy after sex without contraception, is set to be free in pharmacies in England later this year, the government has announced. 

Emergency contraception is already free from most GPs and sexual health clinics, but pharmacies – the more convenient option – can charge up to £30. 

Ministers say getting it in pharmacies will hopefully free up GP appointments and reduce the inequalities faced by people trying to access the medication in disadvantaged communities.  

Health minister Stephen Kinnock expressed that women “face an unfair postcode lottery when seeking emergency contraception, with access varying dramatically depending on where they live”. He added that equal access to “safe and effective contraception is crucial to women’s healthcare and a cornerstone of a fair society”.

The initiative was announced alongside a wider package of investments to rebuild the community pharmacies sector. These include offering patients suffering from depression convenient support at pharmacies, boosting funding for medicine supplies so patients have better access to the medicines prescribed for them, and more.