NHS pharmacy application fees explained

In summary: Pharmacy applications in England attract fees payable to Primary Care Support England (PCSE). The fee varies by application type. Fees are generally not refundable if an application is refused or withdrawn after submission. Understanding the fee structure before committing to an application is an important part of assessing the overall cost of the market entry process.

PCSE application fees

All market entry and contract change applications in England are submitted to and processed by Primary Care Support England (PCSE). PCSE charges a processing fee for each application type. The fee is payable by the applicant at the point of submission and is separate from any professional or consultancy fees.

Fee amounts are set by PCSE and reviewed periodically. TI Pharmacy Consultancy advises clients on the current applicable fee for their specific application before submission. Always confirm the current fee with PCSE directly before submitting an application, as fees can change.

Application types and fees

Different application types attract different fees. The main application types and their general fee categories are:

• New pharmacy contract applications — market entry applications attract one of the higher PCSE fees, reflecting the complexity of the assessment process
• Change of site applications — significant change relocations attract a higher fee than no significant change relocations
• Opening hours variations — typically attract a lower fee than market entry applications
• Change of ownership — a processing fee applies to ownership transfer applications
• Amalgamation and consolidation — a fee applies to consolidation applications
• Distance selling premises — note that new DSP applications are no longer accepted as of June 2025

TI Pharmacy Consultancy will advise you on the specific fee applicable to your application as part of the initial assessment.

Are fees refundable?

PCSE application fees are generally not refundable once an application has been submitted and accepted. If an application is refused by the ICB, the fee is not returned. If an application is withdrawn after submission, the fee may not be recoverable. This underlines the importance of thorough preparation before submission — a poorly evidenced application that is refused still costs the fee.

Appeal fees

Appeals to NHS Resolution’s Primary Care Appeals service may also attract fees. The fee structure for PCAS appeals is set by NHS Resolution and is separate from the PCSE application fee. TI Pharmacy Consultancy advises on the current appeal fees as part of the appeal preparation process.

Consultancy fees

Consultancy fees payable to TI Pharmacy Consultancy are separate from PCSE and NHS Resolution fees. We discuss our fees openly at the initial consultation stage before you commit to instructing us. There is no charge for the initial discussion.

Wales

Applications in Wales are submitted directly to local health boards (LHBs). The fee structure for Welsh applications is separate from the PCSE fee schedule and is set by each LHB. TI Pharmacy Consultancy advises on Welsh application fees for contractors applying in Wales.