This is a message on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care
On Monday 31 March 2025, the details of the contractual settlement for 2025/26 were announced, which included changes to Pharmacy First; one of the changes announced was a reduction to the claim window to one month to enable the variable monthly payment.
Therefore from Sunday 1 June 2025, the claim window for Pharmacy First will change.
Before Sunday 1 June 2025, late submissions are accepted if made within three months of the date by which the claim should have been submitted. From Sunday 1 June 2025, late submissions will only be accepted if they are made by the final day of the month following the month in which the Pharmacy First consultation was conducted. For example, claims for consultations provided in June 2025 will need to be submitted by 11:59pm on Thursday 31 July 2025.
Later claims will not be paid, unless the submission of a claim was delayed by IT issues outside the contractor’s control (such as issues with the NHS approved API system used by the contractor or with the MYS portal). Such claims will be accepted outside the usual grace period within twelve months of the date by which the claim should have been submitted. This is subject to the NHS Business Services Authority receiving evidence of the IT issue, and only if investigation finds that the evidence demonstrates that the IT issue was outside the control of the contractor, and it delayed the claim submission.
From Sunday 1 June 2025, this change will also impact the claim windows for Pharmacy First consultations conducted from March 2025 onwards. Therefore claims for consultations carried out in March, April and May 2025 must be claimed by 11:59pm on Monday 30 June 2025.