Where the UK Spends Most on Prescription Drugs: £15B Regional Breakdown

• The Midlands ranks first in UK prescription spending with £2.4B annual expenditure.

• Northern regions consume disproportionate healthcare resources, taking over 40% of total UK prescription spending.

• Scotland alone spends more on prescriptions than Wales and Northern Ireland combined.

Nearly one in four British adults takes at least one prescription medication regularly, creating billions in healthcare costs. A new study by Drug Testing Kits UK analyzed prescription data across all UK regions to reveal where prescription drug spending is highest across the UK.

The research examined prescription dispensing patterns using official NHS data from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The study evaluated three metrics: total prescription items dispensed, absolute spending in British pounds, and each region's percentage share of national prescription expenditure. Regions were ranked based on their proportion of total UK prescription spending.

Here's a look at the UK regions ranked by prescription drug spending:

You can access the complete research findings here.

The Midlands ranks first with about 16.1% of UK prescription drug spending. The region processes 257M prescription items annually, more than any other area. At £2.4B in total costs, the Midlands also shows the highest absolute spending nationwide. This creates the largest demand on NHS prescription budgets across any UK region.

North East & Yorkshire takes second position at £1.95B in annual spending. The region fills 257M prescriptions - nearly matching the Midlands' volume - yet does so with £450M less in expenditure. This still represents 13.1% of national expenditure while processing the second-highest prescription volumes in the UK.

North West secures third place with £1.8B in yearly prescription costs. The region handles 209M prescription items, taking 12.1% of total UK spending. Overall, North West spends £150M less than its eastern neighbor as it distributes 48M fewer prescriptions.

South East holds the fourth position at 11.7% of national spending. With £1.74B in annual costs, the region issues 175M prescriptions. South East shows the lowest prescription volume among the top-spending areas, yet it still generates substantial expenses. 

East of England ranks fifth, following closely behind its neighbor, South East, with 11.5% of national spending. The region reaches £1.71B in prescription costs through 183M items dispensed annually. East of England demonstrates balanced prescription volume and spending, aligning closely with national averages.

Scotland ranks sixth despite having a smaller population than the English regions. At £1.62B annually, Scotland represents 10.9% of total UK spending on prescription drugs. The region processes 114M items - the lowest among major areas. This creates the highest cost per prescription at £14.20, over 50% more than the national average.

London takes seventh position with £1.36B in annual costs. The capital accounts for around 9.1% of prescription spending. In total, it delivers 167M prescriptions. Despite being the UK's most populous region, London shows relatively controlled expenses compared to the top six.

South West secures eighth place by managing 133M prescriptions annually at £1.12B. This constitutes about 7.5% of national expenditure across the region. South West allocates £620M less than South East while issuing 42M fewer prescriptions, showing reduced overall costs compared to its neighbor. 

Wales captures ninth spot by administering 85M prescription items at £700M annually. The country contributes under 5% of UK expenditure. With this, Wales shows proportionate spending relative to population size. 

Northern Ireland completes the top 10 with £500M in yearly costs. The region represents just over 3.4% of total spending while handling 45M prescription items. Northern Ireland maintains the lowest absolute spending on prescriptions nationwide. 

"The data shows significant regional differences in prescription drug spending that don't align with population distributions," says James Gunter, Sales Director at Drug Testing Kits UK. "The Midlands leads with 16% of all UK prescription costs, while London, despite being the most populated region, accounts for just 9%. This shows that population size doesn't predict spending. Instead, regional health needs, local prescribing habits, and patient demographics appear to drive where the NHS spends its prescription budget most heavily."