NHSBSA report shows further cost decrease for dependency-forming medicines

31 July 2025

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has published the latest annual figures on dependency-forming medicines in England.

The report shows that the cost of prescribed dependency-forming medicines last year was £366 million. This represents a 2% decrease from last year, and a 53% decrease from 2015/16 when costs were £780 million.

The report provides information on the prescribing of dependency-forming medicines in England that are dispensed in the community. This does not include medicines prescribed and dispensed in secondary care, prisons, or issued by a private prescriber.

It includes data on five categories of medicines such as opioid pain medicines, gabapentinoids, benzodiazepines, and Z-drugs. Some analysis covers antidepressants.

The key findings of the report show that: 

• In 2024/25, there were 66.7 million items prescribed for dependency-forming medicines, a decrease of 4% from 2016/17.
• 7 million identified patients were prescribed dependency-forming medicines in 2024/25. This was a 14% decrease from 8.1 million identified patients in 2016/17.
• Opioids remain the most prescribed dependency-forming medicines with 39 million items prescribed. 96 patients per 1,000 population were prescribed an opioid pain medicine.
• Opioid pain medicines account for the greatest cost at £270 million. However, costs have decreased by 36% since 2015/16.
• The number of dependency-forming medicine items prescribed decreased in three of the four medicine categories between 2015/16 and 2024/25. Gabapentinoids are the only prescription item to increase with 11 million items prescribed in 2015/16 compared to 17 million in 2024/25.
• 61% of patients who were prescribed a dependency-forming item were female, which has remained consistent from 2015/16. Due to an overall decrease in the number of identified patients, there are 600,000 fewer female patients compared to 2015/16. 
• The most common group to be prescribed dependency-forming medicines were female patients aged 60 to 64.
• More patients received dependency-forming medicines in more deprived areas. The number of identified patients prescribed dependency-forming medicines was 57% higher in the most deprived areas of England compared to the least deprived. 

This publication was developed in response to the Public Health England review into the dependence and withdrawal associated with some prescribed medicines. Known as the prescribed medicines review, it recommended an increase in the availability and use of data on the prescribing of medicines that can cause dependence.

To read the full report, visit: Dependency Forming Medicines – England 2024/25 | NHSBSA 

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The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is an arm’s length body of the Department of Health and Social Care and provides a range of critical central services to NHS organisations, NHS contractors, patients and the public. Its purpose is to deliver business service excellence to the NHS to help people live longer, healthier lives, and its vision is to be the provider of national, at scale business services for the health and social care system. For more information about the NHSBSA, visit: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk.

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