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The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is set to raise its annual registration fees by 6% from September 2025, the regulator has confirmed.
In an announcement following a GPhC council meeting on 17 July 2025, the GPhC said that, after reviewing its financial position, “the [GPhC] council concluded it was necessary to raise the fees by 6% in 2025” for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies.
From September 2025, the GPhC’s annual registration fee increases include:
- Pharmacist renewal fees, which increase by £17 to £293;
- Pharmacy technician renewal fees, which increase by £8 to £138;
- Pharmacy premises renewal fees, which increase by £24 to £416.
The GPhC consulted on a 6% fee increase for 2025 and a further 6% increase for 2026, citing “rising operational costs and to make sure that the GPhC can continue to fulfil its regulatory responsibilities effectively”.
The regulator said that it “carefully considered the concerns raised through the consultation” and, in response, decided to delay a decision on the proposed 2026 increase to allow further reflection.
In a report on the consultation, published on 17 July 2025, the GPhC said it had received 3,166 responses — including 3,127 individuals, 33 organisations and 6 more general submissions — with the “overwhelming majority” opposing the proposals.
Among the respondents:
- 84% said they either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the reasoning provided in the consultation report for increasing fees;
- 79% either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the approach of raising fees by the same percentage across all registrant groups;
- 96% said that they felt the increase was either “much too high” or a “bit too high”.
Responding to the consultation in April 2025, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) noted that the proposed fee increase of 6% was above the current rate of inflation and that the “difficult current financial situation” many pharmacists are experiencing means that “any increase must be minimised”.
The RPS also suggested that the GPhC considers reducing fees for certain cohorts of pharmacists, such as those who were registered but not practising, describing it as “out of step with other regulators, such as the General Medical Council, who have allowances and discounts for these circumstances”.
Commenting on the confirmed fee increases, Paul Bennett, chief executive of the RPS, said: “We fully recognise the importance of effective regulation to uphold public confidence in the profession. Quality regulation has resource implications, and [the] RPS is keen to work ever more closely with the profession and the GPhC on development of professional standards, frameworks, credentialing and practice support tools to enable the highest standards of practice within the profession.
“However, we remain concerned about the significant increase and are mindful of the financial pressures faced by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.”
