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There were 10,388 community pharmacy contractors registered with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) in England on 31 March 2026, down from 10,407 contractors in 2025, data have shown.
Although the rate of closure of bricks-and-mortar pharmacies has slowed, there has been an increase in the number of distance-selling pharmacies that are opening.
In its annual report on general pharmaceutical services, published on 15 October 2026, NHSBSA noted that between 31 March 2025 and 31 March 2026, there was an overall decreased of 19 pharmacies operating in England, compared with a drop of 91 pharmacies in 2024/2025, 507 pharmacies in 2023/2024, 95 pharmacies in 2022/2023 and 65 pharmacies in 2021/2022.
In 2025/2026, community pharmacies dispensed 1.19 billion items, which continues a steady increase since 2020/2021, the report also revealed.
It highlighted that in 2025/2026, pharmacies provided 4.61 million flu vaccinations, 12 million new medicine service consultations — both intervention and follow-up — and 109,000 appliance use reviews.
Speaking at the Labour Party Conference, held in Liverpool on 27 September 2026, pharmacy minister Diana Johnson noted a “slowing of the closure of pharmacies”.
“We have seen a reduction and that is welcome,” she added.
“Obviously I don’t want to see anyone close, but there is a slowing of the closure of pharmacies and that’s important.”
In addition, the NHSBSA figures show that while there was a net fall in the number of bricks-and-mortar pharmacies that were open in 2025/2026, there was an increase of 36 in the number of distance-selling pharmacies (DSPs) operating, which is the biggest increase in five years.
In June 2025, NHS England received 206 applications for new DSPs — a 3,333% increase on the previous month — after it gave three weeks’ notice of market closure to new entrants wanting to open a DSP.
Henry Gregg, chief executive at the National Pharmacy Association, told The Pharmaceutical Journal on 16 October 2026: “Distance selling pharmacies play an important role in providing some NHS services to patients.
“However, it is misleading to include them when trying to understand the current viability of our NHS high street pharmacy network.”
He said “historic underfunding” was responsible for the record low numbers of pharmacies, adding that “although we recognise the government has made steps forwards with two uplifts to pharmacy funding, significant challenges still remain”.
“We should not accept the net closure of pharmacies that patients depend on as some kind of new normal in our NHS,” Gregg continued.
“Pharmacies are keen to work with the government to deliver on their ten-year plan ambitions but this can only be done through stabilisation of pharmacy network and the closure of the current estimated £2bn funding gap.”
