Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England (Contraception), 2023-24

Figures in this part do not represent the full volume of emergency contraceptives provided in England.

Most of the analysis relates to emergency contraception provided at SRH services only. Counts from community prescribing data (items dispensed primarily by pharmacists and GPs - see part 5 for full inclusions) are also shown in the first section - this data is sourced from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system, supplied by NHS Prescription Services.

Since 2001, the reclassification of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) meant that it could also be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription (by females aged 16 and over). In addition, nurses and pharmacists can supply EHC to females of all ages under a Patient Group Direction (PGD). PGDs are documents which make it legal for medicines to be provided to groups of patients without individual prescriptions having to be written for each patient. Data on supply by PGD are not collected centrally.

Emergency contraception provided by SRH services, or dispensed in the community, by year

Community prescribing data is reported by calendar year, so is presented separately from SRH services data.

94,429 items were provided by SRH services in 2023-24, an increase of 13% on 2022-23. Figures between 2020-21 and 2021-22 had been impacted by Covid-related restrictions in service provision, but the number is now back above the pre-pandemic level.

In the longer term, the total is still 20% lower than 10 years ago in 2013-14 (117,978 items provided).

Over the last ten years, there has been a steady fall in the number of emergency contraception items provided in the community.

65,623 items were dispensed in 2023, a fall of 11% compared to 2022 (74,002), and 69% lower than the 215,000 items provided in 2013.

Likelihood of being provided emergency contraception by SRH services, by age

4 per 1,000 of the female population were provided emergency contraception by an SRH service in 2023-24.

The likelihood of a female using an SRH service to obtain emergency contraception varies with age.

Those aged 20 to 24 were the most likely, with 10 per 1,000 population having done so at least once during the year.

There were 1,660 females aged 13 to 15 provided with emergency contraception by an SRH service at least once during the year, representing 2 per 1,000 population.

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For more information: Data tables 1, 9a, 9b, 9c, and 13

Emergency contraception items provided to under 16s, by year

Compared to ten years ago, the number of emergency contraception items provided to under 16s by SRH services has fallen both in real terms and as a percentage of those provided to females of all ages.

1,951 items were provided to under 16s by SRH services in 2023-24, representing 2% of total emergency contraception. This was an increase compared to 1,822 items in 2022-23, but well below the 10,680 items provided in 2013-14 (when it represented 9% of the total items that year). 

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For more information: Data tables 9a, 11, 18a and 18b