Prescription prices can come as a shock in Spain as there is no set fee like there is in the UK.

Back in England, you pay a standard charge of £8.40, although some items are free. Many people are also entitled to free prescriptions including over-60s; people with disabilities; pregnant women or who’ve had a baby within the past 12 months; under-16s; and 16-18s in full-time education.

However this is not the case in Spain. If your annual income is less than €18,000, workers pay 40% of the cost of the medication with no upper limit while state pensioners contribute 10% with a cap of €8 per month. If your income is between €18,000 to €100,000 and you are of working age then you contribute 50% with no cap and state pensioners contribute 10% with an upper limit of €18 per month. Both workers and pensioners pay 60% of the costs if their income is more than €100,000 with no cap if you’re of working age and €60 a month for pensioners.

Therefore, if you are paying more than you should, speak to your pharmacist or health centre to find out how to claim a refund. You may be wondering how the pharmacist knows how much to charge in the first place. The information comes from your annual resident tax declaration, which is another good reason to make sure this is filled in each year. Without this information, blanket charges of 40% for nonpensioners on low incomes and 10% for pensioners will be made but there will not be any cap to your monthly contribution.

Soon these financial details will be incorporated into your SIP health card. If you are not entitled to a SIP card in Spain or would like to top up your cover with private health insurance, please get in touch.