Up to 400,000 women will benefit from the new HRT scheme, which will save them £205 a year

A scheme that will save women going through the menopause up to £205 a year comes into effect on April 1.

Up to 400,000 women in England can access cheaper hormone replacement therapy (HRT) through a new prepayment prescription certificate.

A single NHS prescription fee currently costs £9.35, or £18.70 if a woman needs two types of hormones. HRT is often provided on a short-term basis, meaning regular payments – once a month or every three months. But the new system will allow women to make a one-off payment for 12 months of HRT, saving them hundreds of pounds a year.

Women can use the certificate on prescription HRT items, including patches and tablets, and there is no limit to how many times the certificate can be used as long as it is valid.

The Daily Mail has urged the government to “fix the HRT crisis” after it was revealed women were struggling to get their essential medicines due to supply problems.

A scheme that saves women going through menopause up to £205 a year comes into effect on April 1 (file image).

Some women said they paid up to eight times the NHS price for HRT online, while others met in car parks to ‘swap’ supplies.

Women’s Health Secretary Maria Caulfield said: “The symptoms of menopause, which range from hot flashes and trouble sleeping to poor mood and memory problems, can have a serious and sometimes incredibly debilitating impact on women’s lives.

“I know how important this issue is to readers of the Daily Mail and to women across the country, and how important it is for menopausal sufferers to have access to the treatment they need.

“I am proud of this incredible advance that will transform lives and improve women’s health. This new prepayment certificate for HRT prescriptions will lower the cost for hundreds of thousands across the country, make treatment more accessible and help improve the lives of those suffering from the negative symptoms of menopause.’

Last year, the Mail’s campaign secured a major win when pharmacists were given the green light to prescribe alternatives to out-of-stock treatments. Dame Lesley Regan, the Government’s Health Ambassador for Women, said: “Menopause is an inevitable phase in a woman’s life.

“As a gynecologist, I have witnessed firsthand the symptoms that women suffer and can interfere with their daily lives.

“Making HRT more affordable will have a tremendously positive impact on the lives of so many women. This prepaid certificate is a major step forward in prioritizing women’s health and well-being.’

Women must apply for the certificate through the NHS Business Service Authority or in person at pharmacies registered to sell.

Labor MP Carolyn Harris, co-chair of the UK Menopause Taskforce, said she was “delighted” that the annual fee would be introduced but warned there was still an HRT crisis.