CPCF 2026/27: Ongoing negotiations mean no immediate changes

Negotiations on the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) arrangements for 2026/27 are still in progress between Community Pharmacy England, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England.

Whilst all parties have been working hard on the negotiations, it is clear that they will not reach a conclusion before the start of the financial year on 1st April.

Until negotiations have concluded, arrangements will continue as they are currently. As has always been the case, the contractual framework rolls forward until the conclusion of negotiations and any changes to funding and services are introduced. In the meantime, DHSC has applied a margin uplift to the April Drug Tariff. Once the outcome of negotiations is determined, further fine tuning of the Drug Tariff may be required.

Community Pharmacy England’s Negotiating Team (NT) leads the in-depth negotiations and includes Committee members who are independent pharmacy owners, representatives of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) and non-CCA multiples as well as members of CPE’s leadership team. The NT reports back to the full Committee on a regular basis throughout the process and the full Committee make the final decision on the settlement. The Committee, as pharmacy owners themselves, are managing the same financial and operational pressures as you. Their top priority is negotiating a more sustainable CPCF – including improved margin delivery, fees, reimbursement – and making the case for a multi-year roadmap with DHSC and NHS England to give pharmacies long-term certainty. Key negotiating positions on funding, services, regulatory reform and more were confirmed at our February meeting.

It is not yet clear when the negotiations will conclude. Government requirements dictate that negotiations must remain confidential, but we will update pharmacy owners on these important outcomes as early as possible. While we continue to work toward that, you might be interested to learn more about the negotiating process itself.

Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, said:

“Whilst 2026/27 CPCF discussions are now expected to continue into the new financial year, I want to reassure you that Community Pharmacy England’s focus remains firmly on securing the best possible outcome for pharmacy owners’ interests. Our Negotiating Team continues to work intensively on your behalf, analysing complex proposals and putting forward detailed options informed by priorities agreed with the full Committee.

“It is hard to predict when negotiations and cross-Government clearance will be complete but, in the meantime, current funding and arrangements will roll forward into the next financial year.

“We know pharmacy owners are concerned about the impending financial cliff edge that April represents, with increases in business rates and the National Living Wage coming into effect. This is at the forefront of our minds at every step and has been factored into our proposals, and we continue to warn Government about the urgent need to close the sector’s funding gap. We are fully committed to achieving progress and will update you at the earliest opportunity.”

Supporting the case for community pharmacies

Alongside the negotiations, Community Pharmacy England remains steadfast in its other core functions, including monitoring funding, strengthening our evidence base, and advocating for progress to be made urgently towards sustainability for community pharmacy.

Pharmacy owners are encouraged to support this work by engaging with their MPs about the current state of the sector using our guidance and briefings.

If you have not already done so, please also take part in the 2026 Pressures Survey (closing at 10am on Monday 13th April) to help show Ministers the true scale of the challenges you face every day.