The Cost of HRT: Another Bill for Women’s Bodies

TLDR: The cost of HRT can be different for everyone, but I can say one thing… it’s more than periods and just another hidden, unfair cost of being a woman.

Women spend decades paying for period products… pads, tampons, cups, you name it. We finally wave goodbye to that monthly expense, only to be handed a new bill: the cost of HRT.

Yes, the government has (finally) scrapped the tax on period products in the UK, but if you had heavy periods you’ll still know the financial weight of all those years.

Then, before you know it, fast forward 30 years: your periods are slowing, they’re less regular, and the signs of perimenopause creep in.

At least there’s a silver lining, right? No more paying for period products.

Or so you thought.

Enter… HRT.

Now, HRT isn’t for everyone. Some women choose to go au naturel and embrace the next stage of life. Others simply can’t, symptoms can be intense, or don’t want to.

I fall into a different category. I went into surgical menopause at 30, so HRT is non-negotiable for me. I need it for my heart, bones and brain, not to mention I’m not ready to face menopause this young.

So, What is the Cost of HRT – Really?

The good news: the UK government offers an HRT certificate, meaning you can access most HRT medications for just £19.80 a year. But there’s a catch: not everything is covered.

Most estrogen and progesterone treatments are included, but testosterone rarely is. To get it, most women need to go private, either because GPs can’t prescribe it in their area, or only will for “low libido.”

For me, testosterone costs the price of a prescription roughly four times a year. I need it too, there are so many benefits of testosterone for women.

My Yearly HRT Bill – The Cost of HRT for ME

• HRT certificate: £19.80
  
• Testosterone: £9.90 × 4 = £39.60
  
• Total: £59.40 per year (£4.95 a month)
  

Comparing the Cost of HRT to Periods…

I had fairly light periods: about 9 tampons a month. With organic brands like TOTM or Flo at £3.20–£4 a box, that worked out at roughly £2.40 per month.

So here’s the sting:

• Periods: £2.40/month
  
• HRT: £4.95/month
  

I genuinely thought ditching periods would save me money. Instead, the cost of being a woman has doubled.

And honestly? It just doesn’t feel fair.

So, What’s the Solution?

The good news is that if you’re in England, you can apply for the HRT Prepayment Certificate (PPC) through the NHS. It’s simple, quick to set up online, and it caps your costs at £19.80 a year for most HRT prescriptions. That means no surprise fees every time you head to the pharmacy.

Testosterone and a few other treatments aren’t included, which is frustrating, but for many women this certificate makes HRT far more affordable and accessible.

If you do feel you need testosterone I suggest you go to your GP first, at the very least request your blood work as that will at least save you doing that privately. If you go to your GP make sure you say low sex drive after menopause is the reason you need it.

Lots of women are then able to take their blood work results to private clincs, or you can upload them on websites such as Superdrug and get testosterone that way, and skip the cost of the private menopause specialist.

If you want to dig deeper into what’s covered, how to talk to your GP about options, and why testosterone often requires going private, I’ve put together a Menopause + HRT Guide. Every penny from downloads goes towards building a women’s health support platform…because the cost of being a woman shouldn’t be this high, and we deserve better.