Key Summary
- The total number of community pharmacies in England has fallen below the critical 10,000 threshold, reaching just 9,944 in March 2026.
- The "Large" category has plummeted from 5,220 units in 2021 to just 3,179 in 2026—a loss of over 2,000 locations in five years.
- Conversely, small pharmacies have grown to 5,050 units, now representing the largest segment of the market as independents pick up contracts exited by major chains.
The total number of community pharmacies in England has fallen below the critical 10,000 threshold for the first time in decades. For patients, it means longer travel to get their essential medicines.
New data reveals that as of March 2026, only 9,944 pharmacies remain active - meaning the sector has now shed 2,005 locations, a 17 percent decrease, since its 2015 peak of 11,949 pharmacies.
Even those who have kept their doors open are struggling. Two surveys last year by the National Pharmacy Association and Community Pharmacy England had found that nearly half of pharmacy owners had been forced to remortgage their homes or raid personal savings to subsidise the cost of medicines for patients, with services being put at risk.
The steepest decline has been in large-scale pharmacy chains (those with more than 100 outlets) and they are driving this overall shrinkage of the pharmacy market.
In Jan 2021, there were 5,220 large pharmacies. By March 26, that number has plummeted to 3,179. This is a massive reduction of 2,041 units in just five years.
This likely reflects the significant divestments and closures we've seen from major players like Boots, and the former Lloyds Pharmacy and Jhoots Pharmacy.
This volatility was further evidenced in December 2025, when Allied Pharmacies announced the acquisition of 68 additional Jhoots sites, following an earlier purchase of 61 branches.
Funding cuts
One of the prime reasons for the crisis is over a decade-long underfunding of pharmacies.
Many pharmacists even now recall the infamous open letter from then chief pharmaceutical officer Keith Ridge, on 17 December, 2015, announcing the first cut in funding. Things only got worse ever since.
The government had in February confirmed that the current funding in real terms is 26 percent less than what it was a decade ago. Pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock, in a written reply to Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, said the funding for community pharmacies is £800 million less in real-terms today than it was in 2015/16.
Though the 2025 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) funding marked the first increase in a decade, the NHS’ independent analysis had revealed that there was still a shortfall of £2.6 billion.
The recent increase in business rates and rise in minimum wages have added to the strain of pharmacies.
The current CPCF talks are in progress and pharmacy leaders hope it would help stabilise the sector.
Deprived areas hit
The problem of pharmacy closures is acute in deprived areas. A recent NHS data reveals that three quarters of the top 50 areas for closures in the country has high levels of deprivation.
Liverpool leads the country in closures, followed by York, Blackpool, Wakefield, Coventry, and Kingston upon Hull since October 2022.
West Berkshire is now the worst-served area, with the fewest pharmacies per person,
Recently, the Devon council had discussed the impact of "temporary" closures of local pharmacies on the local populations.
The contraction isn't just about total numbers; it’s also about how care is delivered.
Data shows a significant decline in 100-hour pharmacies, with 308 such sites disappearing since 2021.
Conversely, Distance Selling Pharmacies (DSPs) are on the rise, adding 75 units in the same period.
Small pharmacies hold fort
While the total market is shrinking, small pharmacies (1-5 branches) are growing. Small pharmacies now hold a 50.8 percent market share.
Medium-scale pharmacies (6-99 outlets) hold 17.2 percent, and large-scale pharmacies hold 32 percent of the market share.
In Jan 2021, there were 4,024 small pharmacies. By Mar 2026, this rose to 5,050. They now represent the largest segment of the market, overtaking large multiples.
This suggests that as big chains exit, many of those contracts are being picked up by independent owners, many of whom happen to be first-time buyers.
Medium-sized groups have shown a marginal rise, but they too face volatility. They grew from 1,593 (Jan 2021) to 1,837 (Jan 2025), but shrank again to 1,715 (Mar 2026).
While they are slightly higher from 2021, they haven't seen the sustained growth, possibly due to higher overheads compared to single-unit independents.
A Christie & Co report in March regarding the pharmacy outlet sales in South West of England and South Wales showed that most pharmacies are being bought by first-time buyers.
