The girlies have gathered together, we’ve compared notes, we’ve swapped stories, and we’ve come to the conclusion that 2025 so far has been a total flop.
From the manosphere going mainstream to Donald Trump – the first US president to be found civilly liable for sexual abuse – starting his second term in the White House, we’re catching a lot of strays at the minute, so any wins that come our way need to be celebrated.
And this one is kind of a biggie.
From today, October 29, 2025, you’ll be to get emergency contraception completely free of charge from your local pharmacy in England.
Previously, you had to visit your GP or a sexual health clinic to obtain the morning after pill for free, while if you went to the pharmacy, you’d be paying up to £30.
According to Health Minister Stephen Kinnock, many have had limited access to effective contraception due to an ‘unfair postcode lottery,’ but thanks to this move, all women can receive this essential healthcare, ‘regardless of where they live or their ability to pay.’
He told Metro: ‘There is a big piece here which is about enabling women to be in control.
‘They may well have used contraception that didn’t work, anything that relates to an unwanted pregnancy. It enables them to have that choice and to take that decision.
‘To be able to do that in a far more community-based and trust-based environment, coming in to chat with their local community pharmacist -that is a really important part of this government’s commitment to women’s health.’
Janet Morrison, chief executive of community pharmacy England, tells Metro: ‘Providing emergency contraception through community pharmacies is a fantastic move for widening access and convenience for patients across the country.
‘Allowing regular supply of oral contraception from pharmacies has been well received, so building on this to now include emergency contraception is a natural step.’
When news that this initiative would be rolling out across the UK was first announced back in March, hundreds of women shared their approval on social media.
Dr Olu, a TikTok creator, said it was ‘about bloody time’ and that ‘the government had done something right for once!’
Emphasising the importance of this, X user SamanthaSRH wrote: ‘This is not just policy. It is a big step for choice, fairness and ending postcode lotteries in reproductive healthcare.’
Any update on male contraceptives?
A lot of the time, it feels like the responsibility for not getting pregnant lies solely with women – when there’s (usually) two people involved in sex.
Chat about male contraceptives has been growing in recent years, with research into options like a pill that pauses sperm production looking promising.
In our interview, Stephen Kinnock said he and the government ‘fully support these innovations’, calling balanced relationships a ‘really important part of our equality agenda’.
He said: ‘If there is research and development and innovation in the field of contraception, that can only be a good thing.
‘It’s also right in terms of the cause of equality that we all believe in, that both sides of the relationship take responsibility for what is a really important part of that relationship. It shouldn’t just all be the responsibility of the woman.’
How accessible is emergency contraception in other parts of the world?
Access to the morning after pill differs dramatically depending on where you are in the world.
In February 2024, the annual European Contraception Policy Atlas report found that the four best performing countries are Luxembourg, the UK, France and Belgium.
The report doesn’t focus specifically on emergency contraception – rather it gives countries a percentage score based on access to supplies, access to counselling options, and the information available for citizens.
The UK received a score of 94.1%.
Which countries in Europe have the worst access to contraception?
- Poland – 33.5%
- Hungary – 40.00%
- Armenia – 40.70%
- Cyprus – 42.1%
- Turkey – 42.2%
- Russia – 42.8%
Outside of Europe, the United States has definitely become one of the most difficult places to access effective reproductive healthcare.
Abortion is currently banned in 11 states – with either no or limited exceptions. A number of other states also enforce extremely restrictive policies regarding at what point in the gestation period an abortion is permitted.
That being said, as of right now, the contraceptive pill is still available in all 50 states.
Some US retailers such as Target and Walmart did start limiting and scaling back on stock following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, but the medication is still accessible.
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In slightly lighter news however, residents of Japan recently scored a massive win when over-the-counter emergency contraception was finally introduced – giving women the ability to access the morning after pill without needing a prescription.
ASKA Pharmaceutical, driving this crucial change forward, stated this was a ‘significant step is being taken to empower Japanese women in the area of reproductive health.’
Wherever you are in the world, access to emergency contraception isn’t just about where you can locate it, but also whether or not it’s going to break the bank.
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This move from NHS England will have an incredibly positive impact on thousands of women, and it’s a decision we should take time out of our day to celebrate.
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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
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