Emergency contraception could be available over the counter from New Year's Day, the Department of Health has said.
A DoH spokesman confirmed the morning after pill would be available sold without prescription for the first time after 1 January 2001. Health Secretary Alan Milburn will push the controversial move by laying an order in Parliament on Monday.
The decision, aimed at curbing the number of unwanted pregnancies, is expected to anger religious and pro-family campaigners. Britain has a higher rate of unwanted pregnancies than many other countries in Europe. But anti-abortion groups and family groups say that making morning-after contraception more easily available may encourage younger people to have unprotected sex.

'Moral and health issues'
This view was echoed by shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe, who told BBC One's Breakfast With Frost programme that the decision raised both moral and health, issues.
Mr Milburn will make the drug available over the chemist counter to women over the age of 16, the Independent on Sunday newspaper reports. However, women hoping to find the pill in store on 1 January 2001 are likely to be disappointed, the paper says. Pharmacists warn the pills, expected to cost £20, may not be generally available until the following month.
Dr Jenny Tong, Liberal Democrat MP for London's Richmond Park, said: "This is excellent news and long overdue.
"As a family planning doctor for over 20 years before I came in to Parliament I have campaigned long and hard for women to be able to control their fertility in this safe and effective way.
"It is not an abortion. It is very safe, and I hope it will prevent many unplanned pregnancies in the future."
A spokeswoman for FPA, formerly the Family Planning Association, said: "Increasing access to emergency contraception is important as it recognises that no one method of contraception is 100% reliable.
"Emergency contraception has a vital role to play, either when contraception has failed or after unprotected sexual intercourse. "FPA believes that increasing access to emergency contraception through trained pharmacists will help prevent unplanned pregnancies and reduce the number of abortions."
'Alarmed and appalled'
But Ms Widdecombe said: "It doesn't at all fit in with my moral views as to what should happen.
"There are very big questions health-wise as to whether it will encourage even more teenage sexual activity, as to whether it will encourage people into unprotected sexual activity.
"When the pilot schemes were on we found women actually preferring to travel to the pilots rather than to consult their own doctors.
"It must always be in a woman's interest to consult her own doctor."
Shadow health secretary Dr Liam Fox said he was "alarmed and appalled" by the decision.
"Making the morning-after pill available to all girls over 16 in this way sends the wrong message about the need for responsible sexual activity," he said. "It can only increase the risk of worsening the current epidemic of sexually transmitted disease."