Full list of benefits that qualify for free or cheap NHS prescriptions including Universal Credit as costs set to rise
THE cost of a prescription is rising in just weeks, but you can save cash if you are on certain benefits.
The current price of a single prescription is £9.35 but it’s going up to £9.65 from April 1.
The government had frozen the rate last year as energy bills and food costs soared.
Despite the 30p rise this year, there are ways to save money on prescriptions, and in some cases get them for free.
You can get free prescriptions if you or your partner are claiming certain benefits, or if you’re aged under 20 and dependent on someone claiming certain benefits, including:
- income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Universal Credit and meet the criteria
It’s worth noting that you won’t always be eligible for free prescriptions if you are on Universal Credit as it depends on your income.
You can also get free prescriptions if you are entitled to an NHS tax credit exemption certificate.
You qualify for one of these if you receive child tax credits or working tax credits (including a disability or severe disability element).
You also need to have an income of less than £15,276 a year.
If you want to figure out if you’re eligible for a certificate, you can the government’s eligibility checker.
You can use the same checker to see if you’re entitled to free prescriptions and other free health-related support, such as free glasses and sight tests or dental treatment.
Who else can get free prescriptions?
If you live in England you can also get free prescriptions if you’re in one of the following groups:
- You’re aged 60 or over
- You’re aged under 16 or are 17 or 18 and in full-time education
- You’re pregnant or had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate
- You have a specific medical condition and have valid medical exemption card
- You have a continuing physical disability that prevents you going out without help from another person and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
- You hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
- You are an NHS inpatient
Medical conditions for which you can get a medical exemption card include cancer and epilepsy.
Others include hypoparathyroidism, Addison’s disease and myasthenia gravis.
You can find the full list on the NHS’ website.
How else can I get money off my prescription?
You can get further discounts off your prescriptions by buying a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC).
It’s essentially a season ticket which you pay for once and you can use to cover any prescriptions you need for one year.
You can also get them to cover three months.
A one year PPC costs £108.10 while a three month PPC will set you back £30.25.
You can buy them on the NHS Business Services Authority’s website or via a registered pharmacy.
The point at which you start saving money with the three month PPC is after buying four or more prescriptions.
With the one year PPC you start making savings after 12 or more purchases.
So if you need a lot of prescriptions every year, a PPC can definitely be worth your time.
It comes after Martin Lewis warned over 1million people in England lost money in the 12 months to April 2022 because they bought prescriptions individually.
Plus, if you don’t qualify for free prescriptions through the above schemes, you might be able to get help if you are on a low income through the NHS low income scheme.
But how much you get depends on your income and circumstances, including your outgoings and any savings you have.
If you’ve already had to pay for prescriptions or other treatment costs and think you qualify for this help you might be able to claim a refund when you apply.
You can find out more about the scheme on the NHS Business Services Authority’s website.