Change free prescriptions to state pension age?

It has already been changed to retirement age.
I know this because my husband was advised he was no longer eligible for an annual pre payment certificate when his ran out when he was 60 and a couple of months, but I wasn't advised this (I'll be 60 in January), so did a bit of Google digging and it now says it on government site, so that went through very quietly a few months back.

People are up in arms about the removal of the fuel payment, supposedly on behalf of their less well off friends, but perfectly happy to get money from them in the form of prescription charges.

I think there are far bigger and better ways to raise funds than to stop free prescriptions for older people.
Stopping the WFA was more understandable, it is fairly recent, not something governments have seen as a long term allowance, and pensioners on benefits will still qualify.
Billions could be raised by closing loop holes in our tax system that allow tax avoidance, and mansion tax is another way.
Indeed our tax system is outdated and clunky I suggest that a complete overhaul would save the country many billions.

Alexander05

Maybe instead of looking at our prescriptions in England maybe Scotland ought to start paying for theirs along with University charges. It seems a little unfair

Alexander Did you read Granny23's post above, where she says that "When free prescriptions for all were introduced in Scotland, it was discovered that the change was cost neutral as there was no longer a need to fund a whole organisation to check eligibility, issue and monitor season tickets etc." ?

What is the use of a free state NHS, if the medication that is prescribed is then too expensive for a pensioner patient on the official state pension to afford it?

No I don’t agree at all

Elie

If I had to pay for prescriptions for myself and my husband, assuming that is is £11.00 a time, this would cost £44 for me and £77 for my husband. We are both pensioners who just get state pensions, me a full pension, my husband 75% pension. We are just about managing to eat and heat, if we had to pay for prescriptions, we might as well roll over and die.

No one is suggesting you have to pay being as you are already on a state pension. The OP was about 60+ year olds receiving free prescriptions

Absolutely disagree with this. The ´I am all right Jack’ is very fashionable now.
If we want to cut down on spending, how about cutting down paying from royal palaces from the seven we are paying for. Honestly, health of our population is so important. Remember women were expecting to receive a pension from the age of 60.
Maybe the gov could ask you to pay if you wanted, sure it could be arranged but don’t foist that on other people.

I agree, and down the line, more will be spent on sorting out those who havent taken their prescribed meds, or have had to stop them, so its false economy, anyway.

MissAdventure

People are up in arms about the removal of the fuel payment, supposedly on behalf of their less well off friends, but perfectly happy to get money from them in the form of prescription charges.

Incongruity comes to mind.

Agree wholeheartedly.

I'm going to disagree with you all , in the nicest way , I'm guessing you all get state pension ( well most of you ) I'm 63 and was my husband's carer as even,though he is also 63 , he has not been able to work for around 5 years due to his health , in that time he has been on 5 different medications a day . When he was under 60 and paying yes he had a certificate which still cost him money.
We had worked full time up to his illness and rarely had
Holidays to pay off our mortgage asap.
Once he was ill we lived off savings and pip and my carers allowance.
This year I have become ill and need 4 different tablets a day , it is an life-long illness and I also get pip , we use our savings to top up . We survive . If we both had to buy the certificates it would be a struggle and more money off our savings .
We dont get state pension until we are 67 , so 4 more years .
We don't get any more help because we have some savings , we've never drank , never smoked , never really had holidays
because we wanted to pay off a mortgage , which we have but at the detriment to other things .
Maybe if we had drank , smoked holidayed , we'd have no savings so qualify for a lot more benefits , but we didn't , so almost have been penalised for being hard working when younger .
So don't deny me free prescriptions as well .

I’m 62 and work part time so that I can help with child care and elderly parents. Last time I was ill I needed three courses of steroids, an inhaler two courses of antibiotics. This would have been a major expense on top of not being able to work and only getting statutory sick pay. It’s more cost effective to keep my age group on work and paying taxes. We are also invited to do manage related health screenings. Would you like those stopped as well. What about free eye tests? We should be so appreciative that our heskth can be looked after as we age.

Good idea. I think medical exemption should include asthma and HRT.
However I think med exemption should only apply for that condition.
Eg if you're on thyroxine and develop fir example an ear infection you should not be able to claim med exemption gor that.

I don't drink, smoke, or have holidays, and I still have no savings.
My income is spent on essentials, only.

Elegran

Alexander05

Maybe instead of looking at our prescriptions in England maybe Scotland ought to start paying for theirs along with University charges. It seems a little unfair

Alexander Did you read Granny23's post above, where she says that "When free prescriptions for all were introduced in Scotland, it was discovered that the change was cost neutral as there was no longer a need to fund a whole organisation to check eligibility, issue and monitor season tickets etc." ?

What is the use of a free state NHS, if the medication that is prescribed is then too expensive for a pensioner patient on the official state pension to afford it?

When free prescriptions for all were introduced in Scotland, it was discovered that the change was cost neutral as there was no longer a need to fund a whole organisation to check eligibility, issue and monitor season tickets etc." ?

It would be very interesting to know the actual cost of the administration of this monitoring.

And then compare it with the cost of the free prescriptions for all.

Layers of administration do cost money - especially when new departments - together with heads of departments - are set up, possibly even in different buildings which will of course have their own costs.

No. I've had to wait longer for my state pension, free prescriptions is the only benefit I get and one of my meds is a lifelong need.

eazybee

I was surprised to receive free prescriptions at 60 while I was working full time, until 65. At that age I didn't need permanent prescriptions such as statins, just an occasional course of anti-biotics until I hit my seventies.

Exactly so it did not really matter if you had it free because the average person does not have many prescriptions until later in life. If they do, they would probably be exempt anyway due to a life long illness.
I do wonder how old OP is? Probably well over the age of qualifying anyway.

NHS prescriptions are free in Scotland and Wales. How would it work for them? It’s pretty unfair that one group within the UK pay whatever age is decided, given we all pay taxes. I know they have separate governing bodies etc, but it’s still not fair. Don’t get me started on Uni fees. And I’m not looking for handouts, I just think fairness should matter, however naive.

M0nica

Pammiel £2.00 is not much, where there are problems of poverty that should be addressed through benefits, not the NHS

£2 a week keeps getting mentioned but there is not the option to pay £2 a week (or even the more accurate £2.20), you have to stump up the year's cost in one go (£114.50) . For someone balancing every penny that's too big an ask. The same as defenders of TV licences say it's only x amount a day/week when you don't have the option to pay these smaller amounts.

Sasta, I agree,not fair.

The previous government raised this in 2021. It was dropped, for various reasons, depending on whose version you read.

they are taking enough off us oldies, there was no black hole IF they can give the train drivers and doctors huge pay rises,
Labour always bring us to our knees but who wpuld have thought it would be in weeks, dread to think what they can do in years!

There is a difference between free prescriptions (ie free medication) and exemption from the prescription charge.
Lots of younger people, find it difficult to pay for their medication - this shouldn’t be age related.
I don’t see why DH and me have been exempt from prescription charges for over 10 years (for much of which we were both working and earning good money) while my chronically ill daughter has had to keep paying them. Of course we’re hugely grateful to be NHS for providing the free care that keeps her as well as possible (Crohns Disease + multiple autoimmune disease complications) and the annual prescription charge has always seemed a small price to pay.
Just for the record, cancer patients are considered medically exempt and don’t pay prescription charges. I do think the system of medical exemptions does need sorting out to better cover other chronic conditions.

Mrsthingy

It has already been changed to retirement age.
I know this because my husband was advised he was no longer eligible for an annual pre payment certificate when his ran out when he was 60 and a couple of months, but I wasn't advised this (I'll be 60 in January), so did a bit of Google digging and it now says it on government site, so that went through very quietly a few months back.

There was a consultation on this which reported in 2023, But the NHS sites still say clearly that anybody over 60 is exempt from prescription charges.

I do appreciate free prescriptions but I also know of some people who are given paracetamol and other over the counter medications on free prescription which I think is too much. Very difficult to make a judgement on this one.