Change free prescriptions to state pension age?

I agree. Someone on a high salary aged between 60 and 66 should not be receiving free prescriptions. The country can't afford it

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

M0nica

I agree - for all medication, once you start having exceptions it all gets too complicated and every one says their drug is 'special'

If you need a lot of medication you can get a presciption 'season ticket'. £32 for 3 months, £114.50 a year and a special rate for HRT www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/save-money-with-a-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc/

Free prescriptions are also issued for things like stoma supplies, which are hugely expensive and are already monitored and limited. Why would you want to make those peoples’ lives any more difficult than they already are ? Given that stoma of one kind or another is usually a result of cancer or other substantial disability, it mens that those people are already likely to be facing financial challenges. There aren’t that many health conditions which qualify for free prescriptions, but for those that are there’s usually a good reason for it, so let’s not pick on the most vulnerable to shoulder the responsibility of the financial recklessness of others.

I agree that 60 for free prescriptions is unnecessary. Post state pension age yes free.
A free prescription for those on a salary isn't right . As has been stated the 'Season ticket' takes a large burden off those who need regular medication.
And for those who refuse to take up benefits to which they are fully entitled.... well they're very foolish.

I agree, it should align with pension age. I also agree that the real costs should be made known, I am prescribed 2 diabetes meds that have a cost of over £500 a month, On the diabetes forum I see many Americans who would benefit as I do but can't afford it

There will need to be excemptions, though.

I had friends who worked at the prescription pricing office. They said if the price of drugs etc were included on the prescription people would be appalled. Some of these items are extremely expensive and many people are oblivious and take it for granted. So yes, I do agree with moving it to 66 (current pension age). We should be more grateful for what we have and get.

There is also the question of the price of drugs. Some cost pence (a private prescription for simple antibiotics is often cheaper than the NHS fee) and some thousands of pounds.
Most of this is caused by the profiteering of drug companies.

The whole system needs an overhaul, as do many other things in the UK.

But Doodledog the problem with that, as so many people, will tell you, is that some people are poor and will not be able to afford it! It is the same with every change anyone suggests, sooner or later all change is decried because of the 'the poor'

Please do not get me wrong, I understand the problems that poverty can cause. But the solution is not using their poverty to stop any sensible changes in everything from education to taxation that in the long run would help everyone, rather the solution is to design schemes ' the poor', rather than individuals with names and jobs and lives as various as ours to reach a decent standard of living.

I don’t see longevity as the problem. It is the way the pension works that is the problem. Everyone should be paying more, rather than getting less or taking longer to qualify.

A start has been made to include all workers in an additional pension, and that should be extended to all adults who could work if they chose to ie everyone who is able-bodied and not in a necessary caring role. Minimum wage should be high enough to cover payments and allow workers a decent standard of living so nobody can’t afford to pay. That way everyone paying in now will be covered in their retirement. In the meantime custom and practice should be honoured and those who have paid already should be able to retire as expected - it’s not our fault that governments have been short-sighted. They need to find a way to plug any gaps their mismanagement of the scheme has created, not pass the problem onto those who have worked and contributed all our lives.

But healthcare being privitised and child poverty has got nothing to do with the isuue. We are merely talking about people between 60 and retirement age being asked to pay for prescriptions.

If longevity goes down, then of course average time drawing a pension will fall and that will change the problem.

Mt61

“Children have malnutrition”, I think a lot of children are overweight, even obese

That’s going to cause a lot of health problems down the line

“Children have malnutrition”, I think a lot of children are overweight, even obese

@M0nica
I hear what you are saying but I don't think that we can assume that the future generations will be in better health. Right now poverty is rife, children have malnutrition, nobody can see a dentist or doctor as easily as they used to, and obesity is getting worse. Also if all healthcare is privatised those who can't afford it will be in far worse health than today.
Also many people as they get older suffer hereditary health probs like arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.
We can't expect future generations to work until they drop, literally probably, and never enjoy the kind of retirement and free health care that we get.
I wouldn't want to enjoy what I have knowing my grown children won't enjoy the same. Is unfair.

Babs03 Everyone paying prescriptions, regardless of age can buy a prescription 'season ticket' that can cost little more than £2 a week, whether you need 1 medication or 21.

As for the retirement age goingup. When old age pensions were introduced by Lloyd George in 1909, average life expectation after reaching retirement age was about 5 years. Now it is nearer 20 years and for more and more people it is 30 years. The cost of state pensions is becoming prohibitive and as people are now, on average, in far better health at 70 than they used to be at 50 , pension age is going to have to go up.

Now, of course I can see the problems this poses and it may be necessary to introduce a flexible pension age, where people can be medically retired at an earlier age. But there is nosuch thing as a money tree and we have got to find ways to balance paying an adequate pension to old people with hw we can possibly fund it.

Ok, and within a few short years it will be 67, then 68, then....
Is it fair to condemn future generations who have ill health in their old age to cutting down on much needed meds because they can't afford it?
Most of us were lucky enough to retire much earlier, and get free prescriptions from 60. The younger generation sometimes accuses the boomers of not caring about their futures, tbh this would prove them right imho.

Babs03

The current state pensionable age is 65? or 67? If it isn't 67 yet it soon will be and that is pretty late for some older people to wait for free prescriptions, most of us have to take repeat prescriptions before this age.

Its 66

The current state pensionable age is 65? or 67? If it isn't 67 yet it soon will be and that is pretty late for some older people to wait for free prescriptions, most of us have to take repeat prescriptions before this age.

MissAdventure

The government haven't said anything about ending free prescriptions, as far as I know (whichbadmittedly isn't much)

Correct....they haven't

The government haven't said anything about ending free prescriptions, as far as I know (whichbadmittedly isn't much)

Never had free meds, to be honest I’ve never minded paying, as I have pre payment certificate.. but my friends said, I bet as we are turning 60, I bet they knock on the head. I bet a few on here will have had a good run with free prescriptions

Cossy

It’s a difficult one, I’d happily pay for my (I’m 65) but wouldn’t want to be responsible for making the decision for someone else’s !

What excessive demands have the trade unions been making lately? A genuine question.

Granny23

"The alternative for individuals is to move to Scotland (or Wales)".

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. and Pharmacies benefit from having less admin work to do.

In Scotland qualified pharmacists are also able to issue prescriptions themselves for certain urgently required medications eg antihistamines. I do not know if this applies UK wide but it can be a life saver in an emergency.

I've not seen any replies in the thread to this. Plenty of posts from people who don't want to pay extra to help cover the prescriptions of those less well-off than themselves but none for any opinions on paying the wages of those in the "whole organisation to check eligibility, issue and monitor season tickets etc."

It’s a difficult one, I’d happily pay for my (I’m 65) but wouldn’t want to be responsible for making the decision for someone else’s !

JenniferEccles

I would rather this government saved money by not giving in to the excessive demands of trade unions, but of course that’s not going to happen.

Excessive?? Who???