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Original poster

Helping the government save money

467 replies

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 18:49

I think free prescriptions for people with certain conditions should be means tested. What else could the government cut to save money?

OP posts:
ZookeeperSE · 23/01/2026 19:37

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:17

That’s what she says.

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Do you understand the fundamental reasoning behind Beveridge’s opposition to means testing?

Nothing has changed since he wrote his report.

If you ultimately want to demolish the welfare state, then means testing everything is a great place to start.

Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:37

WMW · 23/01/2026 19:35

Oh good, tell that to my husband who has to take epilepsy medication to keep him alive.

You don't work? You get stuff for free. You work? PAY!!

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I see what you mean, but this country needs to make savings and giving stuff to people who don’t need it isn’t helping to solve that problem.

OP posts:
Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:35

bunnylegs · 23/01/2026 19:28

Well she isn’t wrong.

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But we can’t afford to give freebies to people who have a lot of money.

OP posts:
WMW · 23/01/2026 19:35

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:29

Anyone with a medical exemption certificate. Free prescriptions for over 60s is insane too.

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Oh good, tell that to my husband who has to take epilepsy medication to keep him alive.

You don't work? You get stuff for free. You work? PAY!!

Boudy · 23/01/2026 19:34

Also..not throwing away unused vials of controlled drugs.that are .well within date..when patient has died or does not require them anymore. Am sure people will say it is because there is risk of contamination/ tampering with but there must be a way to check.

Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:34

bunnylegs · 23/01/2026 19:29

Except lots of people on benefits are not on the breadline and lots of people who earn just above the threshold are.

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Well that needs to be addressed too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:33

JoshLymanSwagger · 23/01/2026 19:30

You sound quite jealous.
Which would you rather, her wealth or her health conditions?

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What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:32

bathsmat · 23/01/2026 19:31

@taxguru so just income, what about wealth. People can have millions in property but not 100k income.

It has to be income, you can’t pay a bill with property.

OP posts:
Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:31

Egglio · 23/01/2026 19:28

But those people can claim free prescriptions?

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Yes. But others don’t need it. We don’t need to means test to identify them.

OP posts:
bathsmat · 23/01/2026 19:31

@taxguru so just income, what about wealth. People can have millions in property but not 100k income.

JoshLymanSwagger · 23/01/2026 19:30

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:09

I know someone who earns more than £200,000 who has diabetes type 2 and gets all her prescriptions for free, so people like her basically.

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You sound quite jealous.
Which would you rather, her wealth or her health conditions?

Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:29

WMW · 23/01/2026 19:11

What other conditions, OP?

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Anyone with a medical exemption certificate. Free prescriptions for over 60s is insane too.

OP posts:
bunnylegs · 23/01/2026 19:29

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:23

We already know who hasn’t got enough money to live on - the people claiming benefits!

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Except lots of people on benefits are not on the breadline and lots of people who earn just above the threshold are.

bathsmat · 23/01/2026 19:28

frozendaisy · 23/01/2026 19:01

Easier to just raise the age to 67

Why not raise it to pension age

bunnylegs · 23/01/2026 19:28

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:17

That’s what she says.

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Well she isn’t wrong.

Egglio · 23/01/2026 19:28

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:23

We already know who hasn’t got enough money to live on - the people claiming benefits!

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But those people can claim free prescriptions?

OneZanyPoet · 23/01/2026 19:27

The best way to save the NHS money is for people to stop smoking and drinking and lose weight. You can start taking people’s free insulin away once you put down the sausage rolls.

Egglio · 23/01/2026 19:27

Boudy · 23/01/2026 19:26

House of Lords. Happy to be corrected but think around £250-£350 a day for each person if they 'sign in'. Get rid of subsidised food/ drink in HOP etc. Review Mp's expenses.....for starters.

Yes this would definitely be my choice over someone with one of the listed health conditions.

OswaldCobblepot · 23/01/2026 19:26

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:20

If we can’t claw back unneeded freebies from someone on £200,000 then we’re never going to save money in this country.

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It's hardly a freebie. His/her tax bill will be eye-watering.

Boudy · 23/01/2026 19:26

House of Lords. Happy to be corrected but think around £250-£350 a day for each person if they 'sign in'. Get rid of subsidised food/ drink in HOP etc. Review Mp's expenses.....for starters.

taxguru · 23/01/2026 19:25

itsthetea · 23/01/2026 19:20

So would you be happy to pay more for prescriptions to cover the cost of means testing ?

There is already a potentially expensive system in operation for those qualifying for free prescriptions which includes periodically having to re-apply which involves a GP confirming the qualifying diagnosis, then all the admin within the local trust, issuing free prescription cards, maintaining the database, etc.

Strip that away and link it to tax records, as already happens with the £60k and £100k thresholds. After all, those with very high incomes are already either known to HMRC via PAYE or via self assessment tax returns, so it could be a quick and efficient way to grant exemptions. After all, they use that system for the child benefit clawback, the personal allowance withdrawal and loss of free childcare, so there's a precedent and systems in place already which could be extended to the issue of free prescription cards.

Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:23

itsthetea · 23/01/2026 19:20

So would you be happy to pay more for prescriptions to cover the cost of means testing ?

We already know who hasn’t got enough money to live on - the people claiming benefits!

OP posts:
taxguru · 23/01/2026 19:21

rwalker · 23/01/2026 19:02

The Free prescription for certain conditions is a ridiculous system
by all means the medication relevant to the condition should be free
but they get every prescription for unrelated conditions free as well charge them

I think that's the killer really. Fair enough that, say, Diabetes drugs are prescribed free of charge, but why does that also apply to other things that the person was on before Diabetes diagnosis that they previously paid for? Why should it apply to completely unrelated drugs for unrelated conditions?

Dragonscaledaisy · 23/01/2026 19:21

Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:20

If we can’t claw back unneeded freebies from someone on £200,000 then we’re never going to save money in this country.

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How about we expect those not contributing enough to step up and put more in the pot.

Original poster
Samdelila · 23/01/2026 19:20

rwalker · 23/01/2026 19:11

i don’t begrudge the relevant medication free who contributes over 76k into the public purse more than most of us earn

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If we can’t claw back unneeded freebies from someone on £200,000 then we’re never going to save money in this country.

OP posts:
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