What should be free but isn't

[mummyrabbitpeppapig]

I'll start. Sanitary protection and condoms.

Yeah saucy especially now that it was in the tory manifesto to insist that people will only be allowed to vote with a valid passport/drivers license!

Voting should DEFINITELY be free.

sauceyorange

At the very least they should be free if you live abroad.

Maybe look at the things that SHOULDN'T be free - like bus passes, TV licences and winter fuel allowances for well-off pensioners. Are these all still happening? - pretty sure the bus passes and TV licences are, anyway.

Asthma inhalers seeing you can't breath without them and any such similar medicines.

A system whereby you get a ticket and get it validated in the department you are visiting would be a simple solution.

Supermarkets seem to manage this easily enough.

Water is free in the UK. You pay for the treatment and distribution system.

Where I live it's free as we have our own well, but it's not treated.

I agree, Pemba, but then if pensioners didn't have bus passes then many rural routes would cease to operate for lack of customers. The winter fuel allowance is ridiculous, however. The pil used to go to Debenhams with theirs to buy a new Royal Doulton figurine every year . Otoh I suppose they were keeping the economy going...

Another point on the free water: pioneers in 19th century US died in droves from cholera from infected water. People washed etc in nice clean water, so they thought, only other people up-river were washing in nice clean water, so they thought, whilst other people further up-river - etc etc etc.

Local government was in part founded on sanitation. I will conceded that the privatisation of water companies was not good, but in modern society we cannot expect free water and sewerage.

Fruit and Vegetables

The minor ailments scheme is not available in all areas. Plus the cost to the NHS is far greater than the medication costs as the NHS is charged a dispensing fee. So a 50 p pack of paracetamol costs the NHS far more.
In our area there is a long list of items that they will no longer prescribe including thrush treatments, antihistamine, treatments for piles, and emollient and soap substitutes in most cases. I really fell foul to the latter as my skin condition isn't weeping eczema so I have to buy it in addition to my prepayment certificate.
I do find it odd that done illness get you free prescriptions and others don't.
I am happy to pay for prescriptions and the required moisturizer for my skin condition but the bath shower substitute is expensive on top of a prepayment. At least they prescribe the strong steroids I need for it.

Sorry if it's already been mentioned, without a doubt I think CF medication should be free but don't worry too much about cost as there is the prescription scheme when if you pay £100 a year you get unlimited prescriptions

Ditto asthma inhalers, I would quite likely die without mine and I need 3! They cost a bloody fortune!

But then when some inhalers cost £50 or more to the NHS £10 for an "unlimited" amount of prescriptions a month doesn't seem to bad.

Fruit and veg are free if you grow your own!

I think that low income families get a rougher deal when it comes to 'freebies'

As an example. I'm a single parent and am only £20 per week better off working than if I were on benefits. At my dc school they are required to learn an instrument. I have to pay £45 per term for this each child, whereas if I were unemployed they would be eligible for a bursary, Which covers the whole cost. Same with school trips. There's an Italy trip which I can't afford, but half the kids going are getting it paid for as their parents don't work. I don't begrudge their children having the opportunities that they wouldn't otherwise have but feel sad as I work really hard for minimum wage and my dc miss out.

But the £10 is only good when you have that £10.
you have families out there that struggle to find the money for the no frills rubbish ( I found them to be a false economy and went through more than dearer ones) sanitary pads.

mandate I just think it's nuts that id isn't free

I get free prescriptions because of a long term condition. If I didn't take my medication, I would very soon end up in hospital costing the NHS a lot more money.
Surely in terms of paracetamol and similar, the solution is to take them off NHS prescriptions except in exceptional circumstances.

£10 a month adds up if a number of people in your family need this. In our family if we had to pay, it would be £30 a month.

FREE childcare from 9 months!
I'd love to go back to work full time but cant justify it as the money I would make would cover nursery fees. The money I make now over 2 days does but I don't feel as guilty because ds spends SOME time with someone else other than me.

Wi-Fi on trains.

Depending on the company there's already free wifi. Usually you have to book direct not with 3rd party companies.

I personally think everyone should be forced to work 40 hours a week for no pay and the govt will deliver a box of healthy food and goods based on average needs and healthy calorie count.
Everyone contributes and receives equally, no complaints can be made.

My prepaid prescription certificate is £104 per year, which works out at £2 per week. Frankly a bargain.

Apologies if it has been said earlier and i've missed it but sometimes there is a reason to prescribe paracetamol. People that use the max dose everyday such as those with osteoarthritis would have to visit a pharmacist every few days if they had to buy OTC because of the rules restricting the sale of lots of tablets (which have helped reduce suicide) so those people have to get a prescription to get them. Also some hayfever medicines are prescription only because they are stronger than the standard. IMO there should be a separate prescription system where a doctor can authorise you getting a potentially dangerous medication but the patient still has to pay - so the doctor could authorise MRs Jones having a months worth of paracetamol for her painful hip but she pays the £1 its going to cost.

When I say pay for GP apps I mean people that can afford to.

My tax / ni bill is £900+ a month. Im already paying for the nhs.

So working tax paying people have to pay twice to subsidise everyone else.

As for nappies, school uniforms, et free, you had a kid if you dont want to pay for its upkeep dont have any.