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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Maternity Exemption Prescription Penalty Charge!

119 replies

SmileCheese · 20/01/2020 10:29

On Friday I received a letter for a penalty charge notification for claiming free prescriptions without a valid medical exemption. I submitted the form for exemption due to pregnancy after receiving it at my second midwife appointment (I only remember because it was a different midwife who gave it me and I saw the same midwife for all other appointments).

Apparently you are meant to receive a certificate/letter back after they process the form which you then show to get the free prescriptions/dental care. Clueless me as a FTM had no idea to expect anything back so naturally didn't chase it when no such letter arrived.

I rang the number on the charge letter this morning and the women who answered said it was my own fault for receiving the charge as apparently everyone knows you receiving this letter/certificate. I genuinely had no idea and at no point has anyone ever asked for it when I have collected prescriptions or visited the dentist during my pregnancy or after (my baby is now a month old).

The women on the end of the phone was pretty unhelpful but said she would waive the fine but I'd still have to pay the prescription charge, which I was happy to do and then she dropped the bombshell that any other fines I received for both prescriptions and dental treatment would not be waived and I'd have to pay them in full!

The fine I received was from October and I collected prescriptions every week, sometimes more than once as I had Gestational Diabetes so I'm looking at potentially 3 months worth of fines! Is there anything I can do about this? I feel like I've been let down by the fact no one ever explained I'd get a letter to show and no one ever asked me for it. I'm not sure how I could have known about needing a physical letter.

Each fine is the charge for the prescription and a £90 penalty fee an amount I wont be able to afford should I receive one for every prescription I've collected. Is there anything I can do at all, other than pray I receive no more fines.

OP posts:

Reginabambina · 20/01/2020 10:32

That’s ridiculous (I had no idea, how would I if I’ve never done this before). I would make a complaint and get your MP involved.

cologne4711 · 20/01/2020 10:32

It's fairly easy to prove you were pregnant isn't it? I'd just gather them all up, send them back with proof you were pregnant and tell them to leave you alone.

There's a bit of a clue in the term "gestational diabetes".

I don't know if you have to show something to prove you were pregnant (or a year afterwards) when you collect free prescriptions, but surely the pharmacist would tell you, if so?

Todaythiscouldbe · 20/01/2020 10:35

I think the form you send off tells you to wait for the certificate to come back. It's been a while since I claimed maternity exemption but I have medical exemption and that was not valid until I received the exemption card so I had to pay for a couple of months.

Queenofpi · 20/01/2020 10:38

They used to issue a card, but not any more. Useful for when you've forgotten your card, less useful if you aren't sure when your entitlement begins/ends. I hope you don't get hit with any more fines OP.

TotHappy · 20/01/2020 10:41

But hang on, did she explain why your certificate never had come back? I did know to expect a cert back, but have never been asked to show it this time and only rarely last time. But I have it. Presumably there's a record somewhere on some system that it was issued to me and that's why I don't get fined. So it doesn't sound like your cert just got lost in the post, it sounds like they never issued it. Did she say why? If your form never reached them you need to apply now surely? And maybe ask for it backdated if that is possible?

Original poster

SmileCheese · 20/01/2020 10:42

I think the form you send off tells you to wait for the certificate to come back.

I never actually read the form. The midwife filled it out at the appointment and then put it into an envelope. Once I left the appointment I went to the post office, as I pass it on the walk home and posted it.

I am slightly relieved to see others had no clue you actually received anything back. She made me feel like I was the only one who had never heard that this is what happens.

OP posts:

Justthinkofone · 20/01/2020 10:45

Perhaps try to contact your midwife via gp surgery and get one issued/re-issued/backdated to cover it?
They are valid for 1 year after baby is born too. My letter came thru within a week.
Hope you get some luck.

Original poster

SmileCheese · 20/01/2020 10:45

If your form never reached them you need to apply now surely? And maybe ask for it backdated if that is possible?

She checked on the system and said they had no record of sending me a certificate which indicates the form never reached them. I asked about backdating it and she said it wasn't possible as I had claimed all of the prescriptions fraudulently by ticking the exemption box as you cannot do that without having a certificate.

OP posts:

BabyMoonPie · 20/01/2020 10:50

I'm surprised you were never asked to show the certificate - I was so they could write the number down so that's poor on the part of the pharmacist etc. However, you tick a box saying you have a maternity exemption certificate - did it never strike you that you didn't actually have a certificate? Hopefully the midwife will have a record of having issued the form and you can get the certificate issued now but I expect they'll be able to link the prescription you've already been fined for with all the other ones you've been issued and will issue more fines. I'd try and get the certificate still

Namechanger001 · 20/01/2020 10:52

It can’t be fraud as you can prove you were pregnant. I’d write a letter explaining you didn’t know to expect a card back and that being pregnant you are not acting fraudulently. Pop in a letter from GP or midwife with expected delivery date as proof of pregnancy.

BabyMoonPie · 20/01/2020 10:53

I cross posted with you but I've made the point that may be your downfall - you ticked a box saying you had something you didn't. You need to try and get the midwife to confirm they issued the form

Confrontayshunme · 20/01/2020 10:57

I got one of these as I received a prescription the week between my child's due date and first birthday. All I had to do was send a photo of baby's birth cert showing that I was indeed within the proper time frame. Get a note from your midwife showing your prescriptions were for pregnancy related illness and they will just waive it.

Original poster

SmileCheese · 20/01/2020 10:58

However, you tick a box saying you have a maternity exemption certificate - did it never strike you that you didn't actually have a certificate

As naive as this is going to sound no it didn't strike me that I didn't have the certificate because to my knowledge I had submitted the form and I thought that's all I needed to do. I didn't expect an actual certificate I assumed it would be added to my records that I was exempt. I didn't expect the exemption certificate to be a physical thing.

OP posts:

ItsARaveDave · 20/01/2020 10:58

Regardless as to whether you actually physically had the certificate, you were pregnant and eligible for one so I don't see the issue?

I can't remember during my last pregnancy, but this time the midwife filled out a thing on her computer and I received it instantly via email. So much more efficient. But neither time have I ever been asked to show it.

catlady3 · 20/01/2020 11:07

There was a story in the news recently about someone who got fined because they ticked a wrong box. They were on universal credit, and there's no box for universal credit, I think they ticked something else and wrote down "universal credit". They challenged the fine because it's obviously something wrong with the form and it was dropped. Based on that (and a pinch of optimism), I don't think they'll fine you as long as you take action now and try to get this sorted. You can get the exemption via your GP as well, I did. Maybe ask them or the midwife to write a letter on your behalf. I'm sure this will get sorted OP, the reason for the exemption is that they want you to be able to be as healthy as possible for your baby, so fining you like that would be complete lunacy.

Original poster

SmileCheese · 20/01/2020 11:12

Get a note from your midwife showing your prescriptions were for pregnancy related illness and they will just waive it

That's not at all similar to what this women said to me she made it sound as if I had no choice in them waiving the prescription charge and as my DS was crying at this point I have paid the £18 prescription charge, which I doubt they will now refund.

I will nip into the doctors today to see about getting a new form to send off and hopefully I can talk to my midwife if she is in, but I'm not sure there is much I can do other than send a copy of my DS's birth certificate to prove I was entitled.

OP posts:

Todaythiscouldbe · 20/01/2020 11:14

You wont necessarily hear anything about any previous or subsequent prescriptions, not all of them are checked, just a sample. Get the certificate sorted out now and chances are you'll be ok.

Theworldisfullofgs · 20/01/2020 11:15

Write to your MP. Then complain and copy your MP into the letter.

misspiggy19 · 20/01/2020 11:18

The certificate is only valid from when the certificate was issue. Not the start of your pregnancy.

Cryingoverspilttea · 20/01/2020 11:18

That's bollocks, sorry. They back-date maternity exemption certs from confirmation of pregnancy. So either she's full of shit, or you are.

Original poster

SmileCheese · 20/01/2020 11:22

So either she's full of shit, or you are

I'm not sure if you are implying I'm making this up, not sure what I would have to gain in doing so its hardly the most exciting of topics but I'll gladly take a picture of the fine if you need proof.

I just wanted to know if anyone else had found themselves in a similar situation and whether or not they could indeed uphold the fines as I had not got the exemption certificate needed to claim the prescriptions.

OP posts:

greenlobster · 20/01/2020 11:24

Apply for a certificate now. You should be able to get it backdated for a month, which iirc does indeed cover you if you get a fine from that period.

We got hit with prescription fines for a 6 month period for my dd last year. She was potentially exempt from prescription charges in 3 different ways but due to an odd loophole (only affecting 20 year olds in full time education at SEN school/college whose parent is claiming both child tax credits and income support) I had been advised she was already exempted and didn't need to apply. We 'only' got fines for one prescription per month (there had been many more!). Had the dreaded letter at monthly intervals for several months. Our pharmacist was really helpful in explaining how best to get her exemption sorted as soon as possible - ended up buying a backdated prepayment certificate until we could get a medical exemption sorted.

Original poster

SmileCheese · 20/01/2020 11:25

The certificate is only valid from when the certificate was issue. Not the start of your pregnancy.

Sorry I missed this post, does that mean I'm basically fucked if they don't agreed to backdate it and they issue any more fines as the certificate wont have been issued for the time period I claimed the prescriptions/dental care?

OP posts:

Nicketynac · 20/01/2020 11:29

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2019/oct/30/no-justice-nhs-prescription-charge-fine
The Guardian has reported on these fines a few times in the past year. Not sure if any of the articles have helpful advice but worth googling

firsttimemummyd · 20/01/2020 11:35

My midwife sent my form away I didn't have to complete anything. But I paid for my prescriptions until receiving my certificate, you are not entitled to the certificate from the beginning of pregnancy, I believe it's from 16 or 20 weeks. However, I could be wrong with that. I am asthmatic and had to pay until I received the certificate but my midwife explained this to me.

I would definitely contact the midwife that dealt with you. Surely common sense should prevail as you were obviously pregnant and entitled. You were carrying your first baby and dealing with GD it is very unfair for them to penalise you. It is not like you actually lied.

Good luck, I hope you get this sorted. These things are sent to try us but I definitely think you should fight this and not just pay the charges. It has been an oversight on your part but the system has also failed you.

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