Prescription charges for over 60s

[herewegogc]

Just found out that there is a government consultation going on about this. The aim is to raise the age for free prescriptions to the state pension age. Ends on 1st September. AIBU to be unhappy that this is being done by stealth? Or have I missed the massive publicity campaign? Fill in the consultation here: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/aligning-the-upper-age-for-nhs-prescription-charge-exemptions-with-the-state-pension-age

@Binnaggy

This is perfectly sensible. People over 60 get so many financial advantages for no good reason. When was the last time you met a 60 year old who wasn’t better off that a 20 year old? I would also scrap free public transport for over 60s.

The age at which you get free public transport depends on where you live.

My SIL (in Kent) got her bus pass at 60 and I believe it's 60 in Greater London. I'm in Sussex, and have to wait till I'm 66 for mine - which will be this Friday!

And it's not all public transport that is free, in most areas it is only buses and trams, where there are trams, plus some train lines in London.

I will only get free bus travel, which as we we only get about 5 buses a day, and only between 11 am and 5.30 pm, is pretty fucking useless, frankly.

herewegogc
Thank you for posting this I was unaware of this happening and it will make a difference to me because I left my job (25yrs) and I am not working at present. I am not claiming any benefits but I am living off my savings so it will make a difference.

The free travel in London is now for 65 and over, not 60, AFAIK.

@bruffin

See this is all well and good, but my DD20 suffers severe asthma, and also needs quite a few prescriptions to keep her alive. She's a student and has not been able to afford to pick up some of thesemedications immediately, having to wait to be paid or asking if I can transfer her some Why doesnt she have a prepay certificate? Max £10 a month

Exactly. I'm always aghast at the I can't afford all these prescriptions.

I've had a ppc for years. £10 a month

Exemptions for conditions needs to be scrapped too. A millionaire with diabetes get free prescriptions for life.

@ittakes2

I can't comment on the over 60s but the UK does have in my opinion some pockets of unnecessary free prescriptions. I have ceoliac's disease and I am therefore eligible for free gluten free biscuits, bread, pasta etc if I want it. Really unhealthy options though like those made from white gluten-free flour and no nutrition (unless its changed since I last looked at the options). I totally get gluten-free bread is more expensive and I completely support the idea of people who can't afford it accessing this service but a) why does the tax payer have to pay for unhealthy biscuits...they are not a necessity and b) it should be means tested c) bread is nice to have but not essential and either are biscuits and pasta etc. I choose not to access my free prescriptions but given the number of eligible coeliacs out there getting loaves of bread, pasta and buscuits each month it must be a hefty bill. Gluten free food is not medicine in my opinion and I think more consideration needs to be given to what is on offer for free via the NHS.

I think gluten free prescriptions changed in the last few years. My husband is not entitled to anything on prescription as an adult with coealiac disease but our child is - limited to bread not additional items. It does help to mitigate the massive costs involved in having two coeliacs in the household.

@itsasin77

When I know of somebody who has never worked a day in her life, has a free home (not council or HA), has her pension, pension credit, private pension, council tax paid for yet is a health hypochondriac and has £100s worth or prescriptions a week, then yes bring this on! It makes me sick the money being wasted on her getting free medication for Made up this, that abs the other for years and years and just gets tablets chucked at her! Even stomach tablets, headache tablets, shampoos, leg shaking etc name it she has a prescription for it. May make the likes of these people think twice if they have to pay for it. She is not financially poor in any way shape or form, and has never paid into the system. So to me, she should pay!!

How does someone who has never worked pay into a private pension?

To those that are thinking of that the 60 -65 should pay . Bear in mind this.
If that goes through without much fuss , then they are likely to look towards child benefit . Perhaps it will be mean tested for the very low paid only . To those saying the 60+ should pay . How would you feel if the over £22k a year , had cb stopped ? Believe me , if prescriptions go through then it will just top the government into looking for other savings . End of NHS dentist , end of sight tests etc.

@Binnaggy

This is perfectly sensible. People over 60 get so many financial advantages for no good reason. When was the last time you met a 60 year old who wasn’t better off that a 20 year old? I would also scrap free public transport for over 60s.

I’m 60+, and far worse off than my children!

From the consultation document
"Changes to the upper age exemption may lead to a number of unintended outcomes including:
-people may not take their prescribed medicines due to cost, with significant effect on other aspects of their lives which may lead to additional costs in, for example, social care
-people may take steps to try and make their medicines last for longer if they had to pay, for example an asthma inhaler might not be used as frequently as advised by the prescriber
-people may not use preventative medication as advised by their health professional, and as part of health screening
-the above may lead to increased hospital admissions, including A&E visits, and GP appointments"

i.e. what you save on prescriptions, you would end up paying (if not more) on other health services. It's being penny wise but pound foolish.

@TalbotAMan

"It is not unfair that the other home nations have more progressive governments, that is simply the choice of the English electorate. England = Tories, sadly for us."

The application of the Barnett formula gives higher public spending per person in the other home nations. The English never seem to get any choice in whether they wish to pay for that.

They get a choice in general elections! If they want the same level of public spending as the other UK nations, they should vote for it.

I wonder if they'd vote differently from general elections if there was an English parliament with devolved powers and Barnett formula spending?

Lakielady
I think it has been changed to 66 here too but doesn’t make any difference to me as there are no buses or trains here. There was a bus once a week and about 40 years ago there was trains stopping. There is a platform and the house was sold to a train driver. We get the occasional steam train going through as well as trains to the city and on the London line.

As someone who has paid for their prescriptions since leaving uni (and am happy to, as I can afford to), I am shocked that 90% of people get them free. But means testing purely for prescription purposes is unlikely to be cost effective. So simple solution is surely to link with other benefit payments. So eg scrap universal under 16s free prescriptions and only provide to those where family gets child benefit or universal credit etc. And probably makes sense to tie in with state pension age at other end. Although that will mean being free for some wealthy pensioners, admin cost of means testing not worth it given prevalence of medication for pensioners. Personally I’d be happy with them being free for all and with higher taxes for eg higher rate taxpayers (which includes me) to pay for them.

@itsasin77

When I know of somebody who has never worked a day in her life, has a free home (not council or HA), has her pension, pension credit, private pension, council tax paid for yet is a health hypochondriac and has £100s worth or prescriptions a week, then yes bring this on! It makes me sick the money being wasted on her getting free medication for Made up this, that abs the other for years and years and just gets tablets chucked at her! Even stomach tablets, headache tablets, shampoos, leg shaking etc name it she has a prescription for it. May make the likes of these people think twice if they have to pay for it. She is not financially poor in any way shape or form, and has never paid into the system. So to me, she should pay!!

if she is not poor how does she get pension credit? is it fraud?

There has always be controversy over the means-test or universal dilemma. It often costs more to means-test than it does to simply do the same for everyone.

I get free prescriptions, but could afford to pay. I have never had the situation where a GP has told me they will not prescribe and I must go to chemist and buy myself.

I think it is entirely reasonable that if there are going to be prescription charges they should continue till retirement, as long as there is provision for those on very low incomes.

@Cuddlyrottweiler

I think everyone should pay the same except children. Why should I pay but a 60yo who earns more than me and someone who's never worked and claims benefits don't.

Why should a child of a millionaire get them free? Why should a diabetic CEO earning millions get them free? Why should a wealthy pregnant woman get them free? Because we live in a country where we (allegedly) look after our younger and older population, not castigate them for being a certain age.

I’d be happy with them being free for all and with higher taxes for eg higher rate taxpayers (which includes me) to pay for them.

Well I wouldn't. People on free prescriptions are already not paying into the system for the most part.

We do. So we already have to pay high NI and tax and then to pay higher taxes to subsidise everyone even more not to pay prescriptions when they pay nothing into the system.
No thanks

@verynearlygotme

My point is that certain health conditions are entitled to every prescription being free, but I have two lifelong conditions that require life saving prescriptions, but I have to buy a pre payment prescription as neither fall into the free category.

I was gobsmacked when my under-active thyroid was diagnosed and my lovely pharmacist told me that I was now entitled to free prescriptions.

The medical conditions that qualify are a bit weird though. There are loads of conditions that require lifelong medication that aren't on the list.

It's called society

Don't you want a nice one , no homeless people camped out in the streets , no child left to die of cancer cause their parents are poor , bin collections, education for all not just the rich

@senua

From the consultation document "Changes to the upper age exemption may lead to a number of unintended outcomes including: -people may not take their prescribed medicines due to cost, with significant effect on other aspects of their lives which may lead to additional costs in, for example, social care -people may take steps to try and make their medicines last for longer if they had to pay, for example an asthma inhaler might not be used as frequently as advised by the prescriber -people may not use preventative medication as advised by their health professional, and as part of health screening -the above may lead to increased hospital admissions, including A&E visits, and GP appointments"

i.e. what you save on prescriptions, you would end up paying (if not more) on other health services. It's being penny wise but pound foolish.

But hey, why should we care about that? After all, it’s only OLD people it’ll affect! Sounds a bit like Boris and his careless opinion early last year about elderly people in care and their deaths being damage limitation.

I work in pharmacy and I think everyone should pay a nominal amount 50p or a £1 per item.
Ask anyone who works in Pharmacy about the disgusting amount of wasted medicine that is returned for disposal, I once had 25k worth of medicine returned from ONE patient after they died
Plenty of people get all the medicine that is on their repeat just because they can, even if they don’t actually need it.

They were talking about changing the London scheme in line with state pension age, but it went quiet. I can't remember why it was shelved, but it has been.

It's London council tax payers who fund the scheme, so perhaps if people in other parts of the country want similar, they could turn it into a local electoral issue?

I’m in Wales so free prescriptions. I’m on thyroxine for life and before the prescription charges were abolished this was exempt anyway but I would have been happy to pay.

Was it not just a year ago or less people were screaming at each other to put their entire lives on hold to save the elderly and stay locked down to save them as the most affected?

Now no one gives a flying fuck if their state pension is cut or they get charged for prescriptions?!

The absolute truth is you wanted lockdowns to suit yourselves so you didn't have to go to work be it furlough or wfh. No one cared about the greater good at all.

I was gobsmacked when my under-active thyroid was diagnosed and my lovely pharmacist told me that I was now entitled to free prescriptions.

Just for the thyroxine presumably?