Helping the government save money

[Samdelila]

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

I am dedicated to cutting waste in the council budget.

They’re not going to leave on the back of a £120 pre payment certificate. I actually agree that we should try and retain wealth creators in this country. I’m not suggesting they should pay more than average earners for their medication.

Define 'ourselves'? Because you seem very keen on the idea of the needy being squeezed further.

Stop paying for train, bus, taxi fares for biological parents to see their children who have gone into foster care. Expect biological parents to contribute financially if children in foster care.

Ourselves = British people.

It's not really all.about the money though. It gets said repeatedly that it isn't but yet that's all that people see.

Personally I'd like to see the universal income that was trialed come in. Every household gets that and they can either live on that or work on top for more coin. No other types of benefits available. If you're pure minted you can opt out.

Stops the almighty taxpayer feeling hard done too.

Who are British people - just to be clear?

I'd be interested to know your definition of this too, OP.

Trouble is that UBI wouldn't be the only benefit people receive. There'd still be "top ups" for disabilities, rent subsidies, council tax reductions, free prescriptions, etc for certain groups of people under certain criteria. So we'd be back to where we are today.

The tax rates to pay for it would also be ridiculously high, creating a disincentive for people to work as they'd probably "take home" less than half the wage, and of course, also lose out due to commuting costs, work clothing, etc.

I think bank interest should be means tested and only paid to those who need it.

It doesn't have to be like that though. How did the trial I wonder, the 2 years are up now surely.

Universal basic income is massively expensive and would see tax hikes. It would also mean those who cannot work would be on the lowest amount with no additional help. There’s good reasons that no major economies have adopted the process.

government has moved further and further away from universal benefits and more towards means testing and targeting benefits and I can only see that increasing.

So you are discouraging anyone to save money for emergencies or redundancies or illness. We really should be encouraging people to self reliant and having money in the bank to get you out of life’s difficulties is a good thing (investing in stock market is long term and risky short term)

People who live in Britain.

I was thinking of people who live in Britain, is that a problem?

Regardless of how that money was earned? So if people save for ages and deposit then no interest? What about charities with bank accounts? No interest for them either?

I have a stoma, which qualifies me for free prescriptions. Of my own volition I pay for anything not connected with the stoma supplies because it doesn’t seem fair to claim for meds not directly as a result of my condition. But I would just like to ask the OP where they would draw the line at means testing, given that if I had to pay for my stoma supplies, at current per item rates on the NHS, I would be paying in excess of £500 per month. How much is too much ?

It would save money in administration as well. No need to have people screening eligibility.

For someone in your position there should be a minimal charge similar to the pre payment certificate set at an affordable rate for all eg £120 a year.

It is ludicrous. I helped my grandmother with her online prescription last month. Amongst about 11 medications, she throws ibuprofen and paracetamol in her basket every month. Not because she has any sort of chronic pain condition, but just because she can.

They would cost literally pence for her as an individual. But for the taxpayer, multiple pensioners billing basic and cheap medications to us every month stacks up.

Even with a chronic pain condition, I think anyone with the means to do so (essentially anyone but the homeless) should pay for their own cheap painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen. Generous free prescriptions are another bribe for pensioners as a voting block.

It was 2 1/2 grand a month. More than what UC is now. People don't mind tax hikes if they're getting something back.

It's like when you're going around a crowd with a collecting tin for charity. I found I got a lot more coin from people when they were offered a padded smiley face sticker than from when I was just basically going up to people asking for money.

It'll stop the whining about benefit scroungers. People who choose to live off it can't moan they can't get any more or other perks and those who don't, can't whinge when they're getting the same but choose to work on top.

Save some whinging anyway.

Agree with all of the above.

No, not at all. Just checking.

Or people like me - I rent (SH) at £900 per month for a flat. I don’t claim means tested benegits, but I need 17 forms of medication a day.

What do I sell?🤷‍♀️

A pre payment certificate costs £120 a year. You can pay it in installments.