Prescription charges for over 60’s

[salcombebabe]

If you’re 60 or over and don’t agree with having to pay for prescriptions (which Boris wants us to in the very near future!) then please sign this!

I’ve put in AIBU for traffic.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/594390

@Soontobe60

My dh is under 60, , I’m over 60, my dm is mid 80s and her dh is 80. Dh has ongoing prescription for blood pressure, pays for 2 prescriptions every 3 months. I don’t have regular prescriptions, but have had 4 different things this last year for free. Dm and her dh have lots of meds! All feee. Dh earns £1500 a month, I earn (with my pension) £2000 a month. Dm and her dh have a monthly joint income of £4000 a month. The only one of us paying is the lowest earner. That’s not fair.

@Soontobe60 does he have a prepayment certificate?

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions-and-pharmacies/save-money-with-a-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc/

@Glisil

Yabu. If you have the means to pay, you should pay.

Agreed

Or you use the money you save in months 2 & 3 not spending £220 on medicine for 2 people and buy the annual prepays...or burn a grand a year buying them monthly.

@arethereanyleftatall

Well this isn't any going quite as well as op planned.

Perhaps someone should start a petition to agree with means testing prescriptions/rising free to new pension age. Seems like it would get a lot more signatures than this one.

I absolutely agree! I should have put this in my opening post. The government needs to means test prescription charges and a lot of other things that over 60’s get such as the heating allowance. There are a lot of well off pensioners who really don’t need the extra help. However, a lot of over 60’s need this help hence why someone started the petition.

@salcombebabe But a lot of the over 60's don't need free prescriptions in exactly the same way that many pensioners don't need them.

It just seems strange that this Government is actually suggesting something sensible / logical

The cost of means testing everyone would be more than the savings in whatever it was.

@YourenutsmiLord

The cost of means testing everyone would be more than the savings in whatever it was.

Can you source that assumption? Remember that there are many means tested benefits, so the full cost of maintaining that data and access to it is shared.

Has it not occurred to anyone that a number of pensioners need increasing amounts of medication to stay well, or even alive?

And before someone immediately assumes that I don't care about younger people who are in the same position - I do!

The free prescriptions ( or free anything ) should automatically commence when you start collecting your state pension , not before .

@Giggorata

Has it not occurred to anyone that a number of pensioners need increasing amounts of medication to stay well, or even alive?

And before someone immediately assumes that I don't care about younger people who are in the same position - I do!

60 year olds aren't pensioners. A lot of people are living much longer and are healthier for longer. Prescriptions are costing more because of the sheer number of over 60s. Same reason they raised the state pension age. It's just not sustainable as people start living longer.

I expect they will soon change the law re euthanasia, followed by campaigns to encourage oldies to go away and die…
Soylent Green, here we come.

@Giggorata

Has it not occurred to anyone that a number of pensioners need increasing amounts of medication to stay well, or even alive?

And before someone immediately assumes that I don't care about younger people who are in the same position - I do!

Ah well - a whole other can of worms there. There is increasing evidence that many, many, prescriptions, are in fact not needed, not efficacious and in many cases react really badly with each other, actually putting people in hospital! Beware the cure!!

Back to DM, she was always being given prescriptions for things she didn't want, and had no intention of taking. She lived to 92 - died of Covid. Without Covid, I suspect she would have lived until 100.

@Shellingbynight

I was very surprised when I no longer had to pay for prescriptions when I reached 60. I had assumed it would be tied to my 'new' retirement age which is 66 - IMO it should be so I'd welcome that change.

Same. I’m over 60, not employed but happy to pay. May well have to pay private GP anyway if something doesn’t shift soon.

@YourenutsmiLord

The cost of means testing everyone would be more than the savings in whatever it was.

Yes this. I haven't time to find the links now but it's easy to look up. It's been well researched.

The raised retirement age doesn't mean many more over 60s are in work. For a start it's known (and backed by studies) that older people, starting as young as 50, face serious age discrimination from employers. But also particularly with more physically demanding jobs, people are simply not as physically or mentally able to work.

Those raising the retirement age are very well aware of this. But disability and unemployment benefits are cheaper than pensions so...

The past 30 or 40 years has seen a slow but steady erosion of the hard fought for human rights won in the 20th (and late 19th) century.

The problem with prescriptions is the same as with all the other welfare benefits. The income and savings threshold is too low. This change will hit those on the edge of the threshold - the just clinging on - hard. At a time of an increased cost of living crisis.

It's accruel and spiteful policy.

@Giggorata

I expect they will soon change the law re euthanasia, followed by campaigns to encourage oldies to go away and die… Soylent Green, here we come.

Yep.

I'm a strong supporter of legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia. I belong to campaign group, Dignity in Dying. Everyone should have the option, wherever possible of a peaceful, painless, and dignified death.

But - there absolutely would need to be strong safeguards to prevent any kind of coercion - including financial. Pushing older people into destitution is NOT an acceptable policy.

Honestly people need to have a think about the current crusade against smoking and junk foods. Despite the huge tax income derived - particularly from smoking, which is a proven net economic gain, when including lower pension and social care costs.

We have to make our minds up. Either we prize living a long life. Or we don't. What we can't do is castigate people for smoking or eating junk food, because "it shortens your life" - but then complain of them being a 'burden' when they don't die young.

The billionaires, meanwhile, are getting richer.

And apparently we're the world's fifth largest economy.

@Tealightsandd many of the means testing studies are out of date, and / or assume the entire cost of means testing vs the saving - when the reality is that the means testing process exists anyway.

Right now, there’s a quasi-means testing process based on gateway benefits. You can get free prescriptions if you are in receipt of:

Income Support
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
Universal Credit and meet the criteria

So if that is in place for someone who is 59, why does it cost to implement it for someone who is 60?

I do completely agree with your point on long life vs burden though!

I suppose the means testing would at least provide job opportunities for people. (Perhaps some of the age discriminated against over 50s...).

One of the biggest problems with means testing is the too low income and savings threshold. It hits the just about clinging on cohort hard.

We need to raise it (for all ages).

Perhaps also need to look at positive discrimination for over 50s and people with health issues. More part-time and flexible work options too.

That would improve the situation for many 50+ who are able to work (part, if not full time) but face age and disability discrimination from employers.

That said, a poster on another thread I'm on has just pointed how heavily society now relies on older people for unpaid childcare.

There's a solution for that however. Boost the construction industry with a massive social housing build. If people had affordable housing, they could more easily afford paid childcare. Two birds in one stone. Employment for child care professionals, and enabling older people to work (if able).

The number of patients (over 60) that stockpile medications because they don't pay for them. They even admit as much. I see it all the time.
Similar unpopular changes to non means tested benefits should should follow suit IMO. Not everyone has ' paid in all their lives'.