Hi everyone, I had a letter today asking me to prove my eligibility for free prescriptions. This letter came from the NHS and was quite formal, accusing me of fraud. I always believed that as I claim ESA and PIP that I would get free prescriptions. Also with having fibro which is a chronic condition that in itself allows me to get free prescriptions. I have three items each month that would cost me over £25.
How do other people get on with prescription charges and am I right in my thinking. I have to send the NHS proof that I can get free prescriptions otherwise I have to pay a large fine.
Thanks for your opinions.
David
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Golfer15
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If you are on ESA income related you are entitled to free prescriptions and some dental treatment as well as free sight test and will get help with cost of glasses.
ESA contribution based entitles you to none of these
You can apply to pay so much for 3 6 or 12 months
o their is the HC1 form for low income but they take your partners income into consideration .
Hi Golfer15, I would assume if your getting ESA that you are definitely entitled to free prescriptions. If you have a letter from ESA send it into NHS, if not ring ESA and ask them to send you a letter of entitlement and then send that to NHS.
I personally feel it should be but as you say it isn't ! FMAUK supports the Prescription Charges Coalition who've been campaigning for long term conditions to be exempt for years. Here's a link to their petition if anyone agrees and would like to sign;
a continuing physical disability that means the person can't go out without the help of another person – temporary disabilities don't count, even if they last for several months
They are also issued for people undergoing treatment for cancer:
including the effects of cancer, or
the effects of current or previous cancer treatment
P.S I feel in some circumstances Fibromyalgia should go under 'a continuing physical disability that means the person can't go out without the help of another person – temporary disabilities don't count, even if they last for several months' but again we always have the ones who argue it's 'all in our mind' therefore not physical which causes us to suffer yet again!!
Unfortunately, there are many who claim they are exempt fraudulently and so these letters are accusationary for a reason . If your entitled to free prescriptions then you can provide them with the proof of an income related benefit else your going to have to get a prepaid certificate- they last a year but a lot cheaper in the long run
Hi David, having always paid for prescriptions and never having claimed benefits before, when I started claiming ESA, I naively thought I would be entitled to free prescriptions so the first two after I started claiming benefits, I did not pay for. I subsequently received a letter from NHS Business Authority saying as I was not entitled to free prescriptions, I had to pay the fee plus a £42 fine so I paid £100 in total for 2 prescriptions! On checking I discovered that because I was on contribution based ESA rather than income based, I was not entitled to free prescriptions. Having fibro does not automatically qualify you - if you look on the back of your prescription slip it does explain the exemptions but I foolishly didn't read this correctly. If you are on income based ESA you should be okay and just need to send proof of your benefit to them. If not then you can save money by getting a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). I've included link to NHS website explaining prescription fee exemptions in case you need it. x
I’m on contribution based ESA and have had to pay for all my prescriptions. It’s a bit unfair when you don’t ask for the condition and your paying twice lol. I think as others have said on income bae there free. Hope your well David?
Don't know if you are entitled to free prescription because your on ESA don't think I was so I paid a pre paid prescription which still saves you a lot of money as they are going up again, hope some one else will be able to help you
Hi David, I am on contribution based ESA, so therefore have to pay for mine too. I got one of the pre-payment cards and pay £10.40 a month for mine, but considering I have 6 meds on repeat script, I look at it as saving me over £40 a month. I also think that as Fibro could fit into the "a continuing physical disability that means the person can't go out without the help of another person – temporary disabilities don't count, even if they last for several months" category and so we shouldn't have to pay for any meds we take for said condition. Hope you feel better soon. Loz x
Hi David, as mentioned before, you can try to put a claim in for a HC1/HC2 certificate through the NHS Business Authority if you're on a low income. They do take your whole household income into account. I claimed when my son and daughter lived with me and were both in full time employment. It might work differently with a spouse or partner, but it's worth applying.
It is a private company I think that check the eligibility. I've had 3 letters. You have to tick the correct eligibility box when you collect your prescription. If you miss, you are in trouble. Again. Years ago we had a letter that confirmed eligibility now we use a benefit letter. If you are entitled they will wave the fine, but it's still horrid. It makes you feel like a scrounger the way they do all this. I wish I could afford to pay or didn't need anything because all this checking and accusing is nasty.
I get high rate fro both parts of pip and am not entitled to free prescription I have 11 items every month which would cost a fortune but I pay for a yearly prescription which is worth every penny
Hi I’ve got fibromyalgia and thought I wouldn’t have to pay for meds so I called the nhs and get pip but was told no I have to pay as they have a list off different medical conditions that you don’t have to pay and fibromyalgia is not on there list
Thanks everyone for the replies. I contacted the DWP and found out that I am on contribution based ESA. I have paid the penalty and the fee, also bought a payment card for prescriptions.
I had a similar thing happen to me because the dentist gave me incorrect information...so i had to pay a fine ...I told them ill pay them £1/mth eventally they said £8/mth. I think there are only certain conditions that get free prescriptions. So I buy a pre prescription certificate/card...£104/yr. Hope that helps.
Hi, I have up to 10 items on prescription monthly & as I only get standard PIP I have to pay for them, as I have for some 5 years now. My degenerated discs, fibro & umpteen more things don't count as chronic. There's a list of chronic illnesses including MS & cancer, but not fibro. I don't want to take so many meds but have to. If they're charging you with fraud, good luck coz they're b'stards! You'd be better off getting a prepayment annual card. Was £104 a year & you can pay monthly.
I live in Scotland and we don't pay for prescriptions .. if I did I have 10 different tablets I take a day ... and get these every 2 months from gp ... I wouldn't be able to pay for my tablets .. good luck sorting it out xx
Sorry to hear this. Same thing happened to me with dentist. I had to pay a fine of £150. I told them I'm unemployed and can only pay £1/month, they refused so I then offered £5. St this point the agreed £8per month. Of course I could have paid it in one go...but I felt it was unfair as it was the dentist's error that this happened.
Going back to your question on prescriptions...I buy a pre-prescription card annually costs £104.
Hi I have lots of health issues inc fibromyalgia & I have to pay for prescriptions. I have about 15 different medicines every month. Some I have to get 2 weekly
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