Pharmacies to digitally check script exemptions for patients on universal credit

[helvella]

Just for interest:

Pharmacies to digitally check script exemptions for patients on universal credit

• 11 Jul 2022

• News

All pharmacies using the real-time exemption checking (RTEC) system will now be able to check if some patients on benefits are eligible for free NHS prescriptions, NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) has announced.

chemistanddruggist.co.uk/CD...

Obviously only applies in England.

[radd]

Thanks for posting 😁

[BB001]

This is good. It's all very confusing whether you can claim free prescriptions when you're on UC. To be able to claim free prescriptions it has to be 'income based' Universal credit.

For several years there wasn't even a box to tick for Universal Credit. Additional confusion arises because just getting Universal credit isn't enough you also have to have a low income.

Appallingly, in the past people have been fined for ticking the wrong box, when the right box wasn't available on the back of the prescription.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to BB001]

I hope it works as it should. But I suspect there might still be issues - such as the time it takes from UC approval to the checking system seeing that.

[BB001 in reply to helvella]

True. It's still an improvement though.