It is just so confusing.
After digging a bit deeper. I found this on the B and W website.
If you qualify for income-related ESA, you automatically qualify for free prescriptions.
If you qualify for contribution based ESA, you might qualify for free prescriptions, depending on what your total household income is or what conditions you need medication for.
The following website discusses this:
People with certain medical conditions can get free NHS prescriptions if they hold a valid medical exemption certificate. (MedEx Certificate)
You can get all your NHS prescriptions free if you have a valid medical exemption certificate because you have:
You can only get a certificate if you have a condition on the list. If you are not sure about the name of your condition, check with your doctor. Doctors may advise you about free prescriptions. However, it is up to you to find out if you are entitled to an exemption certificate
The second to bottom one on the list would apply to some people with MS.
(a continuing physical disability which means you cannot go out without the help of another person;)
Can you not get Income support too.
Does`nt apply to me at all.
I get ESA. As I understand it, ESA replaces Income Support. You don`t get both.
I need to have more money coming in to cover my outgoings. If I work, Im limited to earning peanuts without losing my benefits. Im a Carpenter by trade but energy levels make it impossible to do the job anymore. I need something I can do from home that pays a decent wage so it wont matter if I lose my benefits. Ive looked online but it is just ful of scams.
There are certain medications that are free such as MS DMT’s (if delivered by courier to a home address) and contraceptive pills, there is no charge.
The only ways to get free prescriptions as far as I’m aware are the following:
You can get free NHS prescriptions if, at the time the prescription is dispensed, you:
You are also entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner – including civil partner – receive, or you’re under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving:
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
Universal Credit and meet the criteria
If you’re entitled to or named on:
a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate – if you don’t have a certificate, you can show your award notice; you qualify if you get Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits with a disability element (or both) and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less
a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2)
People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) may also get help.
Find out more about the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS).
Depending on your situation (such as amount of savings and people you live with - partner and children) you may be better off asking to be assessed as income based ESA, rather than contribution based ESA.
Thanks Lenney for that.
I wasnt aware that you can change type of ESA you receive. Thats how much I know.
Income based ESA seems to have more to offer than contribution based ESA.
Yup, I think you should definitely ask the DWP about reassessing the type of ESA you receive. I did this too and mine was changed to income based, which then had a knock-on effect as to other benefits I could claim. Its not loads more money but it does make a difference to (and improve) how much help you will receive.
Good luck! x
Lenney is absolutely right about NHS prescription charges. If you receive ESA (income based), regardless of whether you’re in the Support or Work groups, you will get free prescriptions. If you’re on contributions based ESA, it’s not automatic, but I should think you’d qualify under the Low Income Scheme. See: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/Documents/HealthCosts/HC11_April_2015.pdf
Or Lenneys link. There is a claim form to submit and in return you get a card showing that you’re entitled to fully paid for or partially paid for prescriptions. There’s a capital (savings) limit, which does not include the value of the house you live in. If you have more than £23,250 you won’t qualify and if you have between £16,000 and £23,250 they work out notional income from the difference between £16,000 and your capital.
I’m not sure if you can change from contributions based ESA to income based. The actual money you receive comes from a different ‘pot’. It comes from the National Insurance pot if its contributions based, but not if it’s income based.
But for all these issues, I would think your best port of call is a welfare rights advisor from the local council (if there is one) or CAB or another welfare rights service.
Sue
Thanks Sue.
To be honest I think I`ll just leave things as they are. If I start trying to change things, that could back fire and end up worse off.
I`ve got contacts in CAB if I need them.
At the moment I don`t pay for prescriptions if I need any medications.
My main priority is finding a way of having more money coming in.
l have had PPMS for 35yrs. And about 25yrs ago - l enquired about getting free prescriptions - Got the form from the doctors receptionist and GP signed it. Since then l never had to pay for prescriptions. Now l am over 60 - so get it free anyway. As there is no cure for MS - this is why l got the exemption certificate. No dmd’s. And we own our house - and my husband was working full time back then.
The only prescription med l have is Sativex - take nothing else from doctors as l am following the Coimbra Vitamin D protocol.
The names of the benefits have changed. l use to get SDA Severe Disablement Allowance and mobility allowance. But l lost the SDA when l qualified for state pension. Apart from mobility allowance - l get free road tax.
benefitsandwork are a good group to join as they will sort it all out for you.
Scudger,
I need to inform you and anybody else, who is receiving contribution based benefits that unless you’ve also filled in an HC1, or have certain conditions as previously described you could find yourself in hot water.
ive been told the they are getting narky with people for not paying NHS costs.
Please, please get a benefits advice councilor to help you, the CAB will do their best, you’ve obviously worked hard and paid in to the system, but it has now become so complex that few can handle it unsupported and you just can’t blag your way through it anymore.
Income support used to be for anyone on a low income, now it’s only for those with dependant children, everyone else who isn’t working is now getting income based ESA.
please be careful about you contribution based ESA, when you were assessed and placed in the support group you will have been given a specified time before reassessment which could have been as little six months, and it sounds like you could get even more confused when a brown envelope containing an ESA50 pops through you letter box.
I will also suggest you fill in an online benefits calculator, it’s something you can do yourself, they’re usually anonymous, and using one is usually quick, it may help you find out if your missing out on council tax support which replaced council tax benefit. You need to know your council tax band.
Good luck.