PIP

Everyday living
1

Good afternoon group I have been away the standard PIP for both,do you

get free prescriptions?.

any help appreciated,thank you.

2

Sorry but the answer is no. You get free prescriptions if you are on certain income related benefits (ie means tested) or if you have specific health conditions, of which MS is not one. PIP does not count as it’s not means tested.

Sue

3

The prescription form says that those on Incapacity Benefit or Disability Living Allowance are NOT EXEMPT.

However, in the small print on a NHS website, I find:

Medical exemption certificates are issued on application to people who have:

  • a continuing physical disability which means the person cannot go out without the help of another person. Temporary disabilities do not count even if they last for several months

How to apply for a medical exemption certificate:

To apply for a medical exemption certificate ask your doctor for an FP92A form. Your GP, hospital or service doctor will sign the form to confirm that your statement is correct.

I asked my GP if I qualified and he said, “Oh, definitely” and promptly gave me one.

Anthony

4

The NHS Low Income Scheme offers help with NHS costs - prescriptions, dental, eye care etc. Either full help or partial help. There is no requirement to be on benefits.

You can apply for the scheme as long as your savings, investments or property (not counting the place where you live) don’t exceed the capital limit. In England, the limit is:

  • £23,250 for people who live permanently in a care home
  • £16,000 for everyone else

Any help you’re entitled to is also available to your partner and any dependent young people.

5

I have never understood why the English NHS still charge for prescriptions whilst the the rest of the UK have opted not to.

6

In 2011 ministers claimed that it is not possible for England to abolish the NHS prescription charges because it would leave the NHS with debts of £450million a year. I don’t know the figures for 2016.

Many students and those on lower incomes in England (not those on means tested benefits) are not informed they can apply for the NHS Low Income Scheme. I didn’t know of this scheme before I became unwell with MS, I was working on a lower income then I became a masters student not in work. I paid for my NHS prescriptions unfortunately.

7

The Scottish Govt did a study and found that the cost of administering the prescription charging model meant that any saving was minimal, therefore they decided to maintain free prescriptions for all. I suppose it means that something has to give somewhere else but it is all down to priorities. They obviously view free healthcare and all that encompasses as a high priority.

8

I expect the decision is mainly connected to the very large population size of England.

If I am reading the population numbers correctly (2013) England is 53.9 million, Scotland is 5.3 million, Wales is 3.1 million and NI is 1.8.

Total UK 64.1 million

So England is home to 84% of the UK population. (gov website)

9

That would be right but then the money is allocated by population percentage. Either way I am sure our esteemed government waste far more than enough money to cover the prescription costs.