PRESCRIPTIONS are a set cost but you could still save cash – or even get them for free.
The good news is that amid a raft of rising costs like energy bills and food shopping, the price for medication is not changing.
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In April last year the cost of an NHS prescription went up in England by as much as £2.20.
But this year the government has confirmed that prescription prices will be frozen offering a bit of relief for those struggling with rising bills, particularly anyone vulnerable or in ill health.
The current cost of £9.35 for a single prescription will stay in place for the year ahead, and health minister Edward Argar said there “is currently no planned announcement on any future increase” either.
It’s the first time the cost has not increased for 12 years.
But there are ways to save money on prescription costs too, and that could help cover the cost of rises elsewhere.
You might get help towards the cost of prescriptions – or even get them for free if you have certain medical conditions.
Plus, if you get prescription medication regularly, you might be better off getting a “season ticket” which works out cheaper.
Can you get free prescriptions?
The first place to start is checking if you need to pay for prescriptions at all.
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Some people in England are entitled to free prescriptions, and includes the following groups:
- You’re aged 60 or over
- You’re aged under 16 or are 17 or 18 and in full-time education
- You’re pregnant or had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate
- You have a specific medical condition and have valid medical exemption card
- You have a continuing physical disability that prevents you going out without help from another person and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
- You hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
- You are an NHS inpatient
Medical conditions for which you can get a medical exemption card, which entitles you to free prescriptions include cancer and epilepsy.
You can see more about the conditions covered by the card from the NHS.
You can find out how to get a maternity exemption card from the NHS.
You can also get free prescriptions if you or your partner are claiming certain benefits, or if you’re aged under 20 and dependent on someone claiming certain benefits, including:
- income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Universal Credit and meet the criteria
You can also get free prescriptions if you are entitled to an NHS tax credit exemption certificate.
To get one of these, you need to qualify for child tax credits or working tax credits (including a disability or severe disability element) and have an income of less than £15,276 a year.
You can easily check if you can get free prescriptions using the government’s eligibility checker.
This same checker can also tell you if you’re entitled to other free health related support, like free glasses and sight tests or dental treatment.
Help towards prescriptions and other medical costs if you’re on a low income
If you don’t qualify for free prescriptions with any of these schemes, you could still get some help towards costs if you are on a low income.
How much you can get depends on your income and circumstances, including your outgoings and any savings you have.
You can find out more about the NHS low income scheme here, including who qualifies and how to apply.
If you’ve already had to pay for prescriptions or other treatment costs and think you qualify for this help you might be able to claim a refund when you apply.
You can check easily if you can help with prescriptions and other health related costs using the government’s eligibility checker.
It can tell you if you can get help with other NHS costs, like glasses and sight tests, dental check-ups and treatments, or even help with travel costs when getting NHS treatment.
Pay less with a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC)
A Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) is like a season ticket for prescriptions.
It can work out cheaper if you pay for regular medication and can cover either three months or one year.
A three month PPC is £30.25 while a 12 month PPC is £108.10.
The PPC covers as many prescriptions as you need over the time period you pay for.
To make the 12 month PPC worthwhile you would need to normally pay for at least 12 prescriptions each year.
Each of these 12 medications would work out cheaper than an individual prescription charge.
For a three month prescription you would need to get at least four separate prescription items for the PPC to work out cheaper.
Don’t assume prescriptions are the cheapest option
If you’re prescribed over the counter medication like painkillers or skin condition creams, it may be cheaper to buy them outright, rather than paying for a prescription given to you by your doctor.
A 500ml tub of Aqueous cream, for example, is £4.39 at Boots, so getting a prescription for the same lotion would leave you out of pocket.
It’s worth asking your pharmacist if the item you’ve been prescribed is available over the counter and cheaper to buy that way.
Ask for a bigger prescription
Doctors will often automatically write out prescriptions for small amounts, but you can make savings on your prescriptions by getting them in bulk.
If you need a lot of medication, such as three months’ worth of antihistamine for hayfever, getting a doctor to do a bulk prescription is cheaper.
You’ll pay just once rather than three times.
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