Major change to who can get free prescriptions WON’T happen, Government confirms

Millions of over-60s won’t be made to pay for prescriptions, ministers confirmed today.

Officials have binned controversial proposals to raise the age at which patients in England qualify for free scripts.

It would have seen the age exemption rise from 60 to 66, in line with the country’s state pension age.

Health chiefs considered it as one proposal to boost income for the cash-strapped NHS.

Before the move was opened to public consultation, it was estimated that it could bring in an extra £300million by 2026/27.

However, officials acknowledged ‘people may not take their prescribed medicines due to cost’. As a result, it could have had heaped extra pressure on GPs, A&Es and social care, it was claimed.

Charities said it would be a ‘kick in the teeth’ for older people.

Announcing the policy was being scrapped today, health minister Neil O’Brien said the majority of the more than 117,000 responses were opposed to the change.

Mr O’Brien told the Commons in a written parliamentary statement: ‘Responses cited, among other issues, cost-of-living pressures and risk to health of people not taking prescribed medication correctly as reasons for retaining the current upper age exemption.

‘This Government is committed to tackling cost-of-living pressures and has decided that the prescription charge upper age exemption will remain at 60, meaning that it will not change to align to state pension age.’

Currently, patients must pay £9.65 per prescription item.

Patients currently receive free prescriptions in England when they turn 60. This has not changed since 1974 for women and 1995 for men.

More people are claiming free prescriptions as increasing numbers live longer.

Exemptions are also in place for kids, those aged 16-18 and in full-time education.

Campaigners have long called the fee patients must pay to secure certain drugs like warfarin or asthma inhalers an ‘unfair tax on health’.

Prescription prepayment certificate can help save people money.

Jay Badenhorst, vice-chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said: ‘People should not be denied access to prescription medicines on the basis of their ability to pay. 

‘Today’s decision means that we’ll avoid many more people being dragged into that situation.

‘From a pharmacist’s point of view, processing prescription levies is a task which adds workload but has no patient benefit. We are health care professionals and have no interest in being tax collectors.

‘There would be little financial return for the NHS from increasing the upper age for exemption. It could lead to indirect costs to the NHS as people’s health suffers from making a reluctant choice not to take their medicines as prescribed.

‘Ultimately we would like to see the government go further and scrap prescription charges altogether, though we accept this is not currently on the table.’