NHS prescription: Britons face £100 fine for prescription fraud – ‘check before you tick’ | Personal Finance | Finance
More than 10 million Britons rely on prescription medication every year and at £9.35 per item costs can soon add up. While many people qualify for free prescriptions, Britons are being reminded they could face a £100 fine if they tick the wrong box.
In the five years leading up to 2019, 5.6 million Penalty Charge Notices were issued to people who mistakenly ticked the box saying they were entitled to free prescriptions.
Prescription fraud costs the NHS millions of pounds a year – in 2017 to 2018 it cost the taxpayer £11.2million.
NHS England is reminding patients to double check their entitlement to free prescriptions through its ‘Check Before You Tick’ campaign.
People who claim free NHS prescriptions or dental treatment they’re not entitled to, could face a £100 penalty charge even if it’s by mistake.
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Anyone who doesn’t qualify for this help should consider investing in a Pre Payment Certificate (PPC).
This allows people to purchase as many NHS prescriptions as they need for a one off cost.
It works out at £30.25 for three months or £108.10 for a year and can be purchased from the NHS website.
Depending on how many prescriptions someone needs throughout the year, it could save them a fortune.
People who receive five DWP benefits should qualify for free prescriptions, such as:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit element)
- Some Universal Credit claimants
To check, people should use the free prescriptions checker at www.nhs.uk
