People on Universal Credit and other benefits could get free NHS prescriptions | Personal Finance | Finance
People on certain benefits including Universal Credit may be able to get their NHS prescriptions free. With the current prescription charge at £9.35 an item, a person could save hundreds of pounds a year if they can get their medication for free.
A Universal Credit claimant can ask for help with health costs such as free prescriptions if they have:
- Net earnings of £435 or less during their last assessment period or no earnings at all
- Their claim includes an element for a child
- They or their partner, had limited capability for work, or limited capability for work and work-related activity, and they had net earnings of £935 or less, or no earnings at all, in their last assessment period.
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For couples, the net earning threshold applies to their combined net earnings. A person will need to present their Universal Credit award notice to prove they are entitled to the support.
The NHS Business Services Authority has an online eligibility checker tool a person can use to find out what help they can get with their medical costs.
Some help with health costs claim form do not have a tick box for Universal Credit, in which case a person should tick the box for income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
If a person is unsure if they meet the criteria, they should pay for their medication, as they can later claim a refund for the costs.
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To get the medical exemption certificate, a person will need to contact their doctor to get a FP92A form.
The certificate will be valid from one month before the date the NHS Business Services Authority receives the document.
It lasts for five years and has to be renewed. A person may receive a reminder to renew their certificate, but it is their responsibility to renew it.
A person can apply for a refund on medication they have paid for unnecessarily up to three months after they paid for the items.
