THOUSANDS on benefits can claim free NHS prescriptions as the Government gears up to raise the charge.
Council tax, broadband and mobile phone bills have risen this month as households contend with higher mortgage and energy costs.
The cost of taking medication daily can rack up fast too if you're suffering from a long-term illness.
But there are ways to get NHS prescriptions for free with them set to rise by 2.59% on May 1, from £9.65 to £9.90.
Those on certain benefits qualify for free NHS prescriptions, which could save you £118 a year based on the new price kicking in in weeks.
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You are eligible if you or your partner receive one of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit
- Universal Credit and meet other criteria
If you're on Universal Credit, you are only entitled if your take-home pay in your last assessment period was £435 or less.
If your Universal Credit payment includes a child element, or you have limited capability for work and work-related activity, this limit rises to £935.
How do I apply for free NHS prescriptions?
To claim a free prescription, you need to apply for a medical exemption certificate.
If you want to figure out if you're eligible for one of the certificates, you can use the Government's eligibility checker.
Just head to this link here, it takes about three minutes- https://services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-for-help-paying-nhs-costs/start.
You can then ask your GP for an FP92A form to apply for a medical exemption.
This will give you free prescriptions for five years - after that you'll need to apply the same way again.
You can use the same checker to see if you're entitled to free prescriptions and other free health-related support, such as free glasses and sight tests or dental treatment.
Who else can get free prescriptions?
You can also get free prescriptions if you live in England and are in one of the following groups:
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- 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
The full list of medical conditions that qualify you for a free prescription is on the NHS' website.
But some include cancer, epilepsy, hypoparathyroidism, Addison's disease and myasthenia gravis.
You can also get free prescriptions if you are entitled to an NHS tax credit exemption certificate.
You qualify for one of these if you receive child tax credits or working tax credits (including a disability or severe disability element).
You also need to have an income of less than £15,276 a year.
How else to save money on prescriptions
There is one other way you can save money on prescriptions if you're not on one of the above benefits or of a certain age.
You can pay for them in advance with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC), called "season tickets" by Martin Lewis.
You can buy three-month and 12-month certificates and pay a set price, regardless of how many prescriptions you need.
So they can be a money-saving option if you're someone who regularly takes medication.
A three-month PPC costs £31.25 while a 12-month PPC costs £111.60. You can also pay for it in 10 direct debit instalments of £11.16 each.
How much you'll save with a PPC depends on how often you take medication.
But, hypothetically, if you get four items a month and pay 12 months in advance (from May 1), you could save £363.60.
You can buy a PPC online via the Government's website or call the order line and pay by direct debit or credit card.
The number to call is 0300 330 1341.
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