free prescriptions, dental and eye tests?

sue34

my son will be starting university September 2009
finishing college in June, he will be 18 in May
can he still get free
NHS prescriptions
NHS dental treatment
NHS eye test ??

when he is at university?
as he wont have any income, he will be still living at home the uni is a 30 min journey from where we live , we could not afford for him to live away.

horrorhag

Im afraid over the age of 18 you do not get these free. though you can apply for financial help- these forms can be aquired at your local pharmacy. They are very difficult to fill in though.

Lokolo

You couldn't afford to let him live away? !!!!!!? Student loans + job and you're fine.

Oldernotwiser

sue34 wrote: »

as he wont have any income, he will be still living at home the uni is a 30 min journey from where we live , we could not afford for him to live away.

Why won't he have any income? Surely he'll be eligible for his Student Loan and also a Maintenance Grant if the family income is low. Most students work part time as well. You're only supposed to contribute a bit; not fund him completely!

Lokolo

I got a stye in my eye the other day, had to pay £7 (out of my own money! lol) for the prescription, biggest waste of money I've ever had to pay.

I haven't been to the dentist in about a year and half because it costs me £15 to tell me my teeth are fine, rather the time go to someone that needs it (although I should really go just for a checkup!)

Have no problems with eyes, nothing in family either (except grandparents, but meh)

The_One_Who

sue34 wrote: »

my son will be starting university September 2009
finishing college in June, he will be 18 in May
can he still get free
NHS prescriptions
NHS dental treatment
NHS eye test ??

when he is at university?
as he wont have any income, he will be still living at home the uni is a 30 min journey from where we live , we could not afford for him to live away.

I think it's free up until you turn 19 as long as you are in full-time education, although I'm in Scotland so things might be different. There are forms he can fill in (HC2?) which are for people with a low income. They are quite complicated though.

mellymeep

You can get free prescriptions and eye tests up until your 19 and in full time education. Man I miss those days!

But with the dentists NHS ones are extremely hard to find these days, and massively over subscribed so pretty much everyone has to pay a subsidised fee.

Millerdog

Hi, My daughter is 19 and in her 3rd year at college. She will start Uni in September. She filled in an HC2 form which she got from the local chemist and has got an exemption cert to cover her to July 09. It covers NHS prescriptions, dental treatment and sight tests and a few other bits too. By the way it is based on HER income not ours so your son should qualify for something as long as he is still in Full time education. HTH. X

TDQO

Make your son move out! Seriously! With loans etc he can afford it (tens of thousands of other students can) and he will miss out in a big way if he stays at home.

ames100

I get free perscriptions but i go to a uni in wales, and even with student loan and summer income, paying out for say a filling at £50 a pop is like a weeks rent so it does make a difference- the other way to look at it is it will just become a debt which eventually (hopefully) he will pay back when hes earning.

ames100

and he will save a LOT more money in the long run by being at home you only get a few grand more being away from home, which will cover the rent expecially in halls and so he should be about even with everyone else if he added on rent and bills.