Prescriptions

jp2031

Hi, I am 19 years old, and a full time university student. Usually when Im getting a prescription from the pharmacy, i use the "16, 17, or 18 in full time education" exemption of payment... But now im 19, do I need to pay for prescriptions? I need hey-fever pills, but Im not sure if its worth getting the prescription, or buying the pills off the shelf.
Many thanks
Jp

scottishblondie

Yes you have to pay now. There is a form to apply for help with paying for prescriptions, but TBH you need to be on a very low income. I looked into it once but I didn't qualify. It could be worth looking into if you need a lot of prescriptions though.

You have to fill out the HC1 form, there is some more information relating specifically to students and the low income scheme here.

Mankysteve

Unless you move to Wales of course ;-)

iamana1ias

Hayfever tabs are on offer everywhere at the moment. Much cheaper to buy than to get on prescription.

Blackpool_Saver

H A y fever tabs are cheap to buy from the shops unless you have to have the script only ones, which drug is it that you use? and are you on any means tested benefits?

atypical

There's an article on hayfever treatments here:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/cheap-hayfever-remedies

The_One_Who

You would need to work out if it's cheaper to buy off the shelf. In Scotland prescriptions are only £3, but otc hay-fever treatments are no doubt cheaper than that.

Stubert

In Tesco/Sainsbury's their own brand non drowsy hayfever tablets are both £1 for 14 tablets/days.

Both have worked well for me thus far!

southoftheriver

The own brand ones are very cheap, and are exactly the same chemical formulation as branded ones. I got a months worth from TESCO's for my grandmother and that was only £2.

Same with ibuprofen/nurofen...

rosalie-lavender

It is worth getting a HC1 form and filling it in. It covers nhs dentistry as well and eye tests. My son is a student and he qualified after filling the form in. One tip we heard was to fill it in when you are actually at university and paying rent etc not in the holidays when you are at home. It asks for details of any rent you pay on the form.

ThinkingOfLinking

Yes, fill out the HC1 form and wait for them to send you a HC2 certificate. In the meantime, there's a cheap brand I've bought from Asda before, called Galpharm, which was 49p for a week's worth. It really worked.