Free Prescriptions rejection - advice please!

Crisp_£_note

Hope this is in the right place.

Back in August I re-applied for help with health costs (HC1 free prescriptions) to renew for the 3rd time.

But they have refused to renew it and say I will now have to pay for all medications. The reason being, they say, based on the info I provided on the application form was -

We do not qualify for free prescriptions on low income grounds (dental, sight test, glasses, etc).

The info they provide that they based the decision on says they assessed our weekly contributions -

Personal Allowance £102.75
Disability Premium £39.85
Council Tax £12.65
Housing costs (rent) £47.88
TOTAL WEEKLY NEEDS (a) £203

Combined assessed weekly income is -

Incapacity Benefit £97.20
Working Tax Credit £87.10
Earnings (after £20 disregard) £150.08
TOTAL WEEKLY INCOME (b) £334.38

EXCESS INCOME (b - a) £130.95

What I dont understand is why they dont take i nto account we have to pay other 'essential bills' each week / month which are more than the £523.80 MONTHLY excess before we put food on the table or fuel in the car.

Hubby is just about coming to the end of his seasonal job for this year so we will have even less than we have had coming in. His seasonal work is casual and not guaranteed so its as and when rather than regular income. I recently had to send them copies of his wage slips which I did along with a copy of his bank statement explaining the wage slips show his earnings before tax and his bank statement shows after tax (he is 'heavily taxed').

Can I appeal or how soon can I reapply (as income will decreace significantly within a few weeks).

I wouldnt be so worried about this if I didnt have so many meds to take on a daily basis, I am often having to reorder them as they all run out at different times Other than apealing / reapplying what are the alternatives ?

Thanks for any advice.

Penny-Pincher!!

Pre-paid certificate works out a lot cheaper if you take a lot of medication daily. It's £104 for the whole year which works out quite reasonable if you are on a lot of meds.

Are you on Thyroxine by any chance?

HTH

PP
xx

Crisp_£_note

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Pre-paid certificate works out a lot cheaper if you take a lot of medication daily. It's £104 for the whole year which works out quite reasonable if you are on a lot of meds.

Are you on Thyroxine by any chance?

HTH

PP
xx

No but I do take medication for Type 2 diabetes (tablets currently), Hight Blood Pressure, Hight Cholesterol and painkillers and anti-inflamitories (for Ankylosing Spondilitus). Not sure if I can get any help from my GP or elsewhere for these.

Thanks

clodagh_trubble

If you are on medication specificlly for your diabetes then there is a form that you can fill in that entitles you to free medication, your doctor should have the form and will need to countersign it.

MrsManda

As clodagh trubble said, if you have

Diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism.
Diabetes mellitus, except where treatment is by diet alone.

you are entitled to a medical exemption certificate which gives you free prescriptions.

To apply for a MedEx certificate ask your doctor for an FP92A form. Your GP, hospital or service doctor will sign the form to confirm that your statement is correct

For more information and other information on help with health costs see the NHS website HERE

Oldernotwiser

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

No but I do take medication for Type 2 diabetes (tablets currently), Hight Blood Pressure, Hight Cholesterol and painkillers and anti-inflamitories (for Ankylosing Spondilitus). Not sure if I can get any help from my GP or elsewhere for these.

Thanks

It is less than £10 a month.

Indie_Kid

Bills aren't taken into account. You really should look at your outgoings and see what you can save on.