We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Nhs prepayment card

If you have regular Prescriptions which have more than a couple of items on them you could save with a PrePayment Card.

Supposing you are among the few (it seems) who have to pay the full whack for your medication, and lets say you have 3 items each month @ £7.20 (even though they are on the same prescription they get charged individually)...thats £21.60 multiply that by 12 and thats a whopping £259.20 per year.

Buy a little known about (it seems) Prescription PrePayment Card and for the year its £104.00! A saving of £155.20!!, you can either pay an annual lump sum or a 10 monthly payment of £10.40pm.

Even 2 items a month you are still saving....more that 4 or 5 (like me) and you are quids in.

My Dr told me about this card...so have a word at the Chemist...simple form to fill in and away you go!.
«13

Comments

  • I'm sure you meant to be helpful, but the little dig was unfair. The reason why it appears that the people at the chemist never pay is that those who have to pay usually try and do without or get things OTC. Or the other people with prepayment certificates have ticked the box on the back of the form and you haven't noticed that when you've been there. Unless you make a really big thing about it at the counter, you'll look as if you get them for free as well, to the casual bystander.



    Which is why I actually think that they should go back to the days when medication was free for everyone, as treatment for asthma, arthritis, heart conditions and the like shouldn't be restricted to those who can afford it easily or those completely unable to afford it - everyone in the middle should have them too.
    I could dream to wide extremes, I could do or die: I could yawn and be withdrawn and watch the world go by.
    colinw wrote: »
    Yup you are officially Rock n Roll :D
  • meritaten
    meritaten Posts: 24,158 Forumite
    I am so lucky to live in Wales - prescriptions are free here! but before they were, then I can remember being furious that diabetics got free prescriptions - but asthmatics didnt!
  • dmg24
    dmg24 Posts: 33,920 Forumite
    10,000 Posts
    PPC, or even more helpful, NHS Low Income Scheme.
    Gone ... or have I?
  • I have three prescriptions every 28 days, meaning you have 13 in a year not 12, making the saving even better. Both the doctor and the pharmacist advised me to get one. And you can pay by DD
    It's taken me years of experience to get this cynical
  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 11,259 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    It's 14 items annualy you need to make the 12 month card pay for itself. Worth considering even if you think you won't make the limit- in my first year I needed eye drops, ear drops, anti biotics and painkillers! And the DD payment is so convienent too, you pay over 10 months.
  • I have one of these my Mum pays for it by D/D and she bought it so she can be sure I can always buy prescriptions while I'm at uni (I'm VERY lucky!!). When I started I was prescribed two prescriptions every month but sometimes had 6 if I'd been unwell. Even now I'm better if I were to get ill again they would prescribe me four different drugs and only fortnightly packs at a time so some months I could have 8 prescriptions!! which when unwell is an added stress to fund so it is a good safety net.
  • We only discovered this a few months ago. We had always thought you have to pay a lump sum,wasn't until I mentioned it to my aunt who is a GP who told us you can pay £10 by DD. My husband has asthma and needs two inhalers a months so it works out great. Would be handy if you could get a family card because there are times when I may need something but don't need it regulary. One annoying time was when I had an infection and it wasn't sorted until I was on the 3rd type of antibiotic in a month. Rather expensive and annoying the first two lots didn't work. Would have been good if I could have tagged the cost onto DH's card.
  • pinkteapot
    pinkteapot Posts: 8,044 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Well worth it for those like my husband who have coeliac disease. He gets gluten-free food on prescription and the card makes it very good value compared to supermarket GF food prices.
  • Svenena
    Svenena Posts: 1,450 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    rozmister wrote: »
    I have one of these my Mum pays for it by D/D and she bought it so she can be sure I can always buy prescriptions while I'm at uni (I'm VERY lucky!!). When I started I was prescribed two prescriptions every month but sometimes had 6 if I'd been unwell. Even now I'm better if I were to get ill again they would prescribe me four different drugs and only fortnightly packs at a time so some months I could have 8 prescriptions!! which when unwell is an added stress to fund so it is a good safety net.

    If you're at uni you should be able to get free prescriptions under the low income scheme - most students can, as parental income isn't taken into account (only your own) provided you register using your term-time address.
  • Svenena wrote: »
    If you're at uni you should be able to get free prescriptions under the low income scheme - most students can, as parental income isn't taken into account (only your own) provided you register using your term-time address.

    I applied during my first year but they said I can't because my student loan is £2,000 a term (before I went on my year in industry) which leaves me with £800 a term after paying rent which apparently makes me flush enough to afford prescriptions! Unfortunately in reality it doesn't work like that all. (£200 - £233 a month does NOT cover my outgoings let alone prescriptions) but I figure if they wouldn't give it to me the they definitely won't give it to me now I have p/t employment. I was awarded free wigs though should I never need one on the NHS!

    I wish it was like Wales where you get free prescriptions until 25 because I think 16 - 25 is a period lots of people struggle with money because they haven't quite fine tuned their budgetting/money managing skills and you don't have the experience and qualifications to potentially get a very well paid job but ho hum, that's a discussion for a different day.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.2K Spending & Discounts
  • 245K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 600.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.4K Life & Family
  • 258.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.