Free prescriptions on incapacity benefit?

Lally

When I was first put onto Incapacity I took my prescription to the pharmacy, as you do, and I said i wasnt sure if I was to pay for my prescriptions or not. She said I wouldnt pay and I was to tick the Income Support box

Ive been doing this since November and someone recently said that was wrong and I could get 'done' if found out. but I was only doing what I was told.

Any ideas?

Ted_Hutchinson

Some people on Incapacity Benefit might also qualify for Income Support so it may be worth getting your benefit entitlement checked by a welfare rights professional to ensure you are getting everything you are entitled to.
The website ENTITLED TO may also give you an idea if you are mission out.

But if you are just entitled to Incapacity Benefit then I'm afraid you have been mis-informed and it is very likely you should be paying for your prescriptions.

If you follow the links in the flow chart at the Prescription Pricing Authority website (link below) you will be led to the appropriate information for your circumstances. Pay particular attention to the list of Exempt conditions and if you are also getting a Mobility element of DLA consider the clause for housebound people and ask your doctor if he would sign the appropriate form.
Are You Entitled to Help with Health Costs?

squeaky

Lally wrote:

When I was first put onto Incapacity I took my prescription to the pharmacy, as you do, and I said i wasnt sure if I was to pay for my prescriptions or not. She said I wouldnt pay and I was to tick the Income Support box

Ive been doing this since November and someone recently said that was wrong and I could get 'done' if found out. but I was only doing what I was told.

Any ideas?

YEP!!!

When on Incapacity Benefit you are entitled to a form erm, hang on while I go get mine... a form HC2 entitles you to free prescriptions for a year. You need to fill out a form HC1 to get the HC2.
My local chemist supplies them over the counter. If yours doesn't [and I think they _should_] your local CAB must surely be able to help.

Ted_Hutchinson

rwsteele wrote:

YEP!!!

When on Incapacity Benefit you are entitled to a form erm, hang on while I go get mine... a form HC2 entitles you to free prescriptions for a year. You need to fill out a form HC1 to get the HC2.
My local chemist supplies them over the counter. If yours doesn't [and I think they _should_] your local CAB must surely be able to help.

Incapacity Benefit does not automatically entitle you to free prescriptions so do check the links I have previously provided. You will get help with prescription costs if your total income while on Incapacity Benefit is the same or less than you would be entitled to on Income Support although Council tax and Housing costs are also be taken into account, which is why I suggested a benefits healthcheck as you can receive IS while also getting IB. However if your Incapacity Benefit is anything over the amount you would have got on Income Support you are not permitted to only claim the lower amount. Unfortunately if you are entitled to IB this will be paid and in some cases it disqualifies the claimant from help with health costs.

squeaky

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Incapacity Benefit does not automatically entitle you to free prescriptions so do check the links I have previously provided.

Ouch! Fair comment. However, if IB is all the OP is receiving then he's pretty much guaranteed to qualify for free prescriptions. I don't qualify for IS but I get rent and council tax support now that I can't work any more and even with these I *still* qualify. So I'm kinda wondering just where the limits are for this qualification?

Ted_Hutchinson

rwsteele wrote:

Ouch! Fair comment. However, if IB is all the OP is receiving then he's pretty much guaranteed to qualify for free prescriptions. I don't qualify for IS but I get rent and council tax support now that I can't work any more and even with these I *still* qualify. So I'm kinda wondering just where the limits are for this qualification?

You're quite right that the OP should get a form and claim. Be daft not to. I just don't want them to be disappointed if they are over the limit. Would be interesting if the OP posted back with the results of a claim to provide some encouragement for others in this situation. I'm on IB and know I wouldn't get help as my income is well above IS levels but for others it will be a close call and therefore they should fill in the form and see what happens.

heyhumm

By the way sorry to take this thread off topic but what should I do to get free prescriptions?

I can't get a hc2 because I have no student loan.
I can't get income support because I don't seem to be able to get incapacity benefit

for the prescriptions I've got I've put down that I'm on IS because I was claiming for it. I think I could get taken to court, I would like to get this stuff legally but have little recourse but to put that down because I have no income.

heyhumm

By the way sorry to take this thread off topic but what should I do to get free prescriptions?

I can't get a hc2 because I have no student loan.
I can't get income support because I don't seem to be able to get incapacity benefit

for the prescriptions I've got I've put down that I'm on IS because I was claiming for it. I think I could get taken to court, I would like to get this stuff legally but have little recourse but to put that down because I have no income and am required to be on medication ebcause of my condition.

squeaky

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

You're quite right that the OP should get a form and claim. Be daft not to. I just don't want them to be disappointed if they are over the limit. Would be interesting if the OP posted back with the results of a claim to provide some encouragement for others in this situation. I'm on IB and know I wouldn't get help as my income is well above IS levels but for others it will be a close call and therefore they should fill in the form and see what happens.

I have to admit I have no idea how I managed to qualify for IB the first time round. I'd been on full pay for six months by my employer before they finally let me go when it became clear that it was going to be a long time / sometime never before I went back to work. In fact, if it wasn't for some very good and very supportive friends I'd be living in a cardboard box by now.

All that said, I have no other income than my IB, and no other support than rent and council tax. Because of these [last time some clown sent me a form to fill in] I don't qualify for IS. That's me as a single person, no dependants.

Esxcluding my cat and eighty White Cloud Mountain Minnows..

squeaky

heyhumm wrote:

By the way sorry to take this thread off topic but what should I do to get free prescriptions?

I can't get a hc2 because I have no student loan.
I can't get income support because I don't seem to be able to get incapacity benefit

for the prescriptions I've got I've put down that I'm on IS because I was claiming for it. I think I could get taken to court, I would like to get this stuff legally but have little recourse but to put that down because I have no income and am required to be on medication ebcause of my condition.

Hmm. Dunno guv. But in my wanderings I noticed that there was more than one thread about benefits scattered about this place. In any event - I'm sure your local CAB will be able to point you to all the right places.

It's also a strange thing that my local chemist told me that they are legally required to see my form - but I am not required to carry it with me. NOT that I'm suggesting you do anything illegal.

Spendless

rwsteele wrote:

It's also a strange thing that my local chemist told me that they are legally required to see my form - but I am not required to carry it with me. NOT that I'm suggesting you do anything illegal.

When i was pregnant one time i forgot to take my maternity exemption certificae with m so was unable to show it to the receptionist. I asked what happened and she said my form was marked as being exempt but without proof and that these are random checked (by whom i don't know) and my claim could be investigated (as it happened it wasn't and even if i had i could prove i was pregnant and did have an exemption certificate). Just thought it best to warn of possible consequences.