prescriptions

Stubert

I've managed to get a HC2 form (which you get from filling out the HC1) for the past two years.

Its really helpful, especially for dentists and the few times when I've had to get a few prescriptions. You can even get anti-hestimines(sp?) for free!

Haven't written off for mine this year yet as its an extremely long form but certainly worth doing.

redmel1621

Hi...

I work in a Pharmacy and can confirm you definatley qualify for free prescriptions if you are a full time student.

Just fill out HC1 they will then send you a HC2 which you need to show each time you go to Pharmacy as they will need the number from it.

If you need a prescription before you recieve your HC2 ask for a NHS receipt and you can claim the prescription charges back, once you have your HC2...........

Mel x

mwjmum

redmel1621 - thanks for this. Am I right in thinking that my son, who will be a first year student from next week but not 19 until next June will get free prescriptions without one of these forms anyway?

kr15snw

I have just spent all morning trying to sort out the new HC1 form and have finally given up.

They said they wanted to see my student entitlment form as well as the one for my bursaries. But it must be one for this year.

I have the first one, but unfortunately the bursary form doesnt generally appear until december and we get them in January.

I rang the help line and explained that I dont have the bursary form but could send them last years as Ill get the same again. Nope wont do, send this years. I again explained I dont have it. Well tell your uni to send it to you.

So rang my uni and explained the situation, they dont do the bursaries until november ish as they wait for all courses to enroll then have to contact the lea to work out who gets what. And it takes a while (dont enroll till october anyway).

So rang back the health people and explained this. Sorry no new form, no help. They refused to listen to my explanation and simply stated again 'no new bursary payment letter, no help'. And after once again explaining everything they told me they couldnt help me and hung up on me!!!!!

Grrrrrr

Swan_2

redmel1621 wrote: »

Hi...

I work in a Pharmacy and can confirm you definatley qualify for free prescriptions if you are a full time student.

Just fill out HC1 they will then send you a HC2 which you need to show each time you go to Pharmacy as they will need the number from it.

If you need a prescription before you recieve your HC2 ask for a NHS receipt and you can claim the prescription charges back, once you have your HC2...........

Mel x

this was not my daughter's experience

she's just finished a 4 year full-time degree course at Uni & after filling in the HC1 was told she wasn't entitled to free anything

maybe it's different up here in Scotland?

vyseyboy

Swan wrote: »

this was not my daughter's experience

she's just finished a 4 year full-time degree course at Uni & after filling in the HC1 was told she wasn't entitled to free anything

maybe it's different up here in Scotland?

It was means-tested when I filled mine in last year.
Luckily I qualified for help

But the threshold is quite low. I knew some people who didn't qualify for help who weren't exactly rolling in it.

Incidentally, I found that T-gel was completely ineffective, and not worth paying the prescription charge for.

Original source tea tree and mint is only £1.99 and is the only thing that works for many people.

dmg24

redmel1621 wrote: »

Hi...

I work in a Pharmacy and can confirm you definatley qualify for free prescriptions if you are a full time student.

Full time students do not have an automatic entitlement to free prescriptions. Most students qualify due to being on a low income and having little savings, but eligibility is income assessed, not according to student status.

http://www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/low_income_ss_faq.htm (The PPA, now known as the NHSBSA, administer the scheme).

For instance, if a student worked as well as studying full time, and earned £15K per annum (some do!), they would not be eligible. (The £15K figure is just random, I don't know what the cut off point is).

mwjmum, your son will qualify for free prescriptions until his 19th birthday. After that, he will need to complete a HC1.

Swan_2

vyseyboy wrote: »

It was means-tested when I filled mine in last year.
Luckily I qualified for help

But the threshold is quite low. I knew some people who didn't qualify for help who weren't exactly rolling in it

dmg24 wrote:

Full time students do not have an automatic entitlement to free prescriptions. Most students qualify due to being on a low income and having little savings, but eligibility is income assessed, not according to student status.

tbh, I was mystified by the decision, she had no savings, wasn't working & only had her student loan & a small bursary to live off
& her dad & I aren't well-off, our income was such that we were expected to make no contribution towards her finances at all

we did end up paying for her prescriptions though, the worst instance being when she caught glandular fever, was misdiagnosed & had to have/pay for a second lot of medication(s) :mad:

Oompa_Loompa_2

I had the same experience - I asked about the HC1 form a while back but it was very complicated to complete and I believe the threshold is very low. I buy a pre-payment certificate for 3 months at £35 and receive a letter about a month before it expires which prompts me to stock up for one last time before it runs out again!

Also, it's the same problem I have - the T-gel stuff stinks though! If your daughters' scalp is really bad, the things which helped me were Betnovate scalp lotion and Cocois (this one is also a bit smelly! Just coal tar though) but it sooths the scalp. The Betnovate is strong and it's not good to use it over a long period of time. Epaderm is a good moisturiser to use on psoriasis on the body and can be used as much as she wants.

dmg24

One hint, albeit too late for this year, if you don't work in the summer, complete the form then. Then you have no income to provide proof of, and the form is much simpler. I complete mine in minutes x

Edit: I love the smell of T Gel, and Polytar is even better!