NHS Perscription Penalty Charge

Cnorm

_shel wrote: »

I did this and phoned them. Told them I forgot to renew and I still qualified having epilepsy and they wiped the fine. So ring them.

The OP's case is different to yours unfortunately. But it is good that they will let people in your situation off.

[Deleted User]

Cnorm wrote: »

The OP's case is different to yours unfortunately. But it is good that they will let people in your situation off.

I see that now. So not likely to be wiped.

Cnorm

I've just logged in to and have been all over my UC account and I can't find a single piece of information regarding healthcare costs. Not even a link to the relevant .Gov page(s). Now, if you Google this kind of thing you will eventually find all the relevant information but it took at little while. And I'm at home, I have a nice PC, I have allowed myself one luxury whilst I've been on UC and that's unlimited broadband. A lot of people on UC will not have such easy access.

In ones UC account there is a Guide section that is fairly prominent. It has eight subsections (eg Help with childcare), it would be so easy to add another called healthcare costs with all the relevant info.

MSE: just do a piece on this will you, please? Take me, I think I will not have to pay a penalty, but potentially I could, for ticking the wrong box. When there was not (and may still not be) a box mentioning UC in the first place. If I do get a penalty for ticking the wrong box that would be funny except for the cost. Which would be painful.

pmduk

Cnorm wrote: »

MSE: just do a piece on this will you, please? Take me, I think I will not have to pay a penalty, but potentially I could, for ticking the wrong box. When there was not (and may still not be) a box mentioning UC in the first place. If I do get a penalty for ticking the wrong box that would be funny except for the cost. Which would be painful.

I don't mean to sound unduly harsh, but if there isn't a box for UC claimants to tick, it's because UC claimants don't automatically get free prescriptions. It's only when their income is below a certain point, hence my suggestion in your other thread to apply under the low-income scheme for form HC2.

For the poster who is eligible for free prescriptions but inadvertently ticked the wrong box, email proof of your eligibility and they will cancel the penalty charge. I've had to do it myself.

calleyw

JustMartin91 wrote: »

I am not exempt due to a specific condition, I pay for the prepaid card.

You mean the prepaid prescription card?


So you did not get a letter telling you it was due for renewal a month before?


You can appeal the charge for the one when in date. The others if you do get a charge you wont have a leg to stand on. I am not being funny but it's your responsibility to check its in date and also you are suppose to produce it every time you collect prescription.



They seem to to random pulls on prescription. I know someone with a 5 year exemption card due to being epileptic after a stroke. Still had a year to run and still got a letter.



Yours


Calley x

badmemory

Due to bad advice my son ticked the wrong box & got his presciption free. Fortunately I realised when he told me that night. I went back the next day & explained & paid with no problem. This was I believe because they still had the scrip on the premises but I was told to keep the receipt. This will obviously only work if it happened very recently.

Cnorm

pmduk wrote: »

I don't mean to sound unduly harsh, but if there isn't a box for UC claimants to tick, it's because UC claimants don't automatically get free prescriptions. It's only when their income is below a certain point, hence my suggestion in your other thread to apply under the low-income scheme for form HC2.

I do understand this. I've looked into getting a HC2 but the information is this (copied and pasted from the relevant page):

---

You don't need to apply if you're already entitled to full help with health costs.

You already get full help with health costs if you or your partner get:

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
Universal Credit - if your earnings during your last complete assessment period were £435 or less, or £935 or less if you had a child element or had limited capability for work

---

It does not say you cannot apply just that you don't need to. So do you know what happens if you do apply when you don't have to? Will I just be told I don't get one because I don't need one or not?

As to the box to check then you need to check box K for 'Income Based Job Seekers Allowance'. Which does make less sense than a separate box for 'UC and meet qualifying criteria'.

pmduk

Cnorm wrote: »

So do you know what happens if you do apply when you don't have to?

In my experience, you get assessed as normal and receive the HC2 as you meet the criteria. I've done it in the past, as it's easier to keep an HC2 handy than ensure I have a recent DWP letter.