Who is exempt from prescriptions

You could save money with a prescription prepayment certificate. You currently have JavaScript disabled in your web browser, please enable JavaScript to view our website as intended. Here are the instructions of how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Skip to main content Skip to footer. Medical exemption certificates. How to apply If you're entitled to a certificate because of your medical condition, your doctor will give you an application form.

The FP57 refund receipt tells you what to do. Replace or renew your certificate Replacing your certificate If you lose or damage your certificate, we can send you a replacement.

Contact us Renewing your certificate You need to speak to your doctor to re-apply. When your medical exemption certificate expires It's your responsibility to check the expiry date. Change of circumstances If your address changes, please contact us so we can update our records. Breadcrumb Exemption certificates Medical exemption certificates Maternity exemption certificates NHS tax credit exemption certificates Exemption certificates news. NHS Protect have a responsibility to check for prescription charge exemption fraud and patients found to have wrongly claimed for free prescriptions, could face a penalty charge and in some cases prosecution.

This applies even where the patient has a medical condition which qualifies for exemption, if the patient does not have a valid exemption certificate on the date the patient is asked to pay or complete the exemption declaration. If a patient is unsure whether they are entitled to free prescriptions, pharmacy staff should advise the patient to pay for their prescription and provide them with an FP57 Refund form with information on how to claim a refund at a later date.

Further information for patients can be found at www. Those in receipt of the following benefits are not eligible to claim for exemption from prescription charges in England:.

For a full list of benefits that do not entitle patients to exemption from the prescription charge see Prescription Services website here. EPS exemption status to be entered onto each electronic prescription. In addition to the current endorsing information, pharmacy staff will also have to mark whether a prescription charge was levied for a prescription, and where relevant the prescription charge exemption category and whether evidence of exemption was seen.

Pharmacy system suppliers have flexibility in the way they support pharmacists in entering this information, for instance if pharmacy staff have already recorded the details of a valid exemption certificate, e. See more at our EPS exemption page or in the factsheet below :. Where to find information about patient charge exemption certificates. You can also visit the Help with Health Costs website here.

Are young people aged 16, 17 or 18 on apprenticeships automatically exempt from prescription charges? Whilst there is an exemption for those who are 16, 17 or 18 in full-time education, NHS Help with Health Costs have confirmed that apprenticeships do not qualify for free prescriptions. Full-time education means you must be receiving full-time instruction from a recognised educational establishment, such as a school, college or university. However patients aged 16, 17 and 18 undertaking an apprenticeship who are on a low income are able to apply for help with their health costs using the HC1 form.

If they are successful with their application, they will receive an HC2 certificate which would entitle the patient to receive free prescriptions. More information on Help with Healthcare costs is available here. I have a prescription for a patient who was 59 when his prescription was written: however, the patient did not handover the prescription to be dispensed until they were Is the patient age exempt from paying a prescription charge?

Yes, subject to the prescription still being within the period of validity. In this case, as the patient was over 60 when they entered the pharmacy to have their prescription dispensed, they would therefore be age exempt from paying a prescription charge.

The patient should sign the back of the prescription form to declare that they are indeed over the age of 60 on the day they are asked to pay. For further information on EPS exemptions, see psnc.

A person has presented a prescription and made a declaration that they are exempt from paying a prescription charge. I have asked them to produce satisfactory evidence of such entitlement, but they do not have it with them.

From 1st July , the Terms of Service are amended to require pharmacy contractors, before supplying the drug or appliance, to advise the person who has been asked to provide the evidence of entitlement to exemption that NHS checks are routinely undertaken to verify that persons are exempt from payment of NHS prescription charges as part of the relevant arrangements for preventing or detecting fraud or error.

No, to be exempt from prescriptions charges they would need to be in possession of a valid HC2 full help certificate. The route of obtaining the HC2 full help certificate may depend on whether the migrant is classed under refugee or asylum seeker status. Asylum seekers : Patients should apply for support using the HC1 form. Is a patient that has had a miscarriage exempt for NHS prescription charges? This is because patients may still require on-going medical treatment that requires medication to be prescribed on a FP10 prescription.

A patient who has given birth including to a child registered as stillborn within the last 12 months, can still apply for a certificate. However, patients who have miscarried but not yet applied for a MATEX are not be entitled to apply for a certificate.

Ideally, prescribers should not include items classed as FOC on the same prescription form as a chargeable item. If, however, a prescription contains other items for which a charge should normally be levied, the prescription should be processed as either charge paid, or where appropriate, the relevant exemption category should be selected. Pharmacy contractors are required by their Terms of Service, before supplying the drug or appliance, to advise the patient claiming exemption from payment of NHS prescription charges — where evidence is required but not provided -that NHS checks are routinely undertaken to verify their entitlement to free prescriptions, as part of arrangements for preventing or detecting fraud or error.

Patients can apply for a refund within three months if they can later confirm their eligibility for free prescriptions and are able to provide proof of exemption. Are patients who receive incapacity benefits exempt from paying prescription charges? A patient claiming incapacity benefits would not be exempt from paying a prescription charge.

They would need to meet the other exemption criteria to be entitled to free prescriptions. Click here to view the eligible exemptions. Other ineligible reasons from prescription exemption charge include:.

Dispensing Factsheet: Exemptions from the prescription charge. EPS exemption. Prescription charge refunds. What does the patient pay? Is this prescription form valid? Who can prescribe what? Controlled Drug prescription forms and validity. How to identify prescriber codes.

Others may experience financial hardship through having to take on caring responsibilities, but as stated previously, other exemptions from prescription charges, such as being in receipt of certain benefits, are in place to support those most in need. Greater social deprivation is a key factor in health, with those people living in more severe levels of poverty experiencing poorer health outcomes than those in less deprived circumstances see the ONS Health state life expectancies by national deprivation deciles, England: to Those people who are impacted by the increase to the age exemption may also suffer increased hardship if they are required to pay for their prescriptions for longer.

However, as set out above, other exemptions are available to protect the most vulnerable. Greater levels of deprivation and associated poorer health outcomes may lead to a need for a larger number of prescriptions. The mean annual prescription use was just over 40 items per year among people aged 60 to 64 in the decile with the highest deprivation, compared to just under 25 items per year in the least deprived decile.

This means people towards the bottom of the income distribution use more prescriptions to maintain good health. This will add to the inequality effects of this policy change because not only will the low-income users struggle to pay prescription charges, they will have more prescriptions to pay for compared to people at the top of the income distribution.

People impacted by the proposed changes whose incomes are towards the lower end of the income distribution who struggle to afford all their prescriptions may not adhere fully to their medication, which could result in future health problems for the individual and a subsequent cost to the NHS.

However, as mentioned above, exemptions from charge are in place to protect those who are most in need; and schemes such as the NHS LIS and PPCs are available to those who are not exempt. If people who had been exempt from charge previously, or who were expecting to become exempt at age 60, do not understand the change in arrangements, they may not pay for a prescription believing themselves to be exempt and subsequently receive a Penalty Charge Notice PCN.

This could lead to financial hardship. To reduce the chance of this type of misunderstanding, we will promote information about the changes and encourage people to be aware of any impacts they may have, working with NHS BSA and NHS England and Improvement.

Family and other household members of people impacted by the change to the upper age exemption may also be affected financially, if the changes lead to or create financial difficulties. There could also be an impact if a person impacted directly by the changes is deterred from taking their medication as prescribed and becomes ill. However, other exemptions and support for the most vulnerable are in place. People living in rural areas will not be affected any differently to other patient groups as any changes would apply to all people regardless of the location of their home.

Two thirds of all items were exempt because the patient was aged 60 years or older. Prescription use varies, and those with higher levels of use are more likely to take out a PPC in order to cap the cost.

Approximately half of the 60 and over cohort used more than 12 items per year and therefore are high users; this group had a mean use of 34 items per year. Table 2 below shows the average cost of prescriptions in a year for high and low users depending on how the prescriptions are paid for. This means that the costs quoted in the table above are likely to be an overestimate because people who retain a medical or income-related exemption are likely to use more prescriptions.

An increase to the upper age exemption could generate additional revenue for NHS frontline services. This amount is dependent upon various factors including:. There are other potential impacts on costs, including health related costs, of raising the upper age exemption and are explored further in the impact assessment.

To enable us to take into account your views on these proposals, please answer the following questions which can be found in the online questionnaire that accompanies this consultation.

If the prescription charge exemption age is raised to State Pension age should people in the age groups 60 to 65 at the date of change retain their existing exemption? Do you think there will be any unintended consequences that a raise in the upper age exemption could have on people, pharmacies or other organisations? Do you think that aligning the upper age exemption with State Pension age could have a differential impact on particular groups of people or communities?

Do you think that aligning the upper age exemption with State Pension age could adversely impact people from deprived backgrounds or between disadvantaged geographical areas? This consultation is open for a period of 8 weeks and we welcome responses from members of the public, prescribers, pharmacists and other interested parties. Paper prescription forms FP10 are still in use alongside the Electronic Prescription System EPS and if the upper age exemption for prescription charges changes, system changes would be needed to enable continued accurate prescription processing and checking the validity of exemptions claimed.

This means that a significant number of operational changes would need to be made including:. These changes will take time to implement and in the event of any changes, the department would ensure guidance is issued to people, pharmacists and prescribers to help them understand changes and to help people avoid incorrectly claiming a prescription charge exemption. If a change is brought in which offers protection for those within the age range 60 to 65, when the amending regulations come into force, then prescribing system amendments and clear guidance will be needed to ensure that this population can correctly claim their exemption.

The preferred method of receiving your response is via the online consultation questionnaire. If you have any queries on this consultation or require an alternative format please email ageconsultation dhsc. If you wish to do so, you can request that your name and organisation be kept confidential and excluded from the published summary of responses. Please note that we may use your details to contact you about your responses or to send you information about our future work.

We do not intend to send responses to each individual respondent. However, we will analyse responses carefully and give clear feedback on how we have developed the implementation plan as a result. If you want the information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the FOIA , there is a statutory Code of Practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, among other things, with obligations of confidence.

In view of this it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information you have provided, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances.

An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding by the department. The department will process your personal data in accordance with the DPA and in most circumstances this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties. The department will collate and consider all responses to this consultation and will make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who will make a decision about whether to implement the proposed changes, and if so, about which of the options set out in this consultation will be implemented.

The outcome of the consultation will usually be published within three months of the consultation closing date. You can apply for a medical exemption certificate if you have one of the following medical conditions:. To help us improve GOV. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Cookies on GOV. UK We use some essential cookies to make this website work.