Free or Reduced Cost Prescriptions

• If you are under 16 (under 25 in Wales).
• If you are under 19 and in full-time education.
• If you are aged 60 or over.
• If you (or your partner) gets one of the following:
  • Income Support.
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
  • Pension Credit Guarantee Credit.
• If you have an NHS tax credit exemption certificate.
• Some war pensioners - if treatment is connected with the pensionable disability.
• If you have a prescription exemption certificate (see below).
• People on a low income who have a certificate HC2 (see below).

If you are entitled to free prescriptions, complete the declaration on the back of the prescription and sign it. You may be asked for proof that you are exempt.

Who can get a prescription exemption certificate?

If you are pregnant or have had a child in the past year

Get form FW8 from your doctor, midwife or health visitor to apply for a Maternity Exemption Certificate. The form is sent off to the Prescription Pricing Authority who will issue the certificate.

People who have certain medical conditions

Although there are many conditions requiring regular medication, only the following qualify for an exemption certificate:

• A permanent fistula requiring dressing.
• Forms of hypoadrenalism such as Addison's Disease.
• Diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism.
• Diabetes mellitus except where treatment is by diet alone.
• Hypoparathyroidism.
• Myasthenia gravis.
• Myxoedema (underactive thyroid) or other conditions where supplemental thyroid hormone is necessary.
• Epilepsy requiring regular anti-epilepsy medication.
• If, because of a permanent disability, you cannot leave your home without help.

If you have one of these conditions, get form FP92A from your doctor's surgery and fill it in. This is sent to the Prescription Pricing Authority who will issue a Medical Exemption Certificate.

If you have a Medical Exemption Certificate or Maternity Exemption Certificate, all your prescriptions are free, whatever the medication is for.

How can regular prescription charges be reduced?

If you do not qualify for exemption you may be able to reduce the cost of your prescriptions by buying a Prescription Prepayment Certificate ('season ticket') from the Prescription Pricing Authority. This certificate will cover the cost of all your prescriptions during a particular period.

For example, if you pay for more than 14 items in 12 months, you could save money by buying a Prescription Prepayment Certificate. From 1 April 2008 , the charge for a single prescription item is £7.10, whereas a 3-month Prescription Prepayment Certificate will cost you £27.85, and a 12-month Prescription Prepayment Certificate will cost you £102.50.

You can apply for a Prescription Prepayment Certificate:

• by completing form FP95 which you can get from pharmacies and doctors surgeries; OR
• online at www.ppa.org.uk OR
• by telephone - 0845 850 0030 - have ready a credit or debit card.

If you pay a prescription charge whilst waiting for a Prescription Prepayment Certificate to be issued, you can get a refund. To do this you must get a receipt. The receipt is form FP57. You must get this receipt from the pharmacist when your prescription is dispensed. You cannot get one later. Fill the receipt form in and send it off to claim the refund.

How can people on a low income apply for help?

Some people on a low income may qualify for help with health costs such as prescription charges. Your entitlement to help is based on your circumstances such as your level of income, savings, etc. Use form HC1 'Claim for help with health costs'. See below on how to get this form. You have to fill in the form giving various details of your circumstances. If your application is successful, you will receive either certificate HC2 or HC3.

• Certificate HC2 means that you will not need to pay the following health costs: prescription charges; NHS dental charges; eye tests, glasses and contact lenses; travel to hospital for NHS treatment; wigs and fabric supports.
• Certificate HC3 provides partial help with some of these health costs.

Certificates are usually valid for six months. If your circumstances remain unchanged after six months then, if necessary, make a new claim before the current certificate expires.

Can I claim a refund for a prescription charge I have already paid?

If you are on a low income, but have not yet got certificate HC2, then get a receipt when you pay for your prescription. The receipt is form FP57. You must get this receipt from the pharmacist when your prescription is dispensed. You cannot get one later. When you get certificate HC2, send the receipt form FP57 to the address on the form to get a refund. (Note: if you are claiming a refund for any other health cost such as dental charges, you need to claim on form HC5.)

How can I get the claim forms?

To get the forms HC1 and HC5 mentioned above:

• contact your local office of the Department of Work and Pensions (the local Jobcentre Plus or 'social security' office) for a claim form. Find your local office in the phone book under 'Jobcentre Plus', OR
• get them from an NHS hospital, OR
• your dentist or optometrist (optician) may stock them, OR
• phone the Department of Health Publications Orderline on 0300 123 1002 (minicom 0300 123 1003) nd ask for a form to be sent to you.

How can I find out more?

Further information

This leaflet only gives a brief summary of how to obtain free or reduced cost prescriptions and is for guidance only. It does not cover all situations nor is it a full statement of the law. The official information booklet HC11 'Help with health costs' provides more details for people on a low income. Your local Jobcentre Plus office, NHS hospital, pharmacist, doctor, dentist or optician may have leaflet HC11 and relevant claim forms.

The leaflet HC11 is also available on the internet. Go to the Department of Health's website - www.dh.gov.uk - and search for HC11.

Prescription Pricing Authority

Deals with prescription matters on behalf of the government. Their website www.ppa.org.uk has official information relating to prescriptions and you can download claim forms.

The Prescription Pricing Authority has phone lines that deal with various types of query:

• For all queries relating to the NHS Low Income Scheme, contact the Patient Services: 0845 850 1166.
• For general queries, prior to applying for Prescription Pre-payment, Medical and Maternity Exemption Certificates contact: 0845 850 0030.
• For specific queries, after applying for / receiving Prescription Pre-payment, Medical and Maternity Certificates contact: 0845 601 8076.
• For queries about your NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate contact: 0845 609 9299.

Benefit Enquiry Line - BEL

England, Wales and Scotland - Tel: 0800 88 22 00 Textphone: 0800 24 33 55
Northern Ireland - Tel: 0800 220 674 Textphone: 0800 243 787
For people with disabilities, their carers and representatives. It is part of the Department for Work and Pensions. BEL offers confidential advice and information on benefits and how to claim them. In addition they can also send out an extensive range of leaflets and claim packs, and help you to complete a claim form over the phone.

Directgov

Web: www.direct.gov.uk
Directgov brings together the widest range of public service information and services online.
Produced by the Central Office of Information, Directgov provides information from across UK government departments on topics ranging from travel safety and parental leave, to special educational needs, local NHS services, and benefits. The site also brings together an increasing number of online government services - including being able to download and/or complete certain benefit claim forms online.

Citizens Advice Bureau

Provides independent advice on many issues including benefits. Listed in the phone book under 'Citizens Advice Bureaux'. Also, see their excellent website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk