Wed 10-Mar-10 11:17 AM by shawn
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A bit off-topic, I know – in relation to free prescription groups (in England) and age limits, does anyone know why the age limit for free prescriptions for young people in full-time ed is 19, even tho the the age limit for young people in full-time ed to qualify for IS and CB and CTC was raised a few years ago to 20? Maybe just another example of DoH not doing joined-up thinking with DWP?
Back to the topic of whether free prescriptions start at 60 or with rising female State Pension Age, there was this on Moneybox on 6 Feb Now Money Box has learned that plans to raise the age at which people can claim free prescriptions in England have been put on hold. Ruth? RUTH ALEXANDER: Yeah, we reported in December that the Chancellor had announced that the qualifying age for free NHS prescriptions in England would rise from April. At the moment men and women over 60 get free bus passes and free prescriptions, but the Treasury had said the qualifying age for these benefits would increase in line with the female state pension age. And that age is slowly rising from 6th April, so that for example a woman born on 20th July 1950 won’t reach state pension age on her 60th birthday but will have to wait a few months until 6th November 2010. PAUL LEWIS: And as a result people will get these benefits later than they used to. ALEXANDER: Yes. But when exactly they’ll get free prescriptions is not clear. There’s been a “misunderstanding” between the Treasury and the Department of Health about this. The Department of Health says that there will not be a change in April, but it does accept that the age for free prescriptions will increase, although it won’t say by how much or when this will happen. And it will decide, it says; not the Treasury. LEWIS: Okay, thanks Ruth. And I should say that prescriptions are free for everyone in Wales, will be free for everyone in Northern Ireland from April, and are £3 an item in Scotland and no age change there. Robbie
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