How to cut the cost of medicines

Could you be one of the nearly one million people overpaying for your prescriptions?* At £9.65 a pop, staying on top of healthcare can be costly. But there are ways to save…

FREE PRESCRIPTIONS

Before you fork out almost a tenner for your meds, it’s worth checking if you can get them free. Many people are exempt from payments, which may apply if you’re on benefits, over or under a certain age, or have a medical condition. Use the government tool at gov.uk/help-nhscosts to see if you’re eligible.

REDUCE PRESCRIPTION COSTS

If you’re not eligible for free prescriptions but take regular medication, a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) could help with the cost. A PPC allows you to get as many prescriptions as you need within a certain time frame for a set price. You can currently get a three-month PPC costing £31.25, or an annual PPC at £111.60. If you have more than three prescriptions in a three-month period, choose the former, and if you have at least one a month, you’ll save with an annual PPC.

SLASH HRT COSTS

New rules that came in last year mean women can also save on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If you need at least two prescribed HRT items within a year, paying £19.30 for a HRT PPC will save you money.

✱ You can buy both a PPC and HRT PPC online at services.nhsbsa.nhs. uk/buy-prescriptionprepaymentcertificate/start.

CAN YOU GET A FREE EYE TEST? An eye test will normally set you back around £30, but you could be eligible for a free test on the NHS, depending on your age, health, or if you are on certain benefits. For example, you’re entitled to a free test if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, or if you are over 40 and have a parent, sibling or child diagnosed with glaucoma. Find out more at nhs.uk/nhs-services/ opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-andoptical-vouchers. If you’re employed, ask your employer if they provide free eye test vouchers.

HEALTHY START PAYMENTS

If you’re pregnant or a parent of a child under the age of four, make sure you are not one of the thousands missing out on Healthy Start payments worth at least £4.25 a week to help with food costs – that’s over £200 a year. This is available for some benefits claimants . Find out if you are eligible and how to apply at healthystart.nhs.uk.