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Raising age bar for free prescriptions 'a false economy', charities warn government

GOVERNMENT proposals to increase the age at which people become entitled to free prescriptions have been branded a “thoughtless” false economy by a coalition of charities.

The Prescription Charges Coalition warned that any short-term financial rewards from making people pay for prescriptions for longer will cost the NHS more money in the long term.

People aged 60 and over can currently get their prescriptions for free on the NHS in England.

But ministers are consulting on whether this should increase to be aligned with the state pension age, which is currently 66 years old but is expected to rise in the future.

The consultation states that people aged 60 to 65 can remain in work, are “economically active and more able to meet the cost of their prescriptions.”

The coalition warned that the proposals could disproportionately affect those with degenerative health conditions, multiple health conditions, those from diverse communities with lower life expectancies and those living in areas where the average pay is lower than other regions.

Parkinson’s UK, which is part of the coalition, said that raising the prescription exemption age will cost the NHS an additional £8.5 million from avoidable hospital admissions from Parkinson’s patients alone.

Parkinson’s patient Denise Price, who had to reduce her working hours from 37.5 hours per week to 15 hours due to symptoms including extreme fatigue, said that paying for prescriptions for longer would be tough.

The 59-year-old, a farm business administrator from Norfolk, said: “I always thought I would work until I was 67 … however as my Parkinson’s advances I worry about whether I physically will be able to.”

“I have to pay for my prescriptions and this is eating into the diminishing amount I can contribute towards the household bills,” she added.

“It feels like the government is once again penalising those living with a long-term condition that anyone could get and for which currently there is no cure.”

Coalition chairwoman Laura Cockram said: “People with long-term conditions like Parkinson’s, asthma and MS who rely on medication to manage every day don’t deserve to pay the price for the government’s poor fiscal decisions.”

In a statement, the Department of Health and Social Care said that support is available for those on low income and certain benefits.

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