If you have a long-term health condition, you may need to take regular medication to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. However, paying for prescriptions can be a financial burden, especially if you need multiple items every month.
NHS England has launched a campaign to raise awareness of two prescription saving schemes that can help reduce costs.
The first scheme is the Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC), which is a kind of subscription service that covers all your NHS prescriptions for a fixed price. You can buy a PPC for three months or 12 months, depending on your needs. If you pay for more than three items in three months, or 11 items in 12 months, you will save money with a PPC.
The second scheme is the Low Income Scheme (LIS), which is a means-tested benefit that can help you with your health costs, including prescriptions, dental care, eye care, and travel to receive NHS treatment. Depending on your income and circumstances, you may be eligible for full or partial help with these costs, or even free prescriptions.
The campaign is targeting people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and heart disease, as well as people living in deprived areas, because they are more likely to need multiple prescriptions and face financial hardship.