Medication

Rachel Reeves is under pressure to cut free prescriptions for 60 to 65-year-olds

Rachel Reeves is facing growing pressure to scrap free prescriptions for 60 to 65-year-olds.

The move could raise more than £6 billion for the Treasury over ten years, according to a previous Government report.


The proposal comes from the charity Intergenerational Foundation, which argues that linking free education to the state pension age of 66 years could help solve the 22 billion deficit in the economy.

The proposal comes as Labor has announced plans to cut the Winter Payments for millions of pensioners, sparking a debate over the party’s approach to older patients.

In England, most patients now pay for their prescriptions. The cost rose to £9.90 per item in April, an increase of 2.6 per cent from 2023. However, some groups are exempt from the charges, including children, pregnant women, and those receiving benefits. .

Apparently, those aged 60 and over also get free prescriptions, a scheme that has been in place since 1995 when it was aligned with the national pension age.

Rachel Reeves

Linking free orders to the state pension age of 66 could help tackle a £22bn deficit in the economy.

Getty

Although the state pension age has been raised to 66, those over 60 still benefit from free prescriptions, creating a divide between the two thresholds.

Liz Emerson, executive director of the Intergenerational Foundation, argued that taxpayers are spending too much money to buy free medicine for those who are still working.

He says: “Linking free orders to the state pension system will improve intergenerational fairness by reducing the cost of the current $1.1 billion in annual distributions, of which part 90 percent of which is free of charge.”

This proposal aims to address the growing disparity between the doctor’s licensure age and the state’s retirement age, which has increased over time.

The charity suggests that this change could help balance the needs of different generations as they deal with financial difficulties. A federal report in 2021 found that raising the limit could raise $6.2billion over 10 years.

However, concerns remain about the potential impact on the low-income 60-65 age group. A 2021 Government review suggested that removing free prescriptions could cost people of this age between £50 and £100 a year for medicines.

The former Conservative government under Rishi Sunak ruled out this policy change in 2023 after extensive consultation.

The Department of Health and Social Care said there were no immediate plans to change the eligibility criteria for the prescriptions.

However, the debate continues as the Government grapples with economic pressures and intergenerational justice. A savings of about $6.2 billion over ten years remains an attractive prospect for policymakers.

Labour’s recent decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments for more than 10 million pensioners is expected to save the Treasury £1.4billion.

Dr Kristian Niemietz, an expert at the Center for Economic Planning, suggested that Labour’s electoral base was biased towards young and middle-aged voters, making the elderly an easy target for savings.

He said: “They won’t want pensioner poverty to rise, but the way to measure old-age benefits is to save money while protecting the poor to reduce costs.”

Dr Niemietz went on to argue against age-based parole, saying: “I would not parole people based on their age. I would parole them because of poverty, or because of to be sick, but not to be born before a certain year.”

Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, fears the Prime Minister will not stop there if he is allowed to get away with cutting Winter Fuel Payments.

Rachel Reeves Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver the first Labor Budget on Wednesday 30 OctoberPA

He warned that urgent measures must be taken to protect the 2-3 million adults who will suffer the most with the loss of the loss of the payment of £ 300.

Reed told the Express: “If the Government successfully weathers this storm, they will push older people further, perhaps through free tests, bus transport and even the state pension.

“It’s time for adults to fight for our dignity in our remaining years on this planet.”

As the Budget approaches on 30 October, all eyes will be on the Chancellor’s announcements about possible tax changes and benefits reforms.

The ongoing debate highlights the complex balance between supporting an aging population and managing public finances, a challenge that is likely to continue in the coming years.

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