Prescription forms have been updated in a bid to improve the process of receiving free NHS prescriptions for those eligible under Universal Credit. The FP10 forms will be introduced from the end of January 2020.

The changes to the FP10 NHS Prescription Form document, released by the NHS Business Services Authority and the Department of Health & Social Care, explain that a new exemption box “U” for patients who are in receipt of Universal Credit and meet the criteria for free help with health costs.

The “U” stands for “Universal Credit and meets the criteria”.

Previously, those eligible under Universal Credit have been instructed to tick the box “K - gets income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance” and show their Universal Credit award notice as evidence of entitlement.

“Adding a tick box for Universal Credit, and the equivalent for the EPS systems, enables patients to correctly declare their exemption,” the document reads.

DON'T MISS

People who are in receipt of Universal Credit meeting the specified criteria, should continue to select box “K” on the reverse of the current prescription form, the guidance explains.

Universal Credit: Who is eligible for help with health costs?

A person qualifies under Universal Credit if, on the date they claim help with health costs:

• They receive Universal Credit and either had no earnings or had net earnings of £435 or less in their last Universal Credit assessment period, or
• They receive Universal Credit, which includes an element for a child, or the claimant (or their partner) had limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA), and they either had no earnings or net earnings of £935 or less in their last Universal Credit assessment period.