THOUSANDS of benefit claimants are entitled to free NHS prescriptions that can slash their medical expenses.

In England prescriptions cost £9.90 per item, but some benefits give claimants access to free NHS prescriptions.

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The flat prescription fee is designed to make necessary medication affordable, but if you are taking several prescriptions costs can quickly add up.

So, if you’re eligible, claiming your free prescriptions could make a big difference.

And in some cases the entitlement could also give you free access to over-the-counter remedies.

What benefits grant access to free prescriptions?

You will be entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner receive:

• Income support
• Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Pension Credit (guarantee element)

You will also be entitled to free prescriptions if you receive Universal Credit and and your earnings for the most recent assessment period were £435 or less, or £935 or less if your claim included an element for a child, or if you have ‘limited capability for work’.

You could also be entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you receive tax credits and your annual family income is £15,276 or less. To claim you must be in receipt of:

• Child tax credit
• Working tax credit and child tax Ccedit paid together
• Working tax credit including a disability element

If you’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions your partner and any dependants under 20 will also be able to claim them.

How to apply?

If you’re automatically entitled you can use your award notice as proof.

When you receive your prescription there a boxes to tick identifying the benefit that grants your entitlement.

For example if you’re claiming through Universal Credit you should tick box ‘U’.

However the NHS has said that some prescriptions may not have a ‘U’ box, if this is the case select box ‘k’ for for income-based jobseeker’s allowance instead.

If you’re entitled to free prescriptions you will also be entitled to free over-the-counter remedies at participating pharmacies, following a consultation with a pharmacist.

Is other help available?

If you’re not automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions, you may still be able to apply for help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

If you’re on a low income you can apply for the scheme, as long as your savings or investments don’t exceed a certain value.

You cannot get help if you or your partner (or both) have more than: 

• £16,000 in savings, investments or property (not including the place where you live) 
• £23,250 in savings, investments or property if you live permanently in a care home (£24,000 if you live in Wales)

How much you will receive depends on your weekly income, outgoings as well as savings and investments.

If you are granted support, you may be able to apply for a refund for medical expenses already incurred.

Who else is entitled to free prescriptions

Other people entitled to free NHS prescriptions include:

• Those under 16 years old 
• Those who are 16, 17, or 18 years old and in full-time education 
• People who are 60 or older 
• People with a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx) for a specified medical condition, such as diabetes, epilepsy, or cancer 
• Those with a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx)(issued as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed and valid until a year after birth)
• NHS inpatients
• People in receipt of a war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your disability

Other ways to save

Those ineligible for free prescriptions can still make savings by purchasing a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC).

It’s essentially a season ticket, which you pay for once and can use to cover any prescriptions you need for one year.

You can also get them to cover three months.

A one-year PPC costs £111.60, while a three-month PPC will set you back £31.25.

You can buy them on the NHS Business Services Authority’s website or via a registered pharmacy.

The point at which you start saving money with the three-month PPC is after buying four or more prescriptions.

With the one-year PPC, you start making savings after 12 or more purchases.

So, if you need a lot of prescriptions every year, a PPC can definitely be worth your time.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

An increase in capital gains tax (CGT) is top of mind for advisers, with the majority believing it is one of the most likely announcements in the upcoming Budget, research by Royal London has revealed.

In a survey, the life, pensions and investment mutual asked advisers their thoughts on the most talked about Budget in recent years.

Over three quarters (78%) said they believe CGT changes are the most likely outcome.

The research suggested 50% of advisers are predicting changes to pensions tax relief, followed by 38% who think the chancellor will introduce income tax on defined contribution death benefits for someone who dies before the age of 75.

Additionally, 25% are predicting a change to salary sacrifice for employer contributions.

At the other end of the spectrum, only 8% of respondents think the chancellor will make changes to Isa limits.

When asked what they would do if they were chancellor and had to save money on pensions, the responses varied from reducing tax relief on contributions (57%) to National Insurance changes (22%).

Notably, only 8% would reduce the level of tax-free cash to £100,000.

Just over a third of those questioned (36%) have been proactively contacting clients about the Budget.

Conversely, over 80% of advisers have seen an increase in the number of clients contacting them about taking action in relation to their pension.

That increase is significant for around a quarter of those Royal London surveyed.

Of those getting in touch, 94% of clients who had not taken any tax-free cash are asking about taking it all ahead of the Budget.

A smaller, but still significant 40% of respondents have clients who had planned to take tax free cash in stages and move the rest to drawdown or an uncrystallised funds pension lump sum but now want to take the full amount.

Meanwhile, 7% have asked about taking tax-free cash and buying an annuity.

While most advisers predict a change to CGT, they have seen a much smaller number of clients (41%) getting in touch to take action in relation to assets that might be subject to CGT.

Royal London director of policy Jamie Jenkins said: “Every fiscal event comes with its fair share of speculation, but this one is shaping up to be the most talked about Budget for years, with most commentators now expecting a range of tax changes to be announced.

“At this stage, most advisers are fully expecting changes that will affect their clients and the advice they provide to them, but the speculation is shifting on a daily basis, leaving advisers in a difficult position.

“Meantime, it’s clear that clients are getting anxious about possible changes that may affect their finances, and some are bringing forward elements of their retirement plans.”

WINTER brings the promise of toasty log fires, Christmas festivities and New Year’s Eve parties – but some simple mistakes could land you with a big fine while you’re celebrating.

From out-of-hand parties to driving offences and illegal fires, these are some of the little-known rules that could put the freeze on your fun.

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To help ensure you aren’t slapped with any unexpected bills over the winter months, we’ve drawn up a list of the rules you should be aware of.

Breaking log burner rules – up to £1,000

Breaking new rules around the use of log burners could land you with a huge fine and even a criminal record.

In 2023, regulations were tightened to reduce the amount of smoke wood burning stoves in “smoke control areas” are allowed to emit.

The limit used to be 5g per hour, but is now 3g per hour.

Smoke control areas were introduced by the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to reduce air pollution and cover many towns and cities in England.

Since last year, local councils can issue fines between £175 and £300 to those found to be in breach of the rules.

Lighting a fire to keep you warm this winter could also land you in hot water if you’re found to be using an unauthorised fuel in a smoke control area.

You must use approved fuels for your device or smoke-free fuels in the designated areas.

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you buy unauthorised fuel to use in an unapproved device.

In some cases, if the situation goes to court, then fines could be as high as £5,000 for repeat offenders, as well as an additional £2,500 for every day the breach continues.

You can find out if you live in a smoke control area here: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/sca/.

Halloween parties – up to £1,000

Halloween is a great excuse for dressing up and partying, but if things get out of hand there’s a chance you could be facing a big bill.

The most common complaints made in relation to parties are down to excessive noise.

Derbyshire Police has already issued this warning: “If having a Halloween party at home, let your neighbours know beforehand, so they won’t be alarmed.

“Between 11pm and 7am, keep the noise low and do not let fireworks off.”

After 11pm, permitted noise levels are 34dBA (decibels adjusted) where background noise is no higher than 24dBA or 10dBA above the level of background noise if this exceeds 24dBA.

Noise complaints are generally dealt with by local councils who will serve an abatement notice if they agree the disturbance amounts to a statutory nuisance.

If an abatement notice is not complied with a fine of £110 per household can be issued.

If this is not paid the householder could be prosecuted, with convictions leading to a fine of up to £1,000.

Disposing of Christmas waste – up to £5,000

Christmas brings joy, presents, frivolity and a lot of rubbish.

When it comes to disposing of this waste breaking the rules could land you with an on the spot fine or even a court summons.

So, whether you’re disposing of your Christmas tree come January or working out which bin to put piles of wrapping paper into, make sure you check the guidance from your local authority.

You should also double check if items such as wrapping paper and food packaging are recyclable, as Christmas-y additions such as glitter can mean they are destined for general waste instead.

Depending on your local council, you could be fined up to £1,000 for not disposing of your rubbish properly.

In previous years, North Herts Council has issued fixed penalty notices of £75 for littering and £400 for fly-tipping, while Wakefield Council said it would fine fly-tippers up to £250.

In South Norfolk, residents were warned last year they could be fined up to £5,000 if they pass their waste to an unauthorised person who then dumps it illegally.

Not de-icing your car properly – £60

Not de-icing your car properly on a frosty day could land you with a £60 fine and three penalty points, according to the RAC.

The car specialist said that driving without clearing the car fully could be classed as using a vehicle with parts or accessories in a “dangerous condition”.

It is not enough to clear the driver’s side of the windscreen, drivers must by law have a full view of the road and traffic ahead, which means clearing your entire windscreen, mirrors and side windows.

The RAC has also warned drivers against leaving their engine running while the car is unattended.

While it’s tempting to switch the engine on while you’re getting ready in the mornings to help clear the ice, the car experts said it could land you a fine.

Rule 123 of the Highway Code stated: “You must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.

“Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution.

“However, it is permissible to leave the engine running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic or for diagnosing faults.”

Breaking the rule could land you with a fixed penalty notice of £20, which would increase to £40 if not paid promptly.

Removing fallen leaves – up to £1,000

Leaves can quickly fill your driveway or garden as autumn begins turning to winter, but be careful how you dispose of them.

Simply sweeping leaves off your property could result in an on-the-spot fine or even a fly-tipping prosecution.

Mansfield Council has previously warned that those caught sweeping leaves from their property onto the highway could receive a £75 fine.

Trafford Council has said sweeping leaves and other natural debris from a garden or driveway onto the street will be treated as a littering or fly tipping offence, depending on the quantity.

Those caught fly-tipping can be handed fines of up to £1,000.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

A SAVVY-STAY-AT-HOME-MOM has revealed how she made $300 in one week, with her fun fall side hustle.

Lisa has tried every side hustle under the sun, and last October, had great success delivering pumpkins to people’s doorsteps.

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“I was just selling pumpkins out of the back of my car, and delivering them to people’s porches”, she said.

The mom was inspired to start her seasonal side hustle, after her parents lovingly grew 20 pumpkins, and weren’t sure what to do with them.

She asked her followers if anyone would want her to deliver her a pumpkin, and was met with a resounding “yes”.

The thrifty mom then headed to Hobby Lobby, and picked up some cute ribbon to decorate her pumpkins with.

“I charged $15 a pumpkin, and I sold out!”, she said.

Lisa revealed that she had never heard of a pumpkin delivery before, so feels like she hit a gap in the market.

“People love to welcome hall, so I just tried it, and it was a hit”, she said.

The side hustle was especially successful with the elderly, who weren’t able to get out and about to decorate their porches themselves.

Lisa now dreams of turning her pumpkin business into a service, where she decorates people’s front porches for fall.

“These pumpkin deliveries were so fun for me, it was so fun to bring smiles to people’s faces”, she said.

She added that, although she got her pumpkins for free, there are some states in the US where you can buy pumpkins in bulk, for a cheap price.

Lisa’s video (@somo.mama)has likely left many people impressed, as it has racked up over 50,000 views on the video sharing platform.

TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to share their thoughts.

Side hustles and tax implications

Extra income you make from side hustles may need to be reported to the IRS.

If you receive more than $600 in gross payouts from a selling platform like eBay, the site will issue you a Form 1099-K to use in your tax return.

Individuals should calculate their adjusted gross income, taxable earnings, and deductions for the year.

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Once they have that, they can use the 1040-ES form to calculate estimated taxes.

One person said: “You are awesome Ms Entrepreneur you did a wonderful thing helping the elderly!”

A second person said: “I would definitely pay for a pumpkin delivery!”

A third person said: “Amazing!! Especially for those who can’t get out much, they can experience all the fall feels!”

A fourth person added: “I absolutely love this idea.”

THREE major deadlines are coming up before Christmas which could open up payments worth hundreds of pounds.

The cost of living remains high with energy bills rising for millions of UK households at the start of this month.

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Luckily, there is help at hand, including the Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount and Christmas Bonus.

But there are some crucial deadlines you need to be aware of if you want to snap up the payments worth potentially £460.

One is coming within weeks too so you should act as soon as possible.

November 10 – deadline to backdate Pension Credit to get the Warm Homes Discount

The Warm Homes Discount (WHD) is a discount on your energy bills worth £150 each winter.

The money is not paid to you but is a one-off deduction applied between October and March.

In most cases, it is made automatically although households in Scotland have to apply.

To qualify for the help, you need to have been in receipt of the guaranteed credit element of Pension Credit or a different qualifying benefit from the list below on August 11:

If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits on August 11, 2024, you won’t be eligible for the WHD this year.

However, the same August date does not apply if you are receiving the guarantee credit element of Pension Credit.

This is because you can backdate a Pension Credit claim by up to three months while the other benefits in the list above can only be backdated by up to one month.

That means you have until the end of Sunday, November 10 to launch a claim and get the £150 rebate.

Pension Credit is a benefit that tops up your weekly income to a minimum amount if you are on a low income and of state pension age, currently 66.

There are two parts to the benefit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.

Savings Credit is extra money you get if you have some savings or your income is above the basic full state pension amount – £169.50.

December 2 – deadline for Christmas Bonus

The Christmas bonus is a tax-free £10 payment made once per year to cover some of the additional costs associated with Christmas.

The payment is made by the DWP before December 25 and can come in handy.

However, the £10 payment is only made to those in receipt of certain qualifying benefits. The full list of benefits is:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer Support Payment
• Child Disability Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Mobility Supplement
• Pension Credit – the guarantee element
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under
• Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow’s Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension

You will need to have been receiving one of the above benefits in the qualifying week to receive the £10 payment.

This year, that week is the first full week of December, which starts on December 2, so you will need to claim one of the above benefits by this date to qualify for the £10 Christmas Bonus.

If you want to find out if you qualify for one of the above benefits, you can use a number of free calculators.

The three main online calculators you can use are:

December 21 – deadline for backdated Pension Credit to get the Winter Fuel Payment

The Government has made the Winter Fuel Payment means-tested which means only those on certain benefits qualify for the up to £300 payment this year.

Rather than it being open to anyone of state pension age, you now only receive it if you were receiving Pension Credit or one of the below benefits by September 22:

However, again, you can backdate your Pension Credit claim by up to three months meaning you still have time to qualify for this year’s Winter Fuel Payment.

That means the ultimate deadline to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment is December 21, not September 22.

The Winter Fuel Payment, which is usually paid by Christmas, is worth up to £300 depending on your circumstances.

If you were born before September 23, 1944, you will get £300 while those born between September 23, 1944, and September 22, 1958, will receive £200.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

A MARTIN Lewis fan has shared how she managed to get a refund of £1,000 thanks to a handy MoneySavingExpert tip.

The MoneySavingExpert (MSE) reader got the cash boost by asking her supplier to repay what she owed in energy credit.

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If you pay for your energy by direct debit, most firms take the annual cost of your bill and divide it by 12 which means some parts of the year you are in credit and others debt.

But because the monthly payments are estimated, it can mean you end up being in too much credit at certain times of the year.

You can ask for it to be repaid though, meaning you could get a giant lump sum back.

Martin Lewis’ MSE previously said the best time to ask for credit back is around May, when your energy debt is likely to have stopped rising after the colder months.

Some people choose to leave a bit of credit in their account in the run up to the winter months, when you spend more, but some prefer to have the cash.

In the latest MSE newsletter, a reader called Diane shared how she used the tip to claw back £1,000.

She said: “Thanks to you I checked and discovered I was £1,000 in credit with EDF.

“I am now looking forward to a cheeky little holiday, which I wouldn’t normally have been able to afford. Happy days, thank you again.”

How to ask your supplier for credit back

You will first want to make sure your energy firm has the most up-to-date meter reading for you.

If you’ve got a smart meter, this will likely be sending regular readings to your firm so you won’t have to take a meter reading.

If your meter readings are up-to-date and if you have been in credit for more than one month, ask your energy firm to reimburse you.

Each energy supplier has its own process for issuing customers with credit refunds.

For example, British Gas says it will issue you a refund if you have been billed in the last 14 days and you are not switching to another firm.

If these apply, it refunds you your credit balance within 10 working days.

Octopus Energy says if you’ve got more credit on your account than you need, you can request any excess back.

But you need to have had an energy bill based on real meter readings in the 14 days before requesting a refund.

How to challenge an unfair direct debit

If you pay your energy bill by direct debit, then it is assumed that this monthly amount should be “fair and reasonable”.

If you don’t think it is, you can complain directly to your supplier in the first instance.

If you’re not happy with the outcome you can take it to the independent Energy Ombudsman to dispute, but there are a few steps before you get to that stage.

Your supplier must clearly explain why it’s chosen that amount for your direct debit.

If you’ve got credit on your account, you have every right to get it back – although some experts recommend keeping it there through the summer, so your bills don’t go up in the winter when you use more energy.

Your supplier must refund you or explain exactly why not otherwise the regulator, Ofgem, can fine suppliers if they don’t.

If you are disputing a bill, taking a meter reading is a must.

If it’s lower than your estimate, you can ask your provider to lower your monthly direct debit to a more suitable amount.

But beware so you don’t end up in debt later on with a bigger catch-up bill at the end of the year from underpayments racking up.

If you don’t have success in negotiating a lower payment then you can put in a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories