HC Deb 06 June 2000 vol 351 cc233-4W
Mr. Nicholls

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people his Department estimates are eligible to claim financial help with(a) NHS prescriptions, (b) NHS dental treatment, (c) NHS wigs and fabric supports and (d) travel to hospital for NHS treatment. [122780]

Mr. Denham

In England, it is estimated that the following are eligible to claim financial help when they incur costs for:

  1. (a) National Health Service prescriptions
    • 10 million children under 16
    • 1 million young people aged 16–18 who are in full time education
    • 10 million people aged 60 or more
    • 5 million people under 60 on low income grounds
    • up to 0.3 million war pensioners where treatment is for their pensionable disability
    • 0.8 million people holding an exemption certificate because they are suffering from specified medical conditions
    • 0.7 million women holding an exemption certificate because they are pregnant or who have had a child in the past 12 months;
  2. (b) NHS dental treatment
    • 10 million children under 16
    • 1.2 million young people aged 16 and 17 plus 0.2 million aged
    • 18 who are in full time education
    • 6.5 million people on low income grounds
    • 0.9 million women who are pregnant or who have had a child in the past 12 months
    • up to 0.3 million war pensioners where treatment is for their pensionable disability
  3. (c) NHS wigs and fabric supports
    • 10 million children under 16
    • 1 million young people aged 16–18 who are in full time education
    • 6.5 million people on low income grounds
    • up to 0.3 million war pensioners where treatment is for their pensionable disability
  4. (d) Travel to hospital for NHS treatment
    • 6.5 million people on low income grounds. In addition to this figure, their children and dependent young people will also be entitled to help.
    • Up to 0.3 million war pensioners where treatment is for their pensionable disability
  5. (e) There is no charge for prescribed contraceptives.

In addition, around 0.3 million people may be eligible for financial assistance on a sliding scale with the costs of (b), (c) and (d) because they are named on an NHS charges certificate for limited help.

The figures cannot be totalled as there will be overlap between the groups; for example, women who have had a child in the past 12 months might also be on a low income, many war pensioners will be entitled to free prescriptions on age grounds.

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