§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any proposals to permit elderly persons who have to retire early because of ill health and who are in receipt of mobility allowance to qualify for free prescriptions.
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§ Dr. VaughanMy right hon. Friend has no plans to extend automatic exemption from prescription charges to this group. Not all elderly persons who retire early because of ill health acid who are in receipt of a mobility allowance need frequent prescriptions. However, some recipients of mobility allowance can qualify for exemption on medical grounds because they cannot leave their homes without the help of another person. Others who retire on health grounds, whether or not they are in receipt of mobility allowance, may be exempt if they are in receipt of supplementary benefit or are eligible under the low income exemption arrangements.
The prepayment certificate—"season ticket"—arrangements can, of course, help those people not entitled to exemption to limit their outlay on medicines.