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When it comes to managing your health, if you need medicine and additional services the costs can rise rapidly. Luckily, there are a range of benefits available to the over 60s that can help.
Sebrina McCullough, Director of External Relations at debt adviser Money Wellness, says: “Thousands of over 60s face higher living costs than younger generations because of illnesses that become more complex and frequent as we age.
“For example, they [may] have higher energy bills because there’s a greater need to keep their homes warm or run medical equipment.
“Many over 60s need daily medication to manage their chronic conditions. The cost of these medications can quickly add up, especially for those taking multiple prescriptions.”
If the cost of medical care is becoming a worry for you, it’s important to know what help is out there – and what you might need to do to show you qualify.
In England, once you turn 60 you’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions. This means not having to pay the standard prescription charge, currently £9.90 for each item.
In terms of gaining access to this benefit, you’ll simply need to be able to show proof of age with a relevant document, such as a passport or driving license – although your date of birth should already be printed on most prescriptions.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, NHS prescriptions are free for everyone regardless of age.
Turning 60 also means you can get free eye tests through the NHS. This’ll save you around £15- £35, based on checks of various high street opticians’ prices.
Tina Patel, Contact Lens Optician at Feel Good Contacts, says: “You should aim to get an eye test every two years or otherwise directed by your practitioner.
“An eye test can pick up on early signs of diabetes, glaucoma and even brain tumours.
“Most high street opticians in the UK offer free eye tests funded by the NHS to those who qualify, and it’s usually a simple and easy process of booking an appointment to get a free eye test at most opticians.”
Unfortunately, increasing age doesn’t entitle you to free dental treatment in England or Northern Ireland.
However, you might be eligible for free dental treatment if you or your partner receive the ‘guarantee credit’ part of Pension Credit, or Universal Credit.
To prove eligibility, you’ll need to bring your benefits letter to show you’re receiving the Credits.
In Scotland, everyone can get free dental check-ups on the NHS, and you can also get them free if you’re over 60 and live in Wales.
NHS hearing tests are free for all age groups and can be booked through your GP or some high street opticians and pharmacies. If you can’t get to a face-to-face hearing test without help, you may be eligible for a free check at home – your GP can advise about this.
If you’ve got an NHS hearing aid, you can get free batteries and repairs from any NHS hearing aid service.
The annual flu jab is offered free of charge to anyone aged 65 or over. You can also get a free vaccination if you’re under 65 and have a long-term health condition putting you at risk of complications if you catch the flu (e.g. a heart or lung condition, asthma, or diabetes).
The flu jab is free if you receive Carer’s Allowance or are an informal carer of an older person who relies on you for care.
If you're over 65, you can get a free pneumococcal jab to protect against illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis, and a free shingles jab (so long as you turned 65 after 1 September 2023).
People aged 75-79 are being offered the RSV vaccine to protect against Respiratory Syncytial Virus, a common virus that can make older adults seriously ill. Your GP should contact you about booking a vaccination, and if you turned 80 on or after 1 September 2024, you're eligible for the vaccine until 31 August 2025.
If you’re 65 and over, or live in a care home for older people, you’ll be entitled to an NHS Covid Autumn booster between 3 October and 20 December 2024. People under 65 may also be eligible if they have certain health conditions too.
If you’re over State Pension age and on a low income, Pension Credit gives financial help with your living costs.
If you or your partner get Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit, you’ll also be entitled to free NHS dental treatment, free NHS wigs and fabric supports and help towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses.
You might also get help towards travel costs to receive NHS treatment via the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).
But Helen Morrissey, Head of Retirement Analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, warns that Pension Credit remains a much ‘underclaimed’ benefit.
“As well as topping up the income of the poorest pensioners Pension Credit acts as a gateway to further help such as help with these NHS costs, council tax and a free TV licence for the over 75s,” she explains.
“You’ll also continue to receive the Winter Fuel Allowance if you are a Pension Credit recipient, so it’s vital that you check to see if you are eligible.”
If you don’t receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit but you’re on a low income, you may be able to get some help with health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS).
“The NHS LIS scheme can help with some of these costs by providing free or discounted prescriptions for those on a low income, as well as free dental treatment, eye tests and vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses,” explains McCullough.
“It can also help with the cost of travelling to receive treatment.
“To qualify for the NHS LIS scheme, you must have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings [which includes investments and property that’s not your main home].”
Those living in care homes have a higher allowance: £23,250 at the time of writing. To prove you’re in receipt of NIS, you’ll need bring your HC2 certificate.
You might be able to get a refund on some health costs if you need to pay for prescriptions while waiting to be accepted for Pension Credit, or if you’re waiting for your NHS LIS certificate to arrive.
You’ll need to ask the chemist for an NHS refund receipt – called a FP57 form (or WP57 in Wales).
You should ask for it when you pay for your prescription, because you can’t get the form later, and you’ll need to claim the refund within three months.
You might also be able to get refunds for other health charges paid within the past three months if you find you’re eligible for a qualifying benefit. Details of how to do this and the necessary forms are on the NHS website.
If you're under 60 you can save money on prescriptions by buying a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) from the NHS. These cost £32.05 for three months or £114.50 for 12 months, covering all your prescriptions for that period.
Women on NHS-prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can buy an annual HRT PPC for a one-off payment equating to the cost of two single prescription items (£19.80 in 2024/25).
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