Cost of Living: Prescription fees frozen as ministers seek to ease the burden on struggling households | Political news
NHS prescription charges in England will be frozen as pressure mounts on ministers to ease the cost of living crisis following the recent Tory bruising at the polls.
Health Minister Sajid Javid said taxes, which usually rise with inflation, would be kept at the same level this year to “put money in people’s pockets”.
The freeze, the first in 12 years, will save patients £17 million, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
That means the fee for a single prescription will be at £9.35, while a three-month prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) will remain at £30.25.
The 12-month PPC will be at £108.10 and can be paid in installments.
“A rise in the cost of living is inevitable as we face global challenges and the consequences of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine,” said Javid.
“While we can’t completely stop these spikes, we can help.
“This is why I’m freezing prescription fees to help relieve some of this pressure and put money back in people’s pockets.”
The measure was taken after the Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked ministers to come up with initiatives to reduce pressure on family budgets due to rising global prices.
Following Tuesday’s Queen’s Speech, the prime minister chaired the first meeting of the government’s cost of living committee.
He called on ministers to be “as creative as possible” in coming up with ideas to help needy families without new Treasury funding.
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DHSC has said they will delay the supermarket ban Snacks deals buy one get one free, aroused the concern of health campaigners.
Mr Johnson, meanwhile, has told ministers to collect plans to cut 90,000 civil service jobs over the next three years, putting the workforce back where it was before the coronavirus pandemic.
But with the Bank of England finflation forecast this year will be at double digits, the government is likely to continue to be under pressure to go further.
After Conservatives lost nearly 500 seats During local council elections, some Tories have called for tax cuts as the only way to give real help to those in need.
Meanwhile, ministers have rejected a demand for a wind tax on profits of energy companies boosted by rising oil and gas prices, warning of the impact of investing in “green” technologies. ” new.
However, in a sign that their opposition may be waning, Mr Johnson said the government would “have to look at it” while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he would be “pragmatic”.
