Universal Credit claimants could risk losing free prescriptions thanks to a new rule change introduced by Jeremy Hunt.
During his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor outlined changes to benefits in order incentivise those on Universal Credit to get into work.
If a claimant does not find work within 18 months of receiving support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), their benefits will be pulled.
This means that those in receipt of Universal Credit will also lose access to other freebie benefits, such as free prescriptions and legal assistance.
Britons could lose their free prescriptions
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This new crackdown will see DWP staff track jobseekers attendance at interviews and jobs fairs using “digital tools”.
Last month, Benefits Minister Mel Stride outlined the Government’s “Back to Work” plan which will rollout in three phases throughout 2024.
In the statement, Mr Stride claimed some unemployed people “resolutely refuse to engage in job seeking activities and continue to receive benefits”, despite “being able to work”.
He added: “No claimant should reach 18 months of unemployment in receipt of their full benefits if they have not taken every reasonable step to comply with jobcentre support.”
On top of this measure, the Government is introducing expanded support across health and employment program, including NHS talking therapies and individual placement for severe mental illness.
The Government has cited its goal of wanting to root out fraud and error and have said will target claimants who routinely not engagement with the DWP’s job centre support.
Reactions to this rule change for Universal Credit have criticised the Government for introducing further benefit sanctions.
Latifa Patel, the chair of the representative body at the British Medical Association, believes that the Government should not “hold people’s health to ransom especially when their poor health may be the very reason they are unable to work in the first place”.
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Jobseekers will have 18 months to find work or lose their benefit entitlement
PAShe also described the changes to Universal Credit as potentially “counterintuitive” and could lead to problems for the NHS worrying.
It should be noted that not every benefit claimant is entitled to free prescriptions if they are on Universal Credit.
They will only receive this freebie benefit if their take-home pay is their last assessment period was £435 or less.
This threshold is raised to £935 or less if they either get Universal Credit with a payment for a child or a limited capability for work.
Couples who claim the benefit will have the take-home pay limit applied to the joint income of both partners.