Confusing rules for claiming free prescriptions and dental treatment need changing

Penalty charge notices (PCNs) are supposed to discourage people from claiming free prescriptions or dental treatment when they are not entitled to do so.

This House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report finds that the current PCN process penalises those who fail to navigate the complex exemption criteria and neglects clear evidence of abuse by repeat offenders.

It concludes that the system requires a fundamental overhaul and is not fit for purpose.