Campaigners warned winter gasoline cuts may very well be the beginning of an assault on pensioners after Chancellor Rachel Reeves was urged to scrap free prescriptions for 60 to 65-year-olds.
The Intergenerational Basis mentioned free remedy ought to be linked to the state pension age of 66.
The transfer to lift the edge free of charge prescriptions may elevate greater than £6 billion for the Treasury.
However Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices marketing campaign group, urged Ms Reeves to rule out stripping any additional perks from older individuals on the Finances on October 30.
Mr Reed mentioned: “The so-called Intergenerational Basis has a historical past of anti-pensioner statements, feeding a pretend narrative that older individuals have prospered on the expense of the younger.
“Sadly this think-tank seems intently aligned with the views of particular advisers to the Chancellor who appear to imagine that pensioners ought to be focused for financial savings.
“We’ve persistently warned that the scrapping of winter gasoline funds for older individuals may very well be step one in an assault on all common pensioner advantages and the state pension itself.
“Elevating the age of eligibility free of charge prescriptions in England to 66 would penalise all these older people who find themselves in unwell well being and unable to work and would result in sufferers self-rationing on important prescriptions.
“The subsequent step could be means-testing free prescriptions for these over 65.
“The federal government can cease all this hypothesis by saying very clearly of their Finances on October 30 that there can be no additional dilution of pensioner advantages for the entire of this Parliament.”
Jan Shortt, common secretary of the Nationwide Pensioners Conference (NPC), warned the transfer may “price lives”.
She mentioned: “Whereas it might sound logical for assume tanks to counsel proscribing free prescriptions to these at and above retirement age, there’s a ethical dilemma to be thought of.
“We’ve an ailing well being service, a tragic lack of GPs, and lengthy ready lists for remedy and operations.
“These in continual ache and with life-limiting circumstances have solely the aid of remedy to depend on to see them by means of every day.
“It doesn’t matter your age, when you want remedy then it is best to have entry to it.
“There has all the time been a way of unfairness round free prescriptions with the three devolved nations providing their residents prescriptions for free of charge. Solely in England are we paying near £10 an merchandise.
“With vitality at an all-time excessive, many older persons are scared to activate the heating.
“Quickly they could have to consider paying for remedy – one other factor to fret about, and one which may price lives.
“When will now we have a authorities that’s dedicated to a method that eradicates poverty quite than will increase it?”
Liz Emerson, chief govt of the Intergenerational Basis charity, which describes itself as selling intergenerational equity, mentioned taxpayers spent an excessive amount of on free prescriptions for these nonetheless working.
She mentioned: “Aligning free prescriptions with the state pension age would enhance intergenerational equity by lowering the price of the present 1.1 billion gadgets distributed annually, 90% of that are freed from cost.”
Costs for prescriptions in England rose 2.6% to £9.90 in April.
Teams entitled to free prescriptions embrace kids, pregnant ladies and people in receipt of advantages. Prescriptions in Scotland and Wales are free for all sufferers.
In England, nearly 90% of over one billion prescription gadgets allotted in 2019 have been freed from cost. Two-thirds have been exempt as a result of the affected person was aged over 60.
A authorities report in 2021 discovered that upping the edge would elevate £6.2 billion over 10 years.
The previous Tory authorities dominated out eradicating free prescriptions for these aged between 60 and 65 in 2023 following a session.
It comes because the Labour authorities is going through an ongoing backlash over proscribing winter gasoline funds to solely these on pension credit score.
Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves have blamed the controversial transfer on a £22 billion black gap within the public funds left by the Tories, which they’ve denied.
The change, which comes as vitality payments went up this month, will see round 10 million OAPs lose out on the annual allowance of as much as £300 and save round £1.3 billion within the first 12 months.
Nevertheless it has been condemned by charities, opposition events, unions and even some Labour MPs.
Labour has dedicated to retaining the triple lock – which sees the state pension rise every April by whichever is highest out of two.5%, inflation, or common earnings development – in the course of this Parliament.
A Division of Well being and Social Care spokesperson mentioned: “There aren’t any plans to amend any of the prescription cost exemptions.”