A credit card-like card is issued to the person if they have a valid illness which shows they are exempt from medical payments.

Age UK and other organisations have criticised the Government’s proposal to raise the eligibility age for free prescriptions.

Dr Eva Kalmus, the co-chair of British Geriatrics Society’s GeriGPs Group, explained: “People aged between 60 and 65 are often prescribed medication for long-term conditions which they will take for many years.

“Introducing prescription charges for this group is likely to result in some of this age group not taking their medication and will deliver minimal savings for the NHS.