Who Qualifies For NHS Treatment In The UK?
If you’re not a British citizen but are living in the UK, you may wonder if you’re eligible for NHS treatment if you have health problems.
Most NHS services are accessible for everyone living in and visiting the UK. But some people need to pay a surcharge when they apply for certain types of UK visa in order to access NHS treatment for free.
In this article, you’ll learn who qualifies for NHS treatment, and whether you need to pay for access to healthcare in the UK.
What is the NHS?
The NHS is the UK’s National Health Service. It’s a publicly funded healthcare system that can be accessed by people in England, Scotland, and Wales. Health and Social Care is the equivalent system in Northern Ireland.
The NHS is funded by tax and national insurance contributions from the general public. That means most people living in the UK can access free on-demand healthcare at local GP surgeries, clinics, and hospitals.
The NHS provides two different types of care:
- Primary care — your first point of contact when getting treatment, such as a GP, dentist, or pharmacist.
- Secondary care — services that need a referral from your primary care provider.
Who qualifies for NHS treatment?
Whether you’re eligible for NHS treatment depends on the type of care you need.
Primary care services, such as GP and nurse consultations, are free of charge for everyone. You can access these services as a UK resident, or as a temporary patient. You’re classed as a temporary patient if you’re in the UK for less than three months.
Secondary care services are only accessible for UK residents. To access these services, you need to be living legally in the UK. If you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) you also need to have indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
If you’re not a UK resident, you can still access NHS treatment, but you might need to pay for it.
Are all British citizens entitled to free NHS care?
It depends on where you live. If you’re a British citizen living in the UK, you will be entitled to free NHS primary and secondary care.
However, if you live outside the UK most of the time, you may not be eligible for free NHS treatment.
Do you qualify for NHS treatment if you have indefinite leave to remain in the UK?
Yes. If you have indefinite leave to remain in the UK you’re entitled to free NHS treatment provided you live in the UK most of the time.
Do you qualify for NHS treatment if you have a study, work, or family visa?
Yes. As long as you’re living in the UK on a valid visa, you can get free NHS treatment.
Make sure you’re registered with your local GP and dentist surgery to book appointments. Use the NHS's Find A GP service to find a local surgery, then complete a registration form and hand it in at the practice.
When your visa expires, you’ll no longer be eligible for free NHS treatment.
Do you qualify for NHS treatment if you’re seeking asylum in the UK?
Yes. Refugees and asylum seekers in the UK are usually exempt from paying for NHS treatment, even if they don’t yet have a valid visa.
Your children and other dependents should also be able to access free NHS healthcare.
Which NHS services are free for everyone to access?
Some NHS services are free for everyone, regardless of where you live. These services include:
- Accident and emergency services — this includes hospital A&E departments, walk-in centres, and urgent care centres.
- Communicable disease treatment — this includes treatment for HIV, tuberculosis, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
- Covid-19 treatment — including diagnosis and treatment.
- Sexually transmitted disease treatment — including diagnosis and treatment.
- Family planning services — this includes pre- and post-natal maternity care, but excludes infertility treatment.
- Trauma treatment — treatment for physical or mental health conditions caused by certain traumatic events.
- End of life care — also known as palliative care, this is provided by a registered charity.
- 111 — the NHS’s free telephone advice service.
The only exception is if you have travelled to the UK specifically to receive this treatment. In this case, you’ll need to pay for your treatment.
Who has to pay the immigration health surcharge (IHS)?
If you’re moving to the UK from abroad, you may need to pay the immigration health surcharge as part of your application.
You normally need to pay the IHS if you’re applying for a visa from within the UK. If you’re applying from outside the UK, you’ll need to pay the surcharge if you’re applying for a visa that lasts longer than six months.
You don’t need to pay if you’re applying for a short-term visa from outside the UK, or are applying for indefinite leave to remain.
The cost of the immigration health surcharge is:
- £470 per year for children, students or those on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
- £624 per year for all other visa and immigration applications.
How to qualify for free NHS treatment
You’re automatically eligible for free NHS treatment if you meet any of the criteria above. You might need to provide proof that you qualify for treatment.
Your biometric residence permit is accepted as evidence that you qualify for free NHS treatment. If you have digital immigration status, you might be asked to use a share code as proof of residency.
If you don’t yet qualify for free NHS treatment, you’ll need to get legal residence status in the UK by applying for a relevant visa.
What treatment is covered by the NHS?
The NHS provides all kinds of essential medical treatment. This includes consultations, operations, dental care, emergency care, mental health support, care for the elderly, and maternity care.
The main exception is medication. Most people need to pay for any medication they get on prescription, although some people are exempt.
You can find a list of all NHS services here.
Can you be refused treatment by the NHS?
The NHS must have a good reason to refuse to treat you. For example, they may not be accepting any new patients at their practice or surgery. In this case, you should be able to access treatment at a different centre.
They must give you a written explanation of their reason to refuse you treatment.
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