Who has to pay for NHS treatment in the UK?
By Gemma Raw
Since the NHS was founded in 1948, it has always been a service that is free at the point of access. However, there are some circumstances in which you may have to pay or where the treatment you want or need is not available through the NHS. This could be because the treatment is only made available to certain groups of people, or it isn’t considered necessary.
Here are the main areas where you may have to pay for NHS treatment in the UK, as well as other services provided by the NHS:
Cost of NHS prescriptions
Most people pay for these, and the current cost of NHS prescriptions is £9.35 per item. However, you can get free NHS prescriptions if you're over 60, under 16, or you're aged 16-18 and in full-time education. You can also get free NHS prescriptions if you're pregnant (or you've had a baby in the last 12 months), you have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx), or if you or your partner are in receipt of benefits, such as income support, jobseeker's allowance or Universal Credit.
Cost of NHS eye tests
Most people have to pay for these and the typical cost of NHS eye tests is £25. You can get free NHS eye tests if you're over 60, under 16, or aged 16-18 and in full-time education. You also get free NHS eye tests if you're registered as partially sighted or blind, have been diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma, are aged 40+ and your mother, father, sibling or child has been diagnosed with glaucoma, you've been advised by an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) that you're at risk of glaucoma, you're a prisoner on leave from prison, you're eligible for an NHS complex lens voucher, or if you or your partner are in receipt of benefits, such as income support, jobseeker's allowance or Universal Credit. Many office workers in the UK will be able to access eye test vouchers as part of their benefits package at work so it’s worth speaking to the HR department.
Cost of NHS dental work
NHS dental work is charged in three separate bands:
Band 1 (treatments such as examinations, x-rays and polishes) costs £23.80
Band 2 (including fillings, root canal treatment and teeth removal) costs £65.20
Band 3 (covering complex procedures such as crowns, dentures and bridges) costs £282.80
You're entitled to free NHS dental care if you're under 18, or under 19 and in qualifying full-time education, pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months, you're staying in an NHS hospital and your treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist, or you're an NHS hospital dental service outpatient (although you may have to pay for your dentures or bridges). You and your dependants under 20 also get free dental care if you or your partner are in receipt of benefits, such as income support, jobseeker's allowance or Universal Credit.
NHS physiotherapy
NHS physiotherapy is available free of charge but waiting lists can be long so many opt for private care, with a typical consultation costing £50.
NHS scans and tests
You'll only receive tests and scans via the NHS when you're referred for the tests by your GP or another doctor. If you want to have tests done that aren’t considered necessary, you'll have to pay for them privately.
Find out more about NHS patient activity.
NHS charges for people from abroad
Some NHS treatments are free to anyone who needs them. They include:
treatment in a hospital A&E department
seeing a GP – as an NHS or temporary patient
family planning services
treatment for some infectious diseases
compulsory psychiatric treatment.
For other NHS services, whether you can access them for free will depend on the length and purpose of your residence in the UK.
You have access to free NHS treatment if you’re a citizen of:
a country in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
another country, and you’ve got permission to stay in the UK for more than six months, for example a work visa.
Since 31 December 2020, EEA and Swiss citizens also need to have approved status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
With regard to dental treatment, it's up to each individual dentist whether they accept you onto their list of NHS patients. Even if you're accepted as an NHS patient, you may have to pay charges for dental treatments. Here’s more information on treatments and the help you may be able to get to pay for them.
Find out more about the NHS.
