NHS Costs
Although the National Health Service aims to provide healthcare free of charge to the general public, it is impossible to cover all the costs involved through taxes. As a result, patients are asked to contribute towards certain aspects of their care. Throughout the UK, you may be exempt from paying NHS charges if you meet certain criteria, such as have a low income. The NHS works slightly differently in every UK country however.
England
If you visit a doctor and need medication, or need regular medication, your doctor will write you a prescription or repeat prescription. You need to take this to a pharmacist, or chemist, who can give you the medication required. Patients are charged for prescriptions. Each prescription currently costs £7.10, but if you will need many prescriptions throughout the year, you can purchase a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC).
A PPC can be bought for three or twelve months, from ppa.org.uk or via telephone on 0845 850 0030, and saves you money on your prescription costs. A twelve month prescription payment certificate costs £102.50; this will only save you money if you need fifteen or more prescriptions throughout the year (15 x £7.10 = £106.50). A three month PPC costs £27.85; this will save you money if you need four or more prescriptions over a three month period (4 x £7.10 = £28.40).
As well as prescriptions, you may be required to contribute to the cost of:
- NHS dental treatment
- NHS sight tests
- glasses and/or contact lenses
- NHS wigs
- NHS spinal or abdominal fabric supports
- cost of travelling to surgery or hospital for treatment by a consultant
- cost of travelling abroad for treatment
However, you will only be required to contribute to the costs involved in your healthcare if you can afford to do so. The NHS has determined criteria to ensure that no one pays who should not, for example, you do not have to pay for prescriptions if you are:
- under sixteen
- sixteen, seventeen or eighteen and in full-time education
- over sixty
- on a low income
- in possession of a valid exemption certificate, issued for various reasons such as pregnancy or disability
- an NHS in-patient
- prescribed contraceptives
There are several criteria which determine whether or not you need to pay for other costs, such as dental treatment, glasses and travel costs. You will almost always be exempt from paying costs if you are on a low income and are receiving certain state benefits, such as income support. For details of NHS cost exemptions, call 0845 610 1112 and ask for a copy of leaflet HC11, entitled 'Help with Health Costs', or visit the department of health website for a copy, dh.gov.uk.
Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland
Your General Practitioner, dentist or optician should be able to inform you whether you will be liable to pay charges or not. As in England, residents of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may be exempt from contributing to the cost of:
- prescriptions
- NHS dental treatment
- NHS sight tests
- glasses and/or contact lenses
- NHS wigs
- NHS spinal or abdominal fabric supports
- cost of travelling to surgery or hospital for treatment by a consultant
- cost of travelling abroad for treatment
In Scotland NHS dental examinations and sight tests are free, regardless of your age or income. You can buy a prescription payment certificate for four or twelve months, from your doctor's surgery or local pharmacy.
In Wales, prescriptions, NHS dental examinations, sight tests, wigs and fabric supports are free, regardless of your age or income.
In Northern Ireland, as in England, you may be entitled to exemption from NHS charges if you meet certain criteria. Many charges are waived if you are under sixteen years old, and most will not apply if you have a low income.
