Useful Info · 13 guides
Health (NHS)
Registering with the NHS, emergencies, prescriptions, dental and eye care, pregnancy, vaccines and the health surcharge.
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- How do I register with a GP in England? Do I need a visa or proof of address?1 read
- Eight mistakes immigrants often make with the NHS: GP registration, A&E, the health surcharge, prescription charges, visiting parents' costs and vaccination letters
- Eye tests and glasses in England: who gets a free NHS sight test, what an optical voucher is, and how often to test
All guides on this topic (13)
Eight mistakes immigrants often make with the NHS: GP registration, A&E, the health surcharge, prescription charges, visiting parents' costs and vaccination letters
Points that cause problems according to official pages: waiting to register with a GP, using A&E for non-emergencies, not knowing the health surcharge (IHS) excludes prescriptions, dental and eye care, not working out a PPC, visiting parents' costs and ignoring vaccination letters.
Eye tests and glasses in England: who gets a free NHS sight test, what an optical voucher is, and how often to test
The NHS sight test is free for under-16s, 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education, people aged 60 or over, people with diabetes or glaucoma or at risk of it, and HC2 holders. Optical vouchers for glasses go to a much narrower group. Most adults are advised to test every two years.
NHS dentist: Band 1, 2 and 3 charges (£27.90 / £76.60 / £332.10), finding a dentist, urgent dental care and free treatment
NHS dental treatment carries one charge per course: Band 1 £27.90, Band 2 £76.60, Band 3 £332.10, urgent £27.90. Under-18s, pregnant people, mothers of babies under 12 months and HC2 holders get free treatment. There is no GP-style registration; find a dentist taking new NHS patients.
Pregnancy and birth in England: NHS midwife care, scans, free prescriptions and dental care (MatEx), vaccines in pregnancy and baby checks
You can refer yourself for NHS pregnancy care; the first midwife appointment is usually at 8 to 12 weeks. Pregnant people and recent mothers get free NHS dental care, and free prescriptions with a MatEx. Flu, whooping cough and RSV vaccines are advised. Maternity care may cost visitors.
NHS prescription charges of £9.90: who gets free prescriptions, when a Prepayment Certificate (PPC) pays off, and the Low Income Scheme (HC2)
In England a prescription costs £9.90 per item. A 3-month PPC is £32.05 and a 12-month PPC £114.50; they pay off from 4 items in 3 months or 12 in a year. Under-16s, over-60s, pregnant people, medical exemption holders and HC2 holders get free prescriptions; wrong claims are penalised.
Private medical insurance in England: do you need it alongside the NHS, what it covers, pre-existing conditions, employer cover and visitors
Private medical insurance does not replace the NHS; it usually excludes pre-existing and chronic conditions, and A&E and GP care stay free anyway. Premiums depend on age and area. Employer-provided cover is taxable. Visitors may want travel insurance to avoid NHS charges.
Adult vaccines and cancer screening in England: flu, shingles, RSV, cervical, breast and bowel screening, and the NHS Health Check
The NHS offers pneumococcal and yearly flu vaccines at 65, shingles at 70 to 79 and RSV at 75 (some at-risk 65 to 74-year-olds from September 2026). Cervical screening is for ages 25 to 64, breast 50 to 71, bowel 50 to 74. The NHS Health Check is for ages 40 to 74.
Children's vaccines and health checks in England: schedule from 8 weeks to 14 years, MMRV, and catching up for children from abroad
Routine childhood vaccines in England are free and GP registration needs no proof of ID, address or immigration status. The schedule starts at 8 weeks with the 6-in-1, MenB and rotavirus; MMRV is at 1 year. Children from abroad can catch up on missed vaccines via their GP.
How does the NHS work? Who gets free care, GP referral to a specialist, choosing a hospital, waiting times and interpreters
GP care and A&E are free to everyone in England; hospital treatment depends on being ordinarily resident, and visa holders who paid the Immigration Health Surcharge are covered while the visa lasts. Referral choice, waiting time rights and free interpreters are explained here.
What is the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)? £1,035 a year, £776 for students, who pays, refunds and NHS cover
The IHS is the health fee paid with a visa application: usually £1,035 a year, £776 for students, under-18s and Youth Mobility. It gives free NHS use from the date the visa starts; prescriptions, dental and eye costs are separate. Refusals and double payments are refunded.
Where to go in an emergency in England: 111, 999, A&E, urgent treatment centres and Pharmacy First
Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency; use NHS 111 (online, app or phone, with free interpreters) when it is urgent but not life-threatening; A&E is for serious injuries and is free to everyone. For 7 minor conditions Pharmacy First lets a pharmacist treat you directly.
How do you get psychological support in the UK? NHS Talking Therapies, a child psychiatrist and choosing a private therapist
NHS says that for anxiety and depression, if you are registered with a GP, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without one. Other conditions need a GP referral. For children, speak to the GP or school first. With a private therapist, ask which body they are registered with.
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How do I register with a GP in England? Do I need a visa or proof of address?
As of October 2026, the NHS page says you do not need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status to register with a GP in England. Registering is free. Hospital charges are a separate issue and generally depend on residence status.