NHS Charges for Visa Holders: Complete Guide
Understanding what NHS services are free, what you pay for, and how the Immigration Health Surcharge works for visa holders in the UK.
- Section
- Practical Life in the UK
- Reading time
- 10 min
- Last checked
- 3 September 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- The Immigration Health Surcharge puts you on a UK resident’s footing. It does not make the NHS free: you then pay what a resident pays.
- GP appointments and hospital treatment carry no charge once the surcharge is paid.
- Prescriptions cost £9.90 an item in England, and are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Accident and emergency treatment is free for everyone. The charge starts on admission as an inpatient or at a follow-up appointment.
- A few services are free to everyone whether or not the surcharge was paid — treatment for tuberculosis and other listed infectious diseases, and family planning.
The UK's National Health Service is funded by taxation and is largely free at the point of use. Visa holders who have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge are entitled to NHS care on the same basis as British citizens. However, there are still charges for prescriptions, dental care, and optical services. This guide explains what is free, what costs money, and how to manage NHS charges as a visa holder.
The Immigration Health Surcharge
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is paid as part of your visa application. The current rates are:
- £1,035 a year for most applications
- £776 a year for students, their dependants, the Youth Mobility Scheme, and anyone under 18 on the date of application
It is paid up front for the whole length of your visa, as part of your visa application costs. Once paid, you use the NHS on the same basis as a permanent UK resident. That is not the same as free: it means the charges a resident pays are the charges you pay, and the ones a resident does not pay are the ones you do not pay. Private health insurance is not required for a visa.
What the Surcharge Covers
- GP consultations and treatment
- Hospital treatment (including surgery and inpatient care)
- Emergency care (A&E)
- Maternity care (antenatal, delivery, postnatal)
- Mental health services
- Specialist referrals. Those on a spouse visa or Skilled Worker visa have the same access
- Diagnostic tests and imaging
Standard Charges (Same as British Citizens)
Even with the surcharge paid, you pay the same charges as British citizens for:
- Prescriptions. £9.90 per item in England. Free in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- NHS dental treatment in England. Band 1: £27.90 (examination, X-rays, simple gum treatment). Band 2: £76.60 (fillings, root canal treatment, extractions). Band 3: £332.10 (crowns, bridges, dentures, braces). Urgent treatment: £27.90. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland charge differently — Wales moved to fixed care packages capped at £384 a course on 1 April 2026, and in Scotland the examination is free for everyone and all treatment is free under 26.
- Eye tests. Free in England if you are under 16, aged 16 to 18 and in full-time education, 60 or over, or have certain medical conditions, and free for everyone in Scotland. Otherwise you pay: no official source publishes a standard price, because opticians set their own.
- Wigs and fabric supports.
Reducing Your Costs
- Prescription prepayment certificate. In England, this caps what you pay for prescriptions however many items you need: £114.50 for 12 months, or £32.05 for 3 months.
- Free prescriptions in England. Some people pay nothing: under-16s, 16 to 18 year olds in full-time education, people aged 60 or over, pregnant women and women who have given birth in the past 12 months, people holding a medical exemption certificate for a listed condition such as diabetes treated with medication or epilepsy needing continuous treatment, and people on a low income.
- HC2 certificate. Granted through the NHS Low Income Scheme, this gives full help with health costs. Help with health costs is not on the Home Office list of public funds, so a no recourse to public funds condition does not rule it out.
Services That Are Always Free
Certain NHS services are free to everyone, whatever their immigration status and whether or not the surcharge was paid:
- Accident and emergency treatment, at an A&E department, a walk-in centre, a minor injuries unit or an urgent care centre. The charge starts on admission as an inpatient. See our emergency care guide for details
- Treatment for listed infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, HIV and COVID-19
- Diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
- Family planning services. This does not extend to termination of pregnancy or fertility treatment
- Palliative care provided by a registered charity
- Telephone advice from NHS 111
- Treatment for conditions arising from torture, FGM, domestic violence, or sexual violence
- Compulsory psychiatric treatment under the Mental Health Act
Registering with a GP
Anyone in England can register with a GP and be seen without charge. A practice cannot refuse to register you because of your immigration status, nationality or language, and it is not required to ask for proof of identity, address or immigration status.
Next Steps
Register with a GP promptly after arrival as part of your first week checklist. Consider a prescription prepayment certificate if you need regular medication. For the full list of NHS charges, see the GOV.UK NHS charging guidance and the NHS help with health costs page.
Questions and answers
Do visa holders get free NHS treatment?
Paying the Immigration Health Surcharge does not make the NHS free. It puts you on the same basis as a UK resident, so you then pay what a resident pays. GP appointments and hospital treatment carry no charge. Prescriptions cost £9.90 an item in England and are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Dental charges apply everywhere, and eye tests are charged unless you are exempt.
What does the Immigration Health Surcharge cover?
The surcharge is £1,035 a year for most applications and £776 a year for students, their dependants, the Youth Mobility Scheme and anyone under 18 at the date of application. It covers GP appointments, hospital treatment, emergency care, mental health services and maternity care. It does not cover prescription charges, dental charges, eye tests or private treatment.
Are there any NHS services that are always free, even without the health surcharge?
Yes. Accident and emergency treatment (but not treatment after you are admitted as an inpatient), treatment for certain infectious diseases including tuberculosis and HIV, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, family planning services, treatment for conditions caused by torture, female genital mutilation, domestic violence or sexual violence, palliative care from a registered charity, NHS 111 advice, and compulsory psychiatric treatment are free to everyone, whatever their immigration status.
What happens if I cannot afford NHS charges?
The NHS Low Income Scheme helps people on a low income with prescription, dental and optical costs. Help with health costs does not appear on the Home Office list of public funds, so it is not caught by a no recourse to public funds condition. You can also buy a prescription prepayment certificate: £32.05 for 3 months or £114.50 for 12 months, which caps what you pay for prescriptions in England however many items you need.
Will I be charged if I use A&E?
Accident and emergency treatment is free for everyone, whatever their immigration status. That covers an A&E department, a walk-in centre, a minor injuries unit and an urgent care centre. The charge starts if you are admitted to hospital as an inpatient, or at a follow-up outpatient appointment, unless you have paid the surcharge or are otherwise exempt.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.