Help with health costs

If you, or your partner if you have one, are on a low income, you may qualify for the NHS Low Income Scheme. You cannot apply if you have savings or capital over £16,000, or £23,250 if you live permanently in a care home (£24,000 if you're in a care home in Wales). 

Both you and your partner could get either full or partial help with health costs. It covers:

• prescription costs
• dental costs
• eye tests, glasses and contact lenses
• help with the cost of travel to and from hospital or other NHS medical appointments
• NHS wigs and fabric supports.

You can check if you’re eligible for the NHS Low Income Scheme.

There are different ways to apply. If your savings are less than £6,000 you can apply online.

If you are not able to apply online, fill in an HC1 form. You can get one from NHS hospitals, chemists and local Jobcentre Plus, or you can print the HC1 form from the NHS website. If you qualify, you’ll get a certificate telling you what you can get and for how long.

You do not need to apply for the NHS Low Income Scheme if you or your partner already receive certain benefits, like Guarantee Pension Credit. This entitles you to help with health costs. Take your benefit letter to appointments as proof of eligibility.

In England, prescriptions are free if you’re 60 or over. If you’re under 60 and have certain medical conditions, you can apply for an NHS Medical exemption certificate.

In Scotland and Wales, prescriptions are free for everyone.

In England and Wales, you can have a free NHS eye test at least every two years if you’re 60 or over. In Scotland, you will not need to pay for an NHS eye test no matter your age.

If you or your partner receive Guarantee Pension Credit or qualify for the NHS Low Income Scheme, you can get vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses.

Some high-street opticians offer reductions on the price of glasses for over-60s, so it's worth checking before you buy glasses.

In England, you can get help with some or all of your dental care costs if you receive certain benefits. For example,  if you or your partner receive Guarantee Pension Credit or qualify for the NHS Low Income Scheme, you could both get free NHS dental care. This may not cover the full cost of your dental treatment.

In Scotland, NHS dental check-ups are free for everyone.

In Wales, you must be 60 or over to receive help with dental care costs. Your check-up will be free but you may have to pay for any other treatment. 

NHS hearing tests are free and can be booked through your GP. If you cannot get to a face-to-face hearing test without help, you may qualify for a free check at home. Ask your GP for details.

RNID provides a free short hearing check online. It's not a substitute for a full hearing test, but can be useful as a quick first check.

Ask your audiologist about services in your area.

You might be able to get a refund on some health costs you paid before applying for the NHS Low Income Scheme or before you started receiving Guarantee Pension Credit. 

For example, you can get a refund on any prescription charges you have to pay while you wait for your certificate. You can also do this for prescription charges you’ve paid in the three months before you applied for the NHS Low Income Scheme. Just ask the chemist for an NHS refund receipt – called the FP57 form. You should ask for it when you pay for your prescription, because you cannot get the form later.

You can claim a refund on other charges paid within the past three months by filling in an HC5 form. You can find the right form on the NHS website.

Depending on your circumstances, you will be eligible for certain vaccinations:

• If you’re 65 or over, or if you have certain medical conditions, you can get a free annual flu jab.
• You can get a free pneumococcal jab to protect against illnesses such as pneumonia if you're over 65.
• A seasonal COVID-19 booster vaccine is also available to people who are aged 75 or over. You can also get a COVID-19 booster if you are six months from turning 74 and have a weakened immune system due to a health condition, or at any age if you live in a care home. The NHS should contact you when you are due your booster. You will usually be offered it around 6 months after your last COVID-19 vaccine.
• If you’ve turned 65 on or after 1 September 2023, you’re eligible for a free shingles jab. If you turned 65 before 1 September 2023, you’ll qualify for the shingles jab when you turn 70.
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an infectious disease that causes symptoms like a cold. It can lead to pneumonia and other serious conditions. When you turn 75, your GP will invite you for a free RSV jab to protect you. You only need to have the RSV vaccine once. 

If you’re receiving Guarantee Pension Credit or have an NHS Low Income Scheme certificate, you may be entitled to help with travel costs if you’ve been referred for an appointment by your GP or dentist. If you have a medical need for someone to accompany you, you should also be able to claim travel costs for them. 

You can claim back travel costs by completing form HC5 – if you live in England or Scotland you can get the form from the NHSBSA website. If you live in Wales you can get the form from gov.wales. If you need payment before you travel, check with your GP or the hospital in advance. You should claim back any costs within three months.