can a tourist use the nhs

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Can visitors from overseas receive NHS treatment?

Follow the guidance for:

NHS dental treatment

Nhs prescriptions, nhs optical care.

• visiting a General Practitioner (GP) or hospital

NHS dental treatment is available to patients who live in a country which has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK.

The standard NHS dental charges apply in these cases  unless you're entitled to free NHS dental treatment .

If you’re unsure if a country has a reciprocal agreement with the UK or have further questions about healthcare for overseas visitors, contact the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) helpline on 0207 210 4850.

If you're registered with an NHS GP, you're able to collect an NHS prescription.

The standard NHS prescription charges apply in these cases unless  you're entitled to free NHS prescriptions .

If you're registered with an NHS GP, you can access an NHS sight test and purchase an optical appliance.

The standard charges apply in these cases unless  you're entitled to help with optical costs .

Visiting a GP or hospital

The rules around visiting a GP or hospital depend on your usual country of residence:

• visitors from EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland
• visitors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA)

Check what help you could get to pay for NHS costs and apply online .

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Healthcare for visitors to the UK from the EU

Information on accessing healthcare for visitors to the UK from EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and treatment

Overseas visitors to England, including anyone living in the UK without permission, will not be charged for:

• testing for coronavirus (even if the test shows you do not have coronavirus)
• treatment for coronavirus

What you need to do

If you are visiting the UK from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you should:

• have travel or health insurance that covers the duration of your trip
• bring your European Health Insurance Card ( EHIC ) if you are eligible to continue using it in the UK
• bring your S1 form if you are eligible to continue using it in the UK
• bring your S2 form if you are eligible for one
• check if you need to apply for an S2 Healthcare Visa

Getting healthcare in England

This information is about getting healthcare in England. The way you access healthcare in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could be different from England.

The NHS operates a residence-based healthcare system. This means visitors to England may have to pay for NHS healthcare, depending on their circumstances.

Some services, such as accident and emergency (A&E) and visits to a general practitioner ( GP ), are free to everyone. Urgent treatment or treatment that cannot safely wait until you leave the country and return home will always be provided, and the matter of payment dealt with later. Only a clinician can decide if your treatment is urgent or immediately necessary.

Medically necessary treatment

If you are visiting the UK from an EU country or Switzerland and you fall ill or have a medical emergency during your temporary stay in England, you can use a valid EHIC issued by your home country to access healthcare.

Your EHIC also covers you for the treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and for routine maternity care, provided the reason for your visit is not specifically to give birth or receive treatment.

The EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance . It will not cover any private medical healthcare, being flown back home, or lost or stolen property.

If your EHIC has been lost or stolen during your visit to England and you need a replacement, then you should contact the relevant organisation in your home country to request a Provisional Replacement Certificate ( PRC ).

If you do not have an EHIC and cannot obtain a PRC , you may have to pay for treatment. You will be charged at 150% of the national NHS rate.

If you are visiting the UK from Norway, you will be entitled to medically necessary healthcare. You will need to show a valid Norwegian passport.

If you began studying at an accredited UK higher education institute in the UK on or before 31 December 2020, you may use your EHIC for medically necessary healthcare until the end of your course, irrespective of your nationality. You must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if your course extends beyond 30 June 2021.

If your course of study in the UK began after 1 January 2021 and lasts for more than 6 months, you will need to pay the immigration health surcharge as a part of your student visa application. You may be eligible for a reimbursement of your surcharge payment in certain circumstances.

Find out when you can have your immigration health surcharge reimbursed

Seeking planned treatment in England

If you are coming to the UK from an EU country or Switzerland for planned health treatment, you will need to make all the necessary arrangements yourself in advance.

Planned treatment is not covered by the EHIC . You will need to arrange an S2 form from the relevant organisation in your home country before you travel to England.

The S2 only covers state-provided treatment and you will not be required to pay anything yourself, except any mandatory patient contributions that patients in England would have to pay, such as prescription costs. You may have to pay for any treatment that is not covered by your S2 form.

If you are coming to the UK from Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and requested authorisation for planned treatment from the relevant authority in your home country before 31 December, you will be able to complete that treatment in the UK, even if it takes place after that date.

UK nationals who no longer live in the UK

Because the NHS is a residency-based system, under NHS rules UK nationals who move abroad on a permanent basis lose their entitlement to free NHS healthcare.

UK nationals living and working in EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland on or before 31 December 2020 and their family members may be eligible to use NHS services without charge. You may be asked to provide evidence of your residency. Please check with the authorities in the member state in which you reside for further information.

If you are a UK national and move to the EU, you should not expect to be able to use NHS services for free when visiting the UK unless you have an EHIC , PRC or S2 to show your healthcare costs are funded by the EU country in which you now live, or another exemption applies.

You should take out appropriate travel insurance when visiting the UK, as you would when visiting any other country. Any treatment you may have to pay for will be charged at 150% of the national NHS rate.

Some former UK residents do not have to pay for NHS treatment when visiting England. This includes UK war pensioners, UK government employees, and UK nationals living in the EU on or before 31 December 2020.

You should check before travelling to the UK whether you qualify for an exemption from charging or will be required to pay for your treatment.

If you return to the UK permanently and you are ordinarily resident, you will be able to access NHS care without charge.

Read more about using the NHS when you return to live in the UK .

Visitors from Iceland or Liechtenstein

If you are visiting from Iceland or Liechtenstein and began a temporary visit to the UK on or before 31 December 2020, you will be able to access medically necessary treatment while your current visit lasts, even if it extends into 2021.

If your visit began on or after 1 January 2021, you may have to pay for treatment. Any treatment you have to pay for will be charged at 150% of the national NHS rate.

Travel insurance

The government always advises visitors to the UK to take out travel or health insurance. This means that you can reclaim any healthcare costs you are required to pay from your insurer.

Check your insurance has the necessary healthcare coverage to make sure you can get the treatment you need during your visit.

Insurance is particularly important for those with a pre-existing health condition. You must tell your insurance company about any health conditions you have to make sure you can get the cover you need.

Speak to your doctor for advice before you travel and make plans for how to care for your condition when you are in the UK. You should also bring your health condition identification or a letter saying what medication you are taking.

Getting healthcare in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

This guidance is about NHS entitlements in England. For more information about accessing healthcare in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, visit the websites for health services in each country:

• Northern Ireland

Updated to reflect the UK-Switzerland Convention on Social Security Coordination coming into effect. From 1 November 2021, eligible visitors to the UK from Switzerland can use a valid EHIC to access state-provided, necessary healthcare in the UK.

In 'Medically necessary treatment' section, added that you may be eligible for a reimbursement of your immigration health surcharge payment in certain circumstances, and a link to find out more.

Updated with information on visiting the UK now the Brexit transition period has ended, reflecting the terms of the UK–EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement on reciprocal healthcare arrangements.

Added no-deal Brexit arrangement for Spanish visitors.

Increased visibility of calls to action. Highlighted the different guidance for visiting England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland if there is a no-deal Brexit. Highlighted guidance for EU and EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) citizens about agreements with EFTA states and studying in the UK.

First published.

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Street View

A critical take on health policy

Is it worth making ‘health tourists’ pay for NHS care?

Professor, Centre for Health Economics, University of York

Disclosure statement

Andrew Street receives funding from the National Institute of Health Research and the Department of Health's Policy Research Programme but the views expressed are his own.

University of York provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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England’s health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is keen that “ health tourists ” pay to use the National Health Service (NHS) while in the country. In April 2015, the UK government introduced an annual £200 “ health surcharge ” that visa and immigration applicants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) have to pay if they plan to stay in the country for more than six months. Once they’ve paid and been granted a visa, these visitors can use the NHS free-of-charge but they have to pay for prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests. Short-term visitors are required to pay 150% of the cost of hospital care.

Hunt has recently launched a consultation to extend these arrangements. He proposes that short-term visitors should also be charged if they use A&E, some GP services or need an ambulance. He also wants the NHS to get better at asking EU visitors to present their European Health Insurance Cards when seeking treatment so that their home countries can be billed for care.

There is money to be made. According to NHS Accounts , in 2014-15 the NHS received £50m from other EU states for treatment of their citizens and £47m from chargeable overseas patients. Hunt believes that these sums can be increased fivefold .

Money raising

The health surcharge is a low cost way to raise money. It’s easily administered, and hard to evade. Everyone has to pay when applying for a visa to stay more than six months.

But collecting money by charging patients is more costly. All those visiting for less than six months face charges for using the NHS, unless they are exempt. But the NHS isn’t geared up to collect money. Charging requires collecting EHIC details or, for non-EEA patients, issuing a bill for their care and making sure that it gets paid.

NHS staff might be reluctant to ask patients to produce proof of their entitlement to care. And there are also objections to the bureaucratic burden of setting up the infrastructure to issue and chase payments. But in assessing how much revenue the proposals might generate, the government has factored in these set-up and running costs.

It is likely that many who should be charged won’t be, and many who are charged are unlikely to pay. But the government’s assessment allows for these possibilities too, reckoning that only 50% of visitors will be identified, from which only 50% of costs will be recovered.

Hunt claims that, having allowed for implementation costs and billing failures, the charges will recover £500m a year. But there is some guesswork to this claim: nobody knows how many so-called “health tourists” use the NHS.

The government commissioned Prederi, a consultancy firm, to estimate visitor and migrant use of the NHS . Prederi didn’t draw on any actual data about visitor and migrant use because, for most types of NHS services, this information is unavailable.

Prederi made predictions about migrant use of health services by comparing the characteristics of visitors and migrants to the national population. To do this they used data about migrants from the International Passenger Survey and about the population from the 2011 census. From this, they came up with a series of “modelled costs” for different NHS service areas.

While we don’t know how many migrants use most NHS services, we have some idea about how many use hospital care. This information can be used to cross-check Prederi’s predictions. Every year the Health and Social Care Information Centre reports where people admitted to hospital come from . Patients who are not resident in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are classified as “foreigners”.

It turns out that the NHS identifies few “foreigners” that use hospital care. Out of a total of 15,892,457 people admitted to hospital in 2014-15, only 32,693 (0.2%) were foreigners. But no address is recorded for 250,790 (1.58%) of patients. If most of these patients are foreigners too, hospitals are identifying only 12% of those who could be charged for their treatment, either directly or via their EHIC.

On this basis, Hunt’s claim that revenue can be increased fivefold seems achievable, even allowing for payment defaults. And Prederi’s predictions don’t seem far off either.

The UK is running behind

This suggests that Hunt’s claims about the number of health tourists and the money to be gained from charging appear reasonable. But is it fair to charge these patients?

The government proposes various exemptions for charging and GP consultations will remain free to all, so as not to deter people from seeking care. Compared with other EU countries, the UK is not very good at identifying and charging foreigners who use the NHS. This comparison is true even for countries with NHS-type systems, such as Spain, where greater efforts are also being made to recover costs from health tourists. Hunt’s proposals will simply bring us in line with other EU countries.

• Jeremy Hunt
• Medical tourism
• NHS England

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UK healthcare: Everything you need to know about accessing the NHS

• Citizenship
• Immigration
• Study Abroad

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) provides healthcare for both people living in the UK and visitors to the country. If you’re thinking of moving to the UK or are already living there, knowing how the NHS works will help you get the most out of this service.

Oct 26, 2020 by Telerik.Sitefinity.DynamicTypes.Model.SableTeamMembers.Member

Who is eligible for the National Health Service in the UK?

The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK’s public health system. It’s free for all UK citizens and accessible to anyone in the UK who needs healthcare services. Most non-UK residents who plan on staying in the UK on a valid visa for more than six months will need to pay a fee to access the NHS. This is known as the immigration health surcharge. The fee varies for each visa and you pay the total amount upfront for each year that you will be staying in the UK. As of 31 December 2020, EU, EEA and Switzerland will also need to pay the surcharge when coming to live in the UK for more than six months.

How much does the National Health Service cost per year?

Most services are free, however, there are costs attached to certain consultations and hospital visits.

NHS services such as family doctors or GPs, walk-in centres, specialists and hospitals are free for anyone that lives in the UK. This includes returning UK expats and people staying temporarily on a work or study visa for longer than six months.

Here’s a breakdown of the services offered and costs.

Access to the NHS when you’re on a visa: The immigration health surcharge

If you’re coming to the UK for longer than six months, you will need to pay an immigration health surcharge (IHS) as part of your visa application. The surcharge allows you to make use of the services offered by the NHS.

The charge is currently set at £470 per year for students , Youth Mobility Scheme (T5) visa  applicants and applicants under 18 years. For all other visas , the fee is £642 per year. You’ll need to pay the total amount upfront to cover your visa duration. For example, if your entry visa is valid for five years, your health surcharge will cost £3,120. If you’re just visiting the UK, you’ll need travel insurance

If you are visiting the UK for less than six months you can still easily access NHS services, but you may be charged for many other services such as specialists and hospital procedures. You can access walk-in urgent treatment centres for free, but secondary care facilities such as hospitals and specialists will be charged in advance at 150% of the NHS rate.

Taking out travel insurance can give you extra peace of mind while you’re travelling.

How to register for the NHS in the UK

Once your visa has been granted and you’ve paid the surcharge, you can use NHS services, but you’ll also need to register with a GP.

You can choose any GP practice near to where you reside, in what is known as your catchment area. Usually, there will be more than one option available. You must complete and return a registration form, available at your chosen practice. We recommend that you register with a GP in your area as soon as you have a permanent address in the UK. This will allow you access to healthcare as and when you need it.

Once completed, you’ll be able to visit your GP to access any medical treatments you may need.

GPs may only refuse to register you on reasonable grounds. One of the most common grounds is if you have chosen a GP that is outside your catchment area, so make sure you do research on the closest options to your residential address. GPs may also run out of space for new patients – another reasonable ground for refusal.

In these cases, it’s usually as simple as finding another GP in your area.

The NHS services cover everything from antenatal screenings to transplants and emergency treatment. This means that while their service is free or low-cost, there can be quite a wait involved. If you aren’t able to take the time off work, private medical centres, such as Medicentre, are situated across London and make for an efficient and convenient alternative. However, you will have to pay for all treatments and consultations at these centres.

See also: UK immigration changes: What you need to know for 2021

How to use NHS services

Any issue that can’t be treated with a visit to your pharmacist will generally require a visit to the GP. Your doctor can refer you to specialists if they think it’s necessary. After registering with a GP, you can usually make an appointment to see them by phone, in person or online.

There are walk-in urgent treatment centres available for immediate help with minor ailments that are not life-threatening.

NHS 111 is a service for urgent help over the phone or online, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can call 111 or visit the website to find out information about your symptoms, get advice and speak to a medical practitioner.

For medical emergencies, call 999. Here’s a helpful guide on the actions you should take for the type of issue you’re experiencing:

How dental care works

NHS patients may see any NHS-registered dentist. This service is not free but is subsidised by the UK government. There are three cost bands:

Basic care that covers an examination, diagnosis and advice, x-rays, a scale and polish, and planning for further treatment. You’ll pay a fee of £23.80.

Medium care that covers all treatment included in Band 1, as well as fillings, root canal treatment and extractions. You’ll pay a fee of £65.20.

Major work that covers all treatment included in Bands 1 and 2, as well as more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures and bridges. You’ll pay a fee of £282.80.

You won’t have to pay:

• To have your denture repaired
• To have stitches removed
• If your dentist has to stop blood loss
• For a prescription, unless you pay for prescriptions in which case a fee of £9.15 will apply

Where to find your NHS number

Your NHS number is a 10-digit code that can be found on any letter you’ve received from the NHS. You do not need to know your code to use the NHS. To get your number, simply follow the prompts on the NHS website .

See also: Do you know the difference between your NI and NHS number?

How to use the NHS app

The NHS app is a useful tool to book appointments, check medical symptoms and view your records on your mobile. It’s available in the App Store and Google Play for both iOS and Android.

There’s also a wealth of information on health conditions, medicines and services available on the NHS website.

Moving to the UK? Take the stress out of the process and hit the ground running when you arrive. Download your free UK Relocation Pack here.

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• Citizens Advice Scotland

NHS charges for people from abroad

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England , See advice for Northern Ireland , See advice for Wales

Some NHS treatment is free and available to anyone who needs it. This includes:

treatment in a hospital Accident and Emergency department

seeing a GP - as an NHS or temporary patient

family planning services

treatment for some infectious diseases

compulsory psychiatric treatment

Whether you can get other free NHS services depends on the length and purpose of your residence in the UK, not your nationality.  Check if you're entitled to free NHS healthcare on NHS inform .

You will still have access to free NHS healthcare even if you have  no recourse to public funds . 

Even if you’re entitled to free NHS healthcare, you might be charged for some NHS services, like dental treatment, prescriptions and glasses. You might not have to pay for these services if you can get certain benefits like Income Support. 

You might be able to get help to pay -  check if you can get help with health costs on NHS inform .

Any free NHS treatment you receive, or any help with NHS costs, won’t affect your immigration status. 

Getting healthcare if you’re from the EU, EEA or Switzerland

You might be able to get other NHS treatment for free, depending on your immigration status. This includes getting ‘secondary healthcare’ from a hospital for something that isn’t an emergency - for example, an operation to replace your hip or visits from a midwife.

If you're an Irish citizen you can get free NHS healthcare when you start living in the UK.

The EEA includes EU countries and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Check if you can get free secondary healthcare

You need to be ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK. This means you’re living in the UK legally and you’re not a visitor - you might be asked to prove this.

You’ll also need to have one of the following:

British citizenship - for example, if you have dual nationality

indefinite leave to remain

‘settled’ or ‘pre-settled status’ from the EU Settlement Scheme

applied for settled or pre-settled status before 30 June 2021 and are waiting for a decision - you’ll need to show your application certificate

limited leave to remain - for example, you arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020 on a work visa

been trafficked - your family can also get free secondary healthcare

If you're not ordinarily resident in the UK, you might be charged for NHS services.

Check if your health charges are covered by an EU or EEA country or Switzerland

You might be entitled to have your NHS healthcare paid for by another country - for example, if you live in the UK but get a state pension from the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

You’ll need to have either an:

S1 certificate - for example, if you’re a 'frontier worker'

S2 certificate - for example, if you have an S2 visa

You can  read more about healthcare for people from overseas on NHS inform .

Check if your family can get free NHS healthcare

To get free NHS healthcare your family member will need to have:

pre-settled or settled status

a family permit - they'll need to apply for pre-settled or settled status within 3 months of arriving in the UK

applied for pre-settled or settled status by 30 June 2021 and be waiting for a decision - they’ll need to show their application certificate

If you’re visiting the UK from an EU country

You can use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued in that country. Your EHIC will cover the costs of treatment if you get ill on the visit. You can also use an EHIC from an EU country if you’re a student and either:

your course started before 1 January 2021

you’re studying in the UK for less than 6 months

If you’re visiting the UK from Norway you can use your Norwegian passport to get medically necessary healthcare for free - for example an accident or illness that can’t wait until you get home.

Accessing treatment

If you're entitled to free treatment, you can get it immediately. You don’t need to have been here for a certain amount of time.

If you don’t meet the conditions for free treatment, you must be given clear information about charges in a way you understand. This could include providing information in your own language or through an interpreter. 

Find out where to start if you’re  making a complaint about the NHS . 

Getting healthcare if you're from Ukraine

If you ordinarily live in Ukraine but left because of the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, you can access NHS services at no charge on the same basis as people living in Scotland.

This exemption also applies to your partner and children.

This also applies if you were in Scotland on a short-term visa when the conflict began and will apply to extend or switch visas because you cannot return to Ukraine.

NHS hospital treatment

To find out if you can get free hospital treatment, see  health services for overseas visitors on NHS inform .

The NHS inform website has information about health care for:

asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland

people coming to Scotland to study

people coming to Scotland to work

holidaymakers from overseas

UK passport holders living abroad

former UK residents working abroad

UK pensioners visiting Scotland

Paying for hospital treatment

If you have to pay, you'll usually have to pay before you have the treatment.

You won't have to pay before if you need urgent treatment but you might still have to pay after.

If your treatment is urgent

If you’re not entitled to free NHS hospital treatment, you'll still get medical treatment that stabilises a life-threatening condition, like renal failure. You’ll get treatment to deal with the emergency, but you’ll have to return home to complete the treatment once the emergency is over.

If your treatment is not urgent 

If it’s not an emergency, but treatment has to start immediately, you might be asked to sign an undertaking to pay. 

In these circumstances, it’s very important to find out the likely cost. If the treatment is not urgent, you can refuse it if you can’t afford it. You can delay your treatment until you can raise the money. If you can’t raise the money, you’ll be refused treatment. 

If you're entitled to free hospital treatment, but have been told you’ll be charged, you should contact the NHS organisation that’s charging you and explain why you’re entitled to free treatment.

You've been told you'll be charged

If you're entitled to free hospital treatment, but have been told that you'll be charged, you should  contact the Health Board .

GPs and dentists

It’s up to the GP or dentist whether they accept you onto their list of NHS patients.

There are some exceptions to these rules though, for example if you need emergency treatment.

A patient doesn’t need to be “ordinarily resident” in the country to be eligible for NHS primary medical care – this only applies to secondary (hospital) care.

A GP practice may be flexible in deciding whether to accept you as a registered patient and if you're visiting the UK for less than 3 months, they might accept you as a temporary resident. However, there are certain services you might have to pay a fee for. Your residency status is not a determining factor in whether or not to accept you as a registered patient. 

If you have difficulty finding a GP or a dentist who is prepared to register you, contact NHS 24 on 111 . 

Even if you are accepted onto a dentist's list of NHS patients, you have to pay charges for dental treatment.

For more information about charges and the help you might get to pay for them, see  Help with health costs .

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Tourists and migrants to be charged to use NHS emergency services

Overseas visitors and migrants are to be charged for using NHS accident and emergency services in England under measures announced by the government to deter so-called health tourism.

No one will be turned away from an A&E department in an emergency, but there will be a bill to pay afterwards for patients from overseas. Other changes include extending charging for prescriptions to people from overseas, and requiring them to pay higher charges for services that are subsidised for patients entitled to NHS care, such as optical and dental services.

GP and nurse consultations will remain free, which the government believes will reduce risks to public health such as HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections.

Details of the scheme, which has been drawn up after a government consultation, are still being worked out. Ministers have said they will publish a full implementation plan in March.

Further changes could include overseas visitors being charged for minor surgery that is carried out by a GP and physiotherapy that has come through a GP referral.

Health minister Lord Howe said: "Having a universal health service free at the point of use rightly makes us the envy of the world, but we must make sure the system is fair to the hardworking British taxpayers who fund it.

"We know that we need to make changes across the NHS to better identify and charge visitors and migrants. Introducing charging at primary care is the first step to achieving this. We are already looking at taking action, and next year we will set out our detailed plans to clamp down on the abuse of our NHS."

A Department of Health report this year estimated that up to £500m a year could be recovered through better charging for use of the NHS by visitors. However, it said estimates were based on "incomplete data, sometimes of varying quality, and a large number of assumptions".

There is already concern among many Tory MPs that the ending of restrictions on migrants from Bulgaria and Romania on 1 January will see an influx of migrants, putting additional strain on the NHS and other public services.

The shadow health minister Lord Hunt said: "Yet again, ministers are putting spin before substance – their own report undermines the attempts to grab more headlines with this re-announcement.

"Labour is in favour of improving the recovery of costs from people with no entitlement to NHS treatment. Rather than more grandstanding, the government needs to deliver practical, thought-through changes to make that happen. Instead this out-of-touch government is left asking doctors and nurses to act as surrogate immigration officials."

At present treatment in hospital A&E departments is free, but any subsequent treatment as a result of admission is chargeable. The changes are aimed at tightening and standardising what is and is not chargeable for primary healthcare.

The rules already state that while maternity or antenatal services should not be withheld, overseas visitors should be charged. Asked during the consultation whether maternity care should be exempt, the overwhelming response from NHS frontline staff was that it should not be free for everyone, the Department of Health said.

Doctors' leaders said the proposed changes could cost more to administer than they would raise for the NHS and may deter people in need of treatment from seeking care.

Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) council, said: "This could mean the system of administering the new charging system will end up actually costing more to run than it collects in revenue. There remains a real risk that some migrants and short-term visitors who desperately need care could be discouraged from approaching the NHS if they cannot pay the proposed charges.

"There is particular confusion over access entitlements to emergency care services, given that the proposals introduce charging for A&E visits, yet say that no patient will be turned away if they need care."

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMA's GP committee said: "It is encouraging that the government has listened to the public health concerns expressed by the BMA about the impact of charging migrants and short-term visitors for GP appointments. We cannot have a situation where any patient with a serious health need is deterred from visiting a GP, especially if their condition raises a potential public health risk."

He added the proposals could introduce "another layer of time-consuming bureaucracy to general practice at a time when GPs and their staff are struggling to cope with rising workload and patient demand".

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, a Birmingham GP and spokesperson for the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "We are grateful that the government appears to have made some concessions to its original proposals and we are pleased that access to a GP will remain free at the point of need.

"However, we still need reassurances that GPs are not going to be pressed into acting as an arm of the Border Agency and we remain unconvinced that the proposals will work across the NHS."

• Immigration and asylum
• Liberal-Conservative coalition
• Conservatives
• Liberal Democrats

More on this story

Romanian and Bulgarian NHS workers feel rising tide of patient hostility

To save the NHS, why not charge those who abuse it?

Britons overwhelmingly against GP charges to help NHS balance books

Bulgarian and Romanian students in UK find their maintenance stopped

Employers could use migration to cut UK workers' wages, Labour warns

By 2015, new NHS charges will be knocking at the door

If you want to curb immigration, pay workers a living wage

Why pregnant women should be exempt from NHS charging

Immigration from Romania and Bulgaria will lead to new pressures - but not Armaggedon

NHS privatisation keeps on failing patients – despite a decade of warnings

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  Can I still use the NHS if I live abroad?

Many expats from the uk are unsure whether they can still use the nhs while living abroad but the nhs is a residence-based healthcare system. this means you can no longer access its services if you are permanently living abroad. you must inform the nhs of your non-residency to be removed from the register. , accessing health services in europe.

There are still some circumstances in which you might be able to access healthcare which is paid for by the UK. This depends on whether you plan to  

• permanently live abroad or 
• work outside the UK for a set period

Working in the EU for a set amount of time 

This access is only available within the European Union and may also be dependent on whether you receive a UK pension or other UK benefits. You can use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued in the UK or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) to access healthcare for temporary stays up to 90 days.

Once you're registered to live and work in an EU country, you should not use your EHIC or GHIC to get healthcare in that country, but you may be able to receive an EHIC card from your destination country for further travel.

If you live in an EU country, you may also be eligible to apply for an S1 form once you begin to draw a UK State Pension.

Living abroad permanently 

What is an s1 form.

An S1 form is a certificate of entitlement that shows your state healthcare is paid for by the UK if you live in an EU country. 

If you receive a UK State Pension and a pension from the country you have moved to, you cannot get an S1 form. This is because the country you live in is responsible for your healthcare. If you receive your UK State Pension as well as a pension from an EU member state, but are now living in a different EU state, the country you paid contributions toward your pension for the longest period becomes responsible for your healthcare.

Access to healthcare outside Europe

What is international health insurance.

International health insurance works much like health insurance at home. With it you are covered for emergency treatment, diagnosis and post-treatment care. Having an international health insurance plan in place can help you to avoid healthcare expenses as many common illnesses are covered. 

International health insurance benefits vary by plan, but often include:

• Hospital stay
• Routine check-ups
• Multi-country health cover for you and your family
• Cover for pre-existing conditions
• Cover for chronic conditions
• Choice of medical providers

Do I need International Health Insurance ?

You might plan to rely on local healthcare when you are abroad to keep costs down, but should you fall ill, you may find that the local healthcare options do not meet your needs or the standards you are used to with the NHS.

Depending on where you are moving and your individual circumstances, you may not be entitled to free or subsidised healthcare. Without an expatriate health plan, you may incur expensive medical costs. 

Before venturing to another country on expat assignment, it is important to weigh your options and ensure that you have a health insurance plan you can rely on. Having the correct cover in place, will provide peace of mind as you settle into your new home.

Get a quote for international health insurance  with Allianz Care today or speak to our specialist team who can give you the best advice on the level of cover you need in your destination country. 

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Can I use the NHS COVID-19 app in other parts of the UK?

If you are planning to travel, remember to check current travel restrictions for England , travel restrictions for Wales , and for the country you are visiting .

The NHS COVID-19 app is the official contact tracing app for England and Wales.  Read more about what the NHS COVID-19 app does .

If you travel to Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey or Gibraltar, the NHS COVID-19 app will still send you an alert if it detects that you have been in ‘close contact’ with another app user who has tested positive on a PCR test, regardless of whether they are using the NHS COVID-19 app or the Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey or Gibraltar app.

If you develop coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms while you're outside of England or Wales, you should follow the local guidance of the country you are visiting .

Healthcare for UK passport holders living abroad

Uk passport holders working abroad, uk passport holders living abroad, uk pensioners living abroad.

This page gives the most up-to-date information following Brexit, and it will be added to and changed over time, so please keep checking back for updates. For more information visit the  Scottish Government’s website .

If you work anywhere outside the UK you can get healthcare from the NHS in Scotland if you lived in the UK legally for more than 10 years before moving abroad and:

• you have come back to the UK for a visit at least once every 2 years
• your contract of employment allows you to visit the UK at least once every 2 years
• your employer will pay for the cost of your return to the UK at the end of your contract

Working in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland

If you work in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can get healthcare from the NHS in Scotland if you:

• have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued in the country where you work
• pay compulsory UK National Insurance contributions (your employer will be able to tell you about this)

Working out with the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland

The UK has special healthcare arrangements with some countries and territories outside the EEA. If you live in one of those countries or territories, you can get some healthcare from the NHS when visiting Scotland.

Find out which countries and territories which have reciprocal healthcare agreements with the UK

Accessing healthcare

When registering you may be asked to show the following documents:

• your passport
• your EHIC card
• documents showing that you lived in the UK for 10 years (for example, evidence of employment in the UK, schools attended in the UK, previous UK addresses)
• your employment contract

If you don’t have the documents they ask for, NHS staff may not be able to treat you as an NHS patient. You may need to pay for any care you receive.

Healthcare costs

Free healthcare for UK passport holders and their families who normally reside overseas is dependant on their particular circumstances. There are, however, some treatments that may incur a cost.

Families of UK passport holders

If you are registered as an NHS patient your partner and children might also qualify for healthcare. If you have children they must be aged under 16, or under 19 and in full-time education.

If you have a UK passport and you move to Scotland to live permanently, you can get healthcare from the NHS.

In order to receive care, you will need to register with a GP as soon as you arrive in Scotland.

Find out how to register with a GP .

When registering you may be asked to show:

• documents showing that you intend to stay in the UK – for example, the lease or mortgage for your home in the UK, council tax documents, a TV licence, one-way travel tickets, or a bill for shipping goods to the UK

If you don’t have the documents they ask for, NHS staff may not be able to treat you as an NHS patient and you may need to pay for any care you receive.

Find out more about accessing NHS services and treatments .

Free healthcare for UK passport holders and their families is dependent on personal circumstances. There are, however, some treatments that may incur a cost.

If you are registered as an NHS patient your spouse or civil partner and children will also qualify for healthcare. If you have children they must be aged under 16, or under 19 and in full-time education.

Staff at the GP surgery will ask you to fill in a form to register your family. You may need to show your marriage or civil partnership certificate and birth certificates for your children to complete the process.

If you receive a UK pension or UK war pension, you can get NHS healthcare when you visit Scotland if you spend at least:

• 6 months of the year in the UK and the rest of the time in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
• 9 months of the year in the UK and the rest of the time in another country

Permanently living abroad

If you live abroad all or most of the time and need treatment when visiting Scotland, you will be able to get this from the NHS if you meet one of the following requirements:

• have lived in the UK for more than 10 years before moving abroad
• have worked for more than 10 years as a crown servant before moving abroad
• have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

Travelling with an illness or condition

If you have an EHIC card, you will also be able to get NHS treatment for a condition or illness that you had before coming to Scotland.

If you don’t have an EHIC card, you may be able to get treatment for an illness or condition that you had before you came to Scotland, if it gets worse after you arrive. It is up to the doctor providing treatment to decide whether to treat you as an NHS patient.

If you are a UK pensioner and need treatment, NHS staff may ask to see the following to help them decide if you should be treated as an NHS patient:

• your UK pension book or war pension book
• a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions saying that you receive a UK state or war pension
• your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you don’t have these documents, you may need to pay for any treatment you receive.

Families of UK pensioners

If you receive a UK state or war pension your partner and children might also qualify for healthcare. If you have children they must be aged under 16, or under 19 and in full-time education

Source: Scottish Government - Opens in new browser window

Last updated: 22 February 2023

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NHS to roll out first targeted treatment for rare childhood brain tumours

• Children and young people

The NHS is set to roll out the first ever targeted treatment for brain tumours in children and young people in England, which can be taken at home and has been shown to significantly slow the progression of the disease, allowing them a better quality of life for longer.

Dabrafenib with trametinib has been found to stop the disease progressing for more than three times as long as standard chemotherapy for children with low-grade gliomas that have a specific genetic mutation, while helping many be spared the harsh side effects that can come with chemotherapy.

The treatment will be available on the NHS in the coming months for young people aged 1-17 with low-grade or high-grade gliomas that have a BRAF V600E mutation, following a green light from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) today [Wednesday 24 April] .

The combination treatment, which is given at home rather than in hospital, works by targeting the proteins made by the altered BRAF gene that are responsible for uncontrollable tumour growth.

Gliomas grow in the brain or spinal cord and can be low-grade, where tumours grow slowly, or high-grade, where they grow more rapidly and can often be fatal.

Around 150 children are diagnosed with low grade gliomas every year in the UK and around 30 are diagnosed with high grade gliomas – and up to one fifth have a mutation in their BRAF gene which makes the tumours more resistant to chemotherapy.

Clinical trials have shown that as well having fewer side-effects than chemotherapy, the treatment stalled growth of low-grade gliomas for around two years (24.9 months) on average – over three times as long as standard chemotherapy (7.2 months).

Dabrafenib (Finlee ®) is given as dissolvable tablets which are taken twice a day and trametinib (Spexotras ®) is an oral solution which is taken once a day.

Aaliyah, 12,   whose brain tumour was found during a routine eye appointment and has been taking dabrafenib and trametinib as part of a trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said:  “I’m able to just take tablets twice a day and go to the hospital every few months, rather than be in hospital to have chemotherapy. I’ve been able to start secondary school with my friends and go to pretty much all my lessons. I’ve also been able to be at home, rather than staying in hospital for treatment, and carry on my hobbies such as majorette.

“I’m really pleased that other teenagers and children will now be able to have this treatment instead of chemotherapy, without needing to be part of a trial, it will make a real difference.”

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, said: “It is fantastic news that this new precision treatment for children and young people with this type of brain tumour will now be available on the NHS – it is a significant step forward in treatment that has been shown to be easier to take than chemotherapy and very effective in blocking the growth of the disease, helping children have a better quality of life for longer.

“It can also be taken at home, meaning children and teenagers can spend less time in hospital having treatment and more time with their loved ones and doing things they enjoy – this is just the latest example of our efforts to make more effective treatments available for patients to improve the lives of those facing cancer, like Aaliyah.”

Suki Sandhu, who lost her eight-year-old son Raj to a high-grade glioma in 2018, said:  “I am so pleased this drug has been approved the use on the NHS. Many years ago, I had to make the decision to stop chemotherapy treatment for my son as he was suffering with horrible side effects after years of harsh treatment. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make as it was a clear sign we were running out of options, and it was likely I would lose him.

“We need kinder drugs and new treatments for those with brain tumours like this treatment and I am hopeful other families will go on to get access to these drugs and, hopefully, remain disease-free for longer and live good quality lives.”

Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said:  “Diagnosis of a glioma brain tumour, which is often fatal for people with advanced high-grade glioma, can have a devastating impact on children and their families. Treatment options are limited, and we know they can be brutal. I am pleased we can recommend this new combination therapy that can give children longer without their tumour growing and offers them and their families a better quality of life.”

Dr Michele Afif, Chief Executive at The Brain Tumour Charity, said:  “We are delighted that NICE has approved the first new treatment for paediatric brain tumours in decades. Though this will only affect a small population, it’s of huge significance to them and their loved ones and represents real progress. We hope that this will be the first of many new treatments that will ensure our community can live longer and better lives.”

Marie Andrée Gamache, Country President, Novartis UK and Ireland, said:  “We are humbled to be part of international scientific community effort in developing targeted therapies based on the unique genetic features of a patient’s tumour and welcome NICE decision to make the treatment available for patients in England and Wales. This recent appraisal is an example of how we can address the biggest clinical and public health challenges in the UK through collaboration and make the progress that’s needed for patients to benefit most.”

Healthcare abroad

Advice about healthcare if you're planning to visit or move to another country.

Get healthcare cover abroad with a UK GHIC or UK EHIC

Find out if you’re eligible to apply for a new UK EHIC or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)

Going abroad for treatment

Things to consider if you want or need medical treatment in Europe

Moving abroad

Advice about planning your healthcare if you're going to move or study abroad

Government advice about healthcare abroad

• GOV.UK: Healthcare for UK nationals visiting the EU
• GOV.UK: Healthcare agreements with non-EU countries

Train strikes in May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected

Rail lines are set for disruption in the week following the first May bank holiday as train drivers at 16 rail companies strike on different days.

Wednesday 24 April 2024 16:10, UK

Train drivers will stage a fresh wave of strikes and overtime bans in May, causing disruption to the rail network.

The strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from 7 to 9 May.

Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when.

Rail strike dates

Tuesday 7 May

Strikes will affect c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.

Wednesday 8 May

Strikes will affect Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Thursday 9 May

Strikes will affect LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express.

Overtime ban dates

From Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May union members will not work overtime.

Overtime bans, an action short of a strike, means some services may not be running or may be reduced as drivers refuse to work their rest days.

People are advised to check before they travel, as some areas may have no service.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

How do strikes and overtime bans affect services?

Strikes tend to mean services on lines where members are participating are extremely affected or cancelled entirely, whereas overtime bans often lead to reduced services.

How can I stay in the loop?

You can use the National Rail's journey planner to see when trains are running.

Be sure to check it close to when you plan to travel, as it will be updated regularly.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Why are the strikes still happening?

Aslef rejected a two-year offer of 4% in 2022 and another 4% this year, saying it is way below inflation, and is linked to changes in terms and conditions.

Aslef said train drivers have not had an increase in salary for five years, since their last pay deals expired in 2019.

The union said after its members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue taking industrial action, it asked the train operating companies to hold talks.

General secretary Mick Whelan said the year-old pay offer of 4% and another 4% was "dead in the water".

Are there strikes on the Tube too?

There have been regular strikes on London Underground too recently, and while there aren't any planned walkouts for drivers, customer service managers are set to walk out on Friday 26 April in a dispute over terms and conditions.

There will also be an overtime ban for the customer service managers on the following days:

Monday 29 April

Tuesday 30 April

Wednesday 1 May

Tuesday 2 May

Wednesday 3 May

Thursday 4 May

Friday 5 May

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) says the action by its members is likely to cause Tube stations to close at the last minute, including on the Saturday following the strike (27 April), while TfL has said on its website "some stations may need to close at short notice".

Despite the warning, a TfL spokesperson has said they aren't expecting significant disruption.

This action follows strike action taken by the same workers on 10 April, which the TSSA said had a "real impact" with "many stations shut at short notice".

They say they are "extremely concerned" about TfL's 'Stations Changes' proposals.

"We have made it clear that our union will not accept the continued threats to our members' roles, locations, terms, and conditions to stand unchallenged," a TSSA spokesperson said.

"We will continue to take sustained action until London Underground is prepared to negotiate with us in good faith."

Commenting on the impending strikes, a TfL spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that TSSA is continuing with this strike action following a consultation process.

"While we don't expect this action will cause significant disruption, we urge TSSA to continue to work with us to help find a resolution.

"There are no planned job losses as part of these vital changes which will improve the service we provide to customers at our stations."

Related Topics

• London Underground
• Rail strikes