Financial Help with Student Health Costs
Entitlement to help
If you are under 19 years old and in full time education you are entitled to NHS items and services free of charge. This includes costs for prescriptions, NHS dental treatment, sight tests and NHS wigs. You will also be entitled to vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses.
To claim your entitlement tell your practitioner that you don’t have to pay for health costs and he/she will ask you to sign a form.
If you are over 19 years old and in full time education you MAY qualify for assistance with health costs. For example, if you have certain medical conditions you are entitled to apply for an NHS Medical Exemption Certificate that will allow you free prescriptions. Click here for the full list of medical conditions.
Women who are pregnant and those with dependent children are also entitled to apply for a Medical Exemption Certificate.
If you don’t qualify for help on any of the above grounds but find it hard to pay health costs you might be able to get some help under the NHS Low Income Scheme. This scheme compares your weekly income with your weekly living costs (as set by the government). Many students who apply for help under the NHS Low Income Scheme get full help with their health costs. This includes:
- Free NHS prescriptions
- Free NHS dental treatment
- Free NHS sight tests
- Free NHS wigs and fabric supports
- Vouchers towards the cost of glasses/contact lenses
- A refund of the cost of travel to receive treatment under the care of a hospital consultant
Other students don’t get full help with health costs but get some help towards it.
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