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Only certain benefits entitle you to help with NHS costs.
In Scotland or Wales, NHS prescriptions are already free. You're also entitled to free NHS dental check ups and NHS sight tests in Scotland, and free NHS dental check ups up until your 25th birthday in Wales.
Income-based benefits
If you get any of these benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
You are entitled to:
- free NHS prescriptions
- free NHS dental treatment
- free NHS sight tests
- free NHS wigs and fabric supports
- help towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses
- help towards travel costs to receive NHS treatment
Your partner and any dependants aged 19 or under who are included in your award also get the same help.
Tax credits
Tax Credit payments made by HMRC are ending on 5 April 2025
If you're currently receiving tax credits from HMRC, these will no longer be paid after 5 April 2025. If you have a valid tax credit exemption certificate, automatic entitlement to full help with health costs because of your tax credits will stop when it runs out. People receiving tax credits are being moved to Universal Credit. When your tax credits have stopped and you're moved to Universal Credit you must meet the Universal Credit conditions to be entitled to full help with health costs. View our Universal Credit page to check if you're entitled to help with your health costs.
If you have an income used to calculate your tax credits of £15,276 or less, and get any of these tax credits:
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit paid together
- Working Tax Credit including a disability element or severe disability element
You are entitled to:
- free NHS prescriptions
- free NHS dental treatment
- free NHS sight tests
- free NHS wigs and fabric supports
- help towards the cost of new glasses or contact lenses
- help towards the cost of repairing or replacing your glasses or contact lenses
Your partner and any dependants aged 19 or under who are named on your claim also get the same help.
Getting Working Tax Credit only or an income over £15,276.
If you get Working Tax Credit only, or have an income over £15,276, you don't automatically get help paying NHS costs.
You could still get help through the Low Income Scheme (HC2 or HC3 certificate).
Universal Credit
Not everyone getting Universal Credit is entitled to help with their health costs.
Your entitlement depends on your total take-home pay in the last assessment period.
View our Universal Credit page to check if you are entitled to help with your health costs.
Pension Credits
If you or your partner gets:
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit
You are entitled to:
- free NHS prescriptions
- free NHS dental treatment
- free NHS sight tests
- free NHS wigs and fabric supports
- help towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses
- help towards travel costs to receive NHS treatment
If you get Pension Credit Savings Credit on its own, you are not automatically entitled to help with these costs.
You could still get help through the Low Income Scheme (HC2 or HC3 certificate).
Benefits with similar names and other benefits
If you get:
- contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
You are not automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions.
You could still get help through the Low Income Scheme (HC2 or HC3 certificate).