Wigs and fabric supports

You’re entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports if you are:

• under 16
• under 19 and in full time education

Income-based benefits

You are automatically entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports if you’re included in an award for:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

If you’re getting one of these benefits, your partner and any dependent young people under 20 included in your award are also entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports.

You are also entitled to:

free NHS prescriptionsfree NHS sight testsfree NHS dental treatmenthelp with the cost of glasses or contact lensesrefunds of necessary travel costs to receive NHS treatment

Use your award notice as proof that you’re entitled.

Contribution-based benefits

If you’re receiving contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, you are not automatically entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports. However, you could apply for help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

Pension Credits

You’re entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports if you or your partner gets:

• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit.

You’re also entitled to:

free NHS prescriptionsfree NHS sight testsfree NHS dental treatmenthelp with the cost of glasses or contact lensesrefunds of necessary travel costs to receive NHS treatment

If you get Pension Credit Savings Credit on its own, you are not automatically entitled to free NHS dental treatment. However, you could apply for help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

Universal Credit

Not everyone getting Universal Credit is entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports

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 free NHS prescriptions.

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.

You're entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports if your annual family income is £15,276 or less and you receive either:

• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit paid together
• Working Tax Credit including a disability element

If you meet these conditions, you'll automatically receive an NHS tax credit exemption certificate.

NHS tax credit exemption certificates

You’re entitled to free NHS wigs and fabric supports if you have applied to the NHS Low Income Scheme and received an HC2 certificate for full help with health costs.

If you have applied to the NHS Low Income Scheme and received an HC3 certificate for limited help with health costs, you may be entitled to help with the cost of your NHS wigs and fabric supports. Your certificate tells you how much you have to pay towards your charges.

You can get free NHS wigs and fabric supports if you have a valid war pension exemption certificate and the wig or fabric support is for your accepted disability.

You're also entitled to free NHS prescriptions if they relate to your accepted disability and you have a valid war pension exemption certificate.

You can claim money back for dental treatment, NHS travel costs, sight test, glasses or contact lenses if you receive war pension or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and the treatment is for your accepted disability. Write to:

The Treatment Group
Veterans UK
Norcross
Blackpool
FY5 3WP

Or call: 0808 191 4218