If you are aged 19 or over and receive National Health Service (NHS) treatment you will be asked to pay for prescriptions and some health care services.
However, most students are entitled to either full or partial help with these costs through the Help with Health Costs scheme.
The scheme covers the following healthcare services:
- Prescriptions
- Dental treatment
- Wigs and fabric supports
- Sight tests, glasses and contact lenses
- Travel to receive NHS treatment
If you wish to apply for help with any of the above costs, you will need to complete an HC1 Form.
You will also be asked to supply information about your income and expenditure. HC1 forms can be obtained online, from the Students' Union Advice Centre, doctors surgeries, local benefits offices and dentists or by calling the Health Costs helpline on 0845 610 1112.
Once you have submitted your HC1 form an assessment will be carried out and if you are eligible for a full exemption, you will be sent an HC2 certificate. If you are eligible for a partial exemption, you will be sent an HC3 certificate that will outline what you will be expected to pay towards your health care costs.
If you have to pay for healthcare then these are the costs:
Medical Costs In England- From 1st April
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Prescription charge is: £9.65 per item.
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Three monthly Pre Payment Certificate is £31.25 . This saves you money if you need four or more items in 3 months.
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A 12-month certificate is £111.60 and saves money if 15 or more items are needed in 12 months.
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HRT PPC- £19.30
Wigs and fabric supports
- Surgical bra: £31.70
- Abdominal or spinal support: £47.80
- Stock modacrylic wig: £78.15
- Partial human hair wig: £207.00
- Full bespoke human hair wig: £302.70
Dental Costs
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Band 1 = £26.80 - This covers an examination, diagnosis (e.g. X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a scale and polish if needed, and application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant.
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Band 2 = £73.50 - This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or if your dentist needs to take out one or more of your teeth.
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Band 3 = £319.10 - This covers everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus crowns, dentures and bridges.
International students
If you’re an international student studying in the UK you’re exempt from charges for all of your NHS hospital treatment (except any statutory charges such as those outlined above) if you’re a full-time student attending either a course of at least six months' duration, or a course substantially funded by the UK government.
The same exemptions from health service charges described above also apply to you. If you need hospital treatment during your stay in the UK, ensure you can provide evidence that you are entitled to free treatment. This will include your immigration status plus evidence of study/work, or which country you are visiting from, as appropriate. If you cannot provide evidence showing you are entitled to free treatment then the hospital will charge you.
Certain illness are treated free of charge, irrespective of a person's immigration status.
Information on NHS services for overseas nationals, including for EU/EEA nationals, can be found here
Useful Information.
It's important to realise you can often save big by buying an IDENTICAL pill, just in different packaging. Some tablets are half the price of their doppelgangers.
How to spot which tablets are identical. Check the 'PL number' on the packet. It's a unique licence number given exclusively to a particular drug made by a particular manufacturer (eg, PL 12063/0104 is a cold and flu remedy). The medicine's sometimes put in different packaging, but if the PL numbers match, it's the SAME drug.
Even if there's not an identical medicine that's cheaper, it's often possible to save by shunning branded products and opting for a generic – unbranded or own-brand – equivalent. It's a medicine's 'active' ingredient that matters – the rest is largely irrelevant (unless you've certain allergies), though liquid capsules work quicker and some taste different.
More information
Visit the NHS website.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/cheap-prescriptions/
Last updated: April 2024