The NHS Low Income Scheme is intended to reduce the cost of NHS

prescription charges In the United Kingdom most medicines are supplied via the National Health Service at either no charge, or for a fixed charge for up to three months' worth of any medicine. Charges for prescriptions for medicines and some medical appliances are pay ...

NHS dentistry Dentistry provided by the National Health Service in the United Kingdom is supposed to ensure that dental treatment is available to the whole population. Most dentistry is provided by private practitioners, most of whom also provide, on a commerc ...

, sight tests, glasses and contact lenses, necessary costs of travel to receive NHS treatment, NHS

wigs A wig is a head covering made from human or animal hair, or a synthetic imitation thereof. The word is short for "periwig". Wigs may be worn to disguise baldness, to alter the wearer's appearance, or as part of certain professional uniforms. H ...

and fabric supports, i.e. spinal or abdominal supports or surgical brassieres supplied through a hospital. It is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority. It is not necessary to be in receipt of any benefits in order to qualify. An online application system was under trial in 2022. It is restricted to people who do not have capital or savings of over £6,000.

Tax credits

People entitled to most

means-tested benefit A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for government benefits, assistance or welfare, based upon whether the individual or family possesses the means to do with less or none of that help. Means testing is ...

s do not need to use the scheme as they are exempt from these charges. People who receive

working tax credit Working Tax Credit (WTC) was a state benefit in the United Kingdom made to people who worked and received a low income. It was introduced in April 2003 and was a means-tested benefit. Despite the name, the payment was not a tax credit linked t ...

or child tax credit are automatically assessed and, if entitled, issued with an NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate. Tax credit beneficiaries with an income of less than £15,276 (2013 figure), people who receive working tax credit and child tax credit and those who receive working tax credit with a disability element are entitled to a certificate.

Universal Credit

The introduction of

Universal Credit Universal Credit is a United Kingdom based Welfare state in the United Kingdom, social security payment. It is Means test, means-tested and is replacing and combining six benefits, for working-age households with a low income: income-related Emp ...

led to complications. People entitled to Universal Credit who had net earnings of less than £435 in a month (or £935 or less if they have a child element or had limited capability for work) should receive free prescriptions on the same basis as other people in receipt of other means tested benefits. However, as of December 2017, at which point the introduction of universal credit (which started in April 2013) was well under way, the prescription form did not mention it. Claimants were officially advised by NHS England to tick the box for income-based jobseeker's allowance.

Outside England

Charges are not made for prescriptions, wigs or fabric supports in Scotland or Wales.

Financial assessment

The assessment of means uses similar principles to those of

income support Income Support is an income-related benefit in the United Kingdom for some people who are on a low income, but have a reason for not actively seeking work. Claimants of Income Support may be entitled to certain other benefits, for example, Housin ...

. Weekly income is compared to assessed requirements but includes housing costs and council tax which income support does not. There is a capital limit (between the claimant and their partner, if they have one) of £23,250 for those permanently in a care home (£24,000 in Wales) and £16,000 for everyone else.

Certificates

The HC2 certificate for full help (which includes free NHS prescriptions), is issued if weekly income is less than or equal to requirements, or income is greater than requirements by no more than half the current English prescription charge. The HC3 certificate for partial help is issued if income is greater than requirements by more than half the current English prescription charge. This shows the payment liability for health costs. It is possible to apply for a refund of charges already paid when an application for a certificate is made. HC1 refers to the form used to claim eligibility under the scheme.NHS (2016)
HC1: Claim for help with health costs
accessed 20 February 2025

References

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External links

NHS Business Services Authority

Help with Health Costs Wales
Low Income Scheme Social security in the United Kingdom Tax credits