Anyone taking up or resuming permanent residence in the UK is entitled to free National Health Service (NHS) hospital treatment in England.
If you intend to live permanently in the UK, you won't have to pay hospital charges from the date of your arrival in the country. However, you may be expected to prove your intention and that you are legally entitled to live here. Your spouse and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if they are in full time further education) will also be exempt from paying charges if they are living here with you on a permanent basis.
If you do not have an automatic right to take up permanent residence in the UK, but you have applied to the Home Office for leave to either enter or remain on a settled basis, you will be charged for any hospital treatment up to the point your application is granted.
If you qualify for free NHS hospital treatment, you will still be expected to pay the statutory NHS charges, such as prescription charges, unless you qualify for exemption from these. You can find more information about statutory NHS charges, and how to qualify for exemption, in NHS costs and exemptions in Further information.
Primary care and emergency services
If you would like to register with a GP you should approach a local surgery. GP surgeries are listed in the phone book, at the public library or you can go to Find and choose services on this site. You can phone or visit a GP surgery to ask if you can be accepted as a NHS patient.
The GP surgery may choose to accept or decline your application. They cannot decline you on the grounds of your race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability, or medical condition.
However, there are some instances in which a GP practice could decline you - for example, if live outside of the GP's surgery area. If you have any difficulties registering with a GP surgery, contact your local Primary Care Trust (PCT).
If you require emergency treatment at a GP surgery, accident & emergency department, or walk-in centre this will be given free of charge.
When you are first registered with the NHS, you will be assigned an NHS number and given an NHS medical card. The NHS number is used to keep your medical records updated and to trace patients when they access different parts of the NHS.
Further information:
