I'm visiting and live outside the United Kingdom - will you charge me?

We will charge for booked appointments or if you use inpatient services. There are minor exceptions to this.

If you have a friend or relative due to visit the United Kingdom, please tell them to get travel insurance. If they are EU residents, check they have a European Health Insurance card (EHIC).

We do not provide non-urgent services unless you make payment in advance. We exclude maternity services and services to babies from this.

EU residents

All EU residents with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) get free treatment (except that which you travelled to receive). We make small charges for medicines in certain services.

We provide free treatment for hospital inpatient services and appointments. However, you must show a valid EHIC or a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC).

If you have no EHIC or PRC (except for maternity services) we do not provide non-urgent healthcare without payment in advance. Or you can get a provisional replacement certificate (PRC) form if insured under your home country's social security system,

You must contact your health authority / insurer in your home country to get this. You will not be able to access non-urgent hospital services without it. Ask that your PRC dates from the time you started treatment, if you have already used health services.

If you need to find your PRC issuer, the European Commission website will help. Select “Search by competency” then select your “Country:” and “Issues EHIC:” Yes 

This will produce a list of contacts from which to select.

EU pre-authorised S2 treatment

If you have S2 form preauthorising please tell us - email BHRUT.ID@nhs.net or telephone 01708 435 165.

UK pensioner resident in the EU.

If you provide a valid EHIC issued by another EU state you can access all necessary medical care except that which you travelled to receive.

If you registered an S1 form via your local DWP/ NHS Business Authority, please contact us via email bhrut.id@nhs.net or telephone 01708 435 165. Once verified, we will then provide all NHS hospital services to you.

Stay limited to six months (180 days) or less

You will have to pay for inpatient services and booked appointments. We do not provide non-urgent appointments unless you have paid in advance (except maternity and services to babies). We advise you to get medical travel insurance for the duration of your stay.

Proof of your right to stay may be stamped in your passport, either:

• Leave to enter for six months
• Employment prohibited
• Public funds prohibited

Or you may have a home office sticker in your passport showing remarks C-VISIT or C-FAMILY VISIT.

As a matter of policy, the Home Office refuses further application or re-entry to the UK to those who have a debt to the NHS. They can also end your grant of leave, requiring you to leave the UK earlier than stated on your passport.

If you have no leave to stay in the UK

If you are in the UK and someone who does not have permission from the Home Office, it is likely that you cannot use NHS Hospital services for free. There are some exceptions to this.

All information on this page is advisory and not a definitive statement of law. Any decision to charge a patient for NHS services is determined by the facts of the case and law at the time.

Please email bhrut.id@nhs.net or telephone 01708 435 165 for any help or queries.