You may be Ordinarily resident Further sources of information
chargeable for NHS treatment. What we may do with the or advice Ordinarily resident means, broadly speaking, living in the UK on a lawful information about your chargeable and properly settled basis for the time status Online resources: being. You will be asked to prove this. www.nhs.uk You may provide information about ‘Visiting or moving to England’, If you are a citizen of the European your chargeable status at various ‘Your health and care records’ Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, points within the NHS, including you can become ordinarily resident ‘Help with health costs’ registering with this GP practice. when you move to England, as long as This information will be stored on ‘Paying NHS charges’ You may have been given this leaflet if you meet the criteria above. an NHS database, and shared with you are not ‘ordinarily resident’ in the trained administrators, so that your www.gov.uk UK. If you are a non-EEA national subject to chargeable status can be confirmed ‘Guidance on overseas visitors’ immigration control, you can only be Whilst you can register with this GP as soon as possible. considered ordinarily resident if you practice as an NHS patient and see the Advice centres: have also been given the immigration GP without charge, you should be aware We may need to check your status of ‘indefinite leave to remain’ Patient Advice and Liaison Services that not every person is entitled to all immigration status with the Home (the right to live here on a permanent (PALS) at your local hospital their NHS care free of charge in England. Office. We may need to share EHIC, basis). Your local Citizens Advice Bureau Provisional Replacement Generally, NHS care is free for those: However, if you are a family member Certificates and S1 form details with ordinarily resident in the UK; the Department for Work and Which overseas visitors are of an EEA national who is resident in insured by an EEA member state, eg the UK, you may not be subject to Pensions and your home country exempt? with a valid EHIC or S1 form; (EEA only). We may also need to immigration control, even though you Refugees, asylum seekers and some covered under the Immigration share some information more yourself are from outside the EEA. categories of failed asylum seekers Health Charge (“Surcharge”); widely to prevent crime, including Victims of modern slavery exempt in law - eg refugees or For more information about applying fraud. Children looked after by the local victims of modern slavery (see to join family living permanently in the authority over). UK, visit www.gov.uk People covered under reciprocal Some services are always free to all If you are not ordinarily resident in the healthcare agreements with the UK people, eg the diagnosis and treatment of most infectious diseases (see over) UK then you are classed as an overseas Armed forces members and some visitor and will have to pay for most crown servants treatment outside the GP practice, For a full list, see ‘visiting or moving unless exempt. to England’ on www.nhs.uk Last updated June 2017 What NHS services can I receive What if I need to go to hospital? From EEA and for free? If your GP refers you to hospital for visiting, studying or Even if you are generally chargeable, further treatment, then you should retiring to the UK? The rules can be complicated you can still receive the following expect to provide documents that and this is only a brief services free: demonstrate you are ordinarily Please provide details on the GP summary, so please visit resident, or exempt from charge, registration form of your valid, non-UK www.nhs.uk for further seeing your GP or practice nurse otherwise you will have to pay. European Health Insurance Card (for information or ask for help for any reason visitors and students) or provide your and advice from your local being tested for most suspected In an emergency, you should call an ‘S1’ form (for pensioners, some workers). hospital overseas visitor team infectious diseases and treated for ambulance or go directly to your This will ensure that your home country nearest A&E department where you before seeking treatment at a them if the test is positive funds the healthcare that may be necessary during your stay, so that you hospital, if possible. family planning services will receive immediate treatment to will not be asked to pay. If you are a (contraception) stabilize your condition. This will be visitor/student needing planned care, treatment for sexually transmitted free of charge. However, unless you will need an ‘S2’ form from your infections exempt, charges will apply if you are home country. Treatment given at an Accident admitted to hospital. Charges for some NHS services Bear in mind that even if you are and Emergency unit (but not once Pregnancy From outside EEA and here to ordinarily resident here or are generally admitted to hospital) Unless exempt, you will have to pay reside in or visit the UK? exempt from charge for your NHS care, Treatment of a condition caused for any treatment related to your If you have been granted leave to enter some NHS services are not free, eg by FGM, torture, sexual or pregnancy but treatment will not be or remain in the UK for a temporary prescriptions and dentistry. You may domestic violence (unless you withheld or delayed because of period of more than six months, and have come to the UK to seek this also be exempt from these charges, payment. Ensure you speak to your have paid (or been exempted from care) under separate criteria www.nhs.uk - midwife about your care. paying) the Immigration Health Charge (also known as the “Surcharge”), or you ‘Help with health costs’ believe that another exemption from Non-payment charge category applies to you, please Paying for treatment If you need immigration permission indicate this on the GP registration form. For other services, unless exempt, to be in the UK and fail to pay an Please take documents with you to any you will be expected to pay in outstanding amount due to the NHS, hospital appointment to confirm your advance for treatment, unless this then your non-medical details, and identity and any exemption you may would delay treatment needed details of the debt, may be shared have. urgently or immediately, in which with the Home Office, who may case you will be expected to pay decline any further visa applications www.nhs.uk – ‘categories of exemption’ afterwards. until the due amount is paid.