What’s free on the NHS and what you pay for

Written and reviewed by the UK Hospitals editorial team
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Next review due: 22 April 2027

This guide brings together information from the NHS and other official sources, listed at the end of the page. It is not medical advice.

Most NHS care in England is free when you use it, including GP appointments, NHS 111, A&E and hospital treatment if you live here. Most adults pay towards prescriptions, NHS dental treatment, and glasses or sight tests, but many people get help with these costs. This guide explains what is free, what you may pay for and how to check if you can get help.

At a glance
Free when you use it
  • GP appointments
  • NHS 111
  • A&E and urgent treatment centres
  • Hospital treatment, if you are ordinarily resident in the UK
Most adults pay towards
  • Prescriptions
  • NHS dental treatment
  • Glasses and sight tests

Care that is free when you use it

You do not pay at the time you use these NHS services in England:

  • registering with a GP surgery, and GP and practice nurse appointments
  • NHS 111, online or by phone
  • A&E, urgent treatment centres, walk-in centres and minor injuries units
  • hospital treatment, tests and operations, if you are ordinarily resident in the UK (most people who live here lawfully on a settled basis)
  • contraception, and medicines you are given while you are a hospital inpatient
  • sexual health clinics, including STI testing and treatment

Having an NHS number does not by itself mean that all NHS care is free for you. You do not need your NHS number to use NHS services.

Prescriptions

Most adults in England pay a charge for each item on an NHS prescription. On 22 October 2026, the NHS website gave the charge as £9.90 per item. If your prescription lists 3 medicines, you pay 3 charges.

Many people get free prescriptions, for example if you are under 16, 16 to 18 and in full-time education, 60 or over, pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, have certain medical conditions or are having cancer treatment (with an exemption certificate), or get certain benefits. If you need a lot of medicines, a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) can cost less. Read our guide to prescription charges and who gets free prescriptions.

NHS dental treatment

Most adults pay towards NHS dental treatment. The cost depends on which of 3 charge bands your treatment is in. Your dentist should tell you the cost before treatment starts.

NHS dental charges in England (as shown on the NHS website on 22 October 2026)
  • Band 1£27.90Check-up, advice, X-rays and scaling if needed
  • Band 2£76.60Everything in band 1, plus treatment such as fillings, root canal treatment and taking out teeth
  • Band 3£332.10Everything in bands 1 and 2, plus treatment such as crowns, dentures and bridges
  • Urgent treatment£27.90Urgent care, such as a temporary filling or draining an abscess

If you need treatments from different bands, you pay only the highest band. Some things are free, such as taking out stitches, stopping bleeding from your mouth and repairing dentures.

You get free NHS dental treatment if, for example, you are:

  • under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education
  • pregnant, or have had a baby or a stillbirth in the last 12 months
  • being treated by a hospital dentist in an NHS hospital (you may still pay for dentures or bridges)
  • getting, or your partner gets, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, or Universal Credit with take-home pay below a set amount
  • named on an HC2 certificate from the NHS Low Income Scheme

Your dentist may ask for proof. See how to find an NHS dentist.

Sight tests, glasses and contact lenses

You usually pay for sight tests and glasses at an optician. You can get a free NHS sight test if, for example, you:

  • are under 16, or 16 to 18 and in full-time education
  • are 60 or over
  • have diabetes or glaucoma, or are 40 or over and a parent, brother, sister or child has glaucoma
  • are registered as partially sighted or blind
  • get certain benefits, or are named on an HC2 certificate

Some people, such as children and people on certain benefits, can also get an NHS optical voucher to help pay for glasses or contact lenses. See free NHS eye tests.

Travel to hospital and car parking

If you get certain benefits or have a low income, you may be able to claim back reasonable travel costs to hospital appointments you were referred to, through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.

NHS hospitals can charge for car parking. Government guidance for NHS trusts in England says free parking should be given to people in greatest need:

  • disabled people
  • people who often go to outpatient appointments
  • parents of sick children staying overnight
  • staff working night shifts

Carers can also be offered parking concessions. Each hospital decides how you claim, so ask the hospital or check its website before you go. Our hospital pages link to each hospital’s parking information where we have it.

Visitors from abroad

Some NHS care is free for everyone, including visitors, such as:

  • GP and practice nurse appointments
  • NHS 111
  • A&E, walk-in centres, minor injuries units and urgent treatment centres (but not treatment after you are admitted to hospital)
  • family planning (but not abortion or fertility treatment), and treatment for most infectious diseases, including STIs

Hospital treatment is free if you are ordinarily resident in the UK. Other people may be charged, often at 150% of the NHS rate, unless they are exempt. People on visas of more than 6 months usually pay the immigration health surcharge, and can then use hospital care on a similar basis to residents. If doctors say treatment is urgent or immediately necessary, you will get it even if you cannot pay first, and you will be asked to pay afterwards. Read more about NHS care for visitors from abroad.

Private care

You can choose to pay for private treatment, either yourself or through health insurance. Private care is not free, and you pay the full cost. If you are referred by the NHS, you may be able to choose a private hospital that treats NHS patients, at no cost to you. This is part of your right to choose.

Check what help you can get

The NHS has an online eligibility checker that tells you if you can get free prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests and other help, based on your age, where you live, any health conditions and your income. If you are not sure whether you can get free treatment, pay the charge and claim a refund later. Claiming free treatment when you are not entitled can lead to a penalty charge of up to £100.

Check if you can get help with NHS costs

Charges and rules can change. We checked this page against the NHS website and GOV.UK on 22 October 2026. Always check the current charge with the service you are using.

Sources

We checked this guide against these official pages on 22 October 2026.

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