NHS treatment is not classed as a public fund for immigration purposes and can be accessed by person who has the ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF) condition. However, a person’s immigration status will affect whether they are required to pay for some types of treatment. If a person has paid the Immigration Health Surcharge, they will be able to access most healthcare services, including both primary and secondary healthcare, without further charges.
In Northern Ireland healthcare is provided as Health and Social Care and is delivered through Health and Social Care Trusts. Healthcare for overseas visitors is subject to charges where a person is not ordinarily resident as outlined in the Provision of Health Services to Persons Not Ordinarily Resident Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015. In Northern Ireland a person is considered ordinarily resident if they live in Northern Ireland, have valid leave to remain and with a settled purpose.
Most NHS services in Northern Ireland are chargeable to overseas visitors. Even GP services are chargeable unless the treatment is considered an emergency. GPs can decline services or charge for healthcare services provided to someone who is not ordinarily resident.
Some services are exempt from NHS charges and available to anyone, regardless of immigration status or residence in the UK. These include:
The following services are chargeable to overseas visitors, unless they are in an exempt category:
The exempt groups include:
For a full list of exempt groups please refer to the regulations.
A person may be able to access the following if they are in an exempt group:
A person may be exempt from charges on the basis of their age or medical condition, or if they are in receipt of certain benefits.
If a person is not exempt from charges then they can apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme by completing a HC1 form. For more information on the scheme see the Northern Ireland government website.
