Website of the Department of Health

Help with NHS costs

Basics about help with NHS charges

Help with NHS prescription and dental charges, optical fees and hospital travel costs, for people on benefits, tax credits or low incomes.

• Basics about help with NHS charges

HC12: Charges and optical voucher values

Published: 01/04/2008

This leaflet outlines the charges and optical voucher values effective from 1 April 2008. Information covered includes prescriptions, wigs and fabric support, hospital travel costs, dental treatment, sight tests, glasses or contact lenses, and penalty charges.

• HC12: Charges and optical voucher values

HC11 Help with health costs

• HC11 Help with health costs - in English and other languages (opens new window)

Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPC)

People who have to pay prescription charges can buy a prepayment certificate, which offers considerable savings to those who need regular prescriptions.

• Prepayment of NHS prescription charges

NHS Low Income Scheme

The NHS Low Income Scheme provides income related help to those not already exempt from prescription and other NHS Charges. A claim needs to be made on an HC1 form.

Use the link below to request the HC1 form

• The NHS Low Income Scheme (opens new window)

Help with NHS costs - poster

This newly redesigned A3 sized poster is for GPs, dentists, pharmacists, opticians and NHS hospitals to display. The poster informs patients that they may be able to get help with a range of health care costs.

• Download poster HC10: Help with health costs (PDF, 128K)

Procedure for dispensers issuing and pharmacies refunding FP57 forms (receipt & prescription charge refunds) in England

New arrangements for paying prescription charge refunds have been agreed with the PSNC and are being introduced in England. Pharmacists will pay prescription charge refunds from 1 April 2005. The Post Office will stop paying refunds from that date. This notice replaces all previous notices/guidance about FP57s.

• Procedure for dispensers issuing and pharmacies refunding FP57 forms (receipt & prescription charge refunds) in England

HC5 refund claim forms

New forms have been created for patients to use to claim refunds of NHS wigs or fabric supports, NHS dental costs, optical costs and travel costs incurred to receive NHS treatment. The forms are replacing the combined HC5 Refund claim form. The old forms will still be valid and supplies can be used up.

The HC5 (W) wigs and fabric supports form should be printed off from the link below by healthcare professionals and provided to patients from 1 April 2008.

The other forms listed below are available from the DH publications orderline 0845 610 1112 or NHS forms ordering website and email address below:

• HC5 (T) travel form: this form is for the refund of costs incurred if you are referred for treatment under the care of a consultant, or referred by a doctor or dentist, and you travel to receive that treatment you can claim help with the cost of your travel on low income grounds. If you are referred by a doctor or dentist to the same premises but on a different day you can claim for that travel cost.
• HC5 (O) optical charges claim form
• HC5 (D) for refunds of NHS dental charges

• Download form HC5(W) (PDF, 52K)
• Download form HC5(T) (PDF, 61K)
• Download form HC5(O) (PDF, 59K)
• Download form HC5(D) (PDF, 59K)
• NHS forms ordering website (opens new window)
• email nhsforms@spsl.uk.com (opens new window)

Point of Dispensing checks  - a guide for pharmacists, dispensing doctors and their staff

• Guidance on the NHS Business Services Authority website (opens new window)

Guidance for pharmacists on devolution and prescription charges - don't get caught out

From 1 April 2007 there are different arrangements for prescription charges between Wales and the rest of the UK. In Wales everybody gets free prescriptions. As a pharmacist working in England, you must apply the rules which apply in England. If you get a prescription written in Wales the "English" rules apply.

Guidance on exemption from prescription charges for renal dialysis patients

This clarification of guidance on exemption from prescription charges for renal dialysis patients was issued in the Chief Executive's Bulletin of 1-7 December 2000, Issue 44.

• Clarification of guidance on exemption from prescription charges for renal dialysis patients

Forms HSA5 and WF1 (hospital outpatients)

Revised hospital out-patient forms HSA5 (supply of drugs or elastic hosiery) and WF1 (supply of wigs or fabric supports): for hospital pharmacies and suppliers of wigs, elastic hosiery or fabric supports.

• Forms HSA5 and WF1

Prescription charges: exemption certificates

Since 1 October 2002 the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) has been responsible for issuing prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs), medical (MedEx) and maternity (MatEx) exemption certificates in England.

• Prescription Pricing Authority (opens new window)

Prescription charges for drugs given to outpatients in clinical trials

The document DS21/75 reflects current policy.

• DS21/75 Prescription charges for drugs given to outpatients in clinical trials

FP92/96 statistical returns

Since the transfer of responsibility for exemption certificates to the PPA, the Department of Health is no longer collecting information for the FP92/96 statistical returns.