Some healthcare is free or subsidised in the UK. However, in some cases you may have to pay all of the cost of the medical treatment you receive while staying in Britain.

Everyone in the UK has the right to healthcare whether emergency treatment or on-going care is needed.

Public healthcare

Public healthcare is provided by the National Health Service (NHS). Services include:

• hospitals
• doctors
• dentists
• chemists
• opticians
• ambulances

Entitlement to NHS treatment

Free and subsidised medical treatment from the NHS is available for:

• British citizens who are living in the UK
• anyone who has been resident in the UK for the previous year
• EU nationals
• students on courses longer than six months
• anyone with a British work permit
• nationals from countries with reciprocal health agreements with Britain, although exemption from charges is usually limited to emergency treatment.

It is a good idea to take out medical insurance if you are not entitled to free or subsidised healthcare. If not, treatment could workout to be very expensive.