Health and healthcare

You will be exempt from paying these fees (you will not have to pay them) if you fall into one of the following groups (we have listed the most important groups, but there are some others too):

You paid the immigration health surcharge for your current period of immigration permission

If you have already reached the expiry date of your immigration permission, it is OK as long as you made an application for an immigration extension before your immigration permission ran out AND you are still waiting for a decision on your application (or if you have already been refused, then you have remained in the UK and are still within the period you are allowed in order to pursue an administrative review or appeal against the refusal) - this is sometimes referred to as a period of 'Section 3C leave'. You will not have to pay hospital fees during your 'Section 3C leave'. 

You applied for your current period of immigration permission before the immigration health surcharge was introduced on 6 April 2015

You are only be protected in this way if the immigration application you made was one where the immigration health surcharge would have been relevant if it had been made on or after 6 April 2015. If you have already reached the expiry date of your immigration permission, it is OK as long as you made an application for an immigration extension before your immigration permission ran out AND you are still waiting for a decision on your application (or if you have already been refused, then you have remained in the UK and are still within the period you are allowed in order to pursue an administrative review or appeal against the refusal) - this is sometimes referred to as a period of 'Section 3C leave'. You will not have to pay hospital fees during your 'Section 3C leave'. 

Babies born in the UK

Babies aged 3 months or less, who were born in the UK to a parent who is exempt from hospital fees in one of the two ways described above, and who have not left the UK since birth.

You have a right to hospital treatment free of charge because of European obligations

Read the Government's information about who this covers.

Apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before you leave your home country, and remember to bring it with you to the UK. If you forget to apply for an EHIC, or if you lose your EHIC, then apply from the UK straightaway to the health authorities in your home country for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC). The Provisional Replacement Certificate acts as a substitute for an EHIC. Find information about applying for EHICs and PRCs on the Your Europe website.  

You are a British Overseas Territory citizen

You must be resident in the Falkland Islands.

You are a national (or in some cases a resident) of a country with a reciprocal health care agreement with the UK

But only if your hospital treatment is covered by the agreement. Most of the agreements are of limited use as they entitle you only to enough immediate medical treatment to allow you to return to your home country. The following countries have reciprocal health care agreements with the UK (note that this list does change over time, so you should check with your country that it is still included): Anguilla, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Jersey, Kosovo, Montenegro, Montserrat, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, St Helena, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

You have been granted or have made an application for asylum, humanitarian protection or temporary protection in the UK

Or you are their dependant.

You are a child who is looked after by a local authority

Armed Forces

You are a member of the UK's regular or reserve armed forces (or in some cases their spouse, civil partner or child).