Income-based benefits
You are automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you’re included in award for:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
If you’re getting one of these benefits, your partner and any dependent young people under 20 are also entitled to free NHS prescriptions.
Use your award notice as proof that you’re entitled.
You're also entitled to:
free NHS dental treatmentfree NHS sight testsfree NHS wigs and fabric supportshelp with the cost of glasses or contact lensesrefunds of necessary travel costs to receive NHS treatment
Contribution-based benefits
If you’re receiving contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, you are not automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions.
However, you could apply for help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
Pension Credits
You’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you or your partner gets:
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit.
You're also entitled to:
free NHS dental treatmentfree NHS sight testsfree NHS wigs and fabric supportshelp with the cost of glasses or contact lensesrefunds of necessary travel costs to receive NHS treatment
If you get Pension Credit Savings Credit on its own, you are not automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions. However, you could apply for help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
Universal Credit
Not everyone getting Universal Credit is entitled to free NHS prescriptions.
Your entitlement depends on your take-home pay in the last assessment period.
View our Universal Credit page to check if you are entitled free NHS prescriptions.
If you’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions because you claim Universal Credit and your take home pay is under the limit, tick box ‘U’ on the prescription form.
Not all prescription forms have a tick box for Universal Credit. If that’s the case you should tick box ‘K’ for income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance instead.
