Free NHS prescriptions

You’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you’re:

• under 16
• aged 16, 17 or 18 and in full time education
• aged 60 or over

If your date of birth is printed electronically on your prescription, you do not need to provide proof of your age when claiming free prescriptions. If you’re 16, 17 or 18, you may need to show proof that you’re in full time education.

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

You are automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you’re included in an award for income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

If you’re getting this benefit, your partner and any dependants under the age of 20 included in your award are also entitled to free NHS prescriptions.

Use your award notice as proof that you’re entitled.

Universal Credit

If you get Universal Credit, you might be entitled to NHS prescriptions. This depends on your total take-home pay in your last assessment period.

Find out if Universal Credit entitles you to help with health costs.

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.

Contribution-based benefits

You are not automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you get:

• New Style Jobseeker's Allowance
• New Style Employment and Support Allowance

You could get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

Pension Credit

You’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you or your partner get:

• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit.

If you get Pension Credit Savings Credit on its own, you are not automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions.

 You could get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

If you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months

If you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions. But you must have a valid maternity exemption certificate. Show your certificate as proof that you’re entitled. 

Maternity exemption certificates

Medical conditions

You can only get free NHS prescriptions because of your medical condition if you have a valid medical exemption certificate. Show your certificate as proof that you’re entitled.

Medical exemption certificates

Low income (including students and pensioners)

You’re entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you have applied to the NHS Low Income Scheme and got a certificate for full help with health costs (HC2).

If you have applied to the NHS Low Income Scheme and got a certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3), you may be entitled to help with the cost of your NHS prescriptions. Your certificate tells you how much you have to pay towards your charges.

If you get War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments

You can get free NHS prescriptions if you have a valid war pension exemption certificate and your prescription is for your accepted disability.