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NHS Low Income Scheme: guide for students

Who this guide is for

This guide is for people aged 18 or over and in full time education.

Check if you need to apply for help

You do not need to apply for help from the NHS Low Income Scheme if you already get the help you need.

You already get all the help we can offer if you or your partner get certain benefits. You could already get help if you're included in your parent or guardian's claim for those same benefits.

The help you can get depends on the country you live in.

Living in England

Aged 18

If you’re aged 18 or under and in full time education, you already get:

  • free NHS prescriptions
  • free NHS dental treatment
  • free NHS sight tests
  • free NHS wigs and fabric supports
  • help towards the cost of new glasses or contact lenses
  • help towards the cost of repairing or replacing your glasses or contact lenses

Aged 19 or over

If you’re aged 19 or over, you do not automatically get help with paying for any of your NHS health costs.

If you have a low income, you could apply to get help to pay for:

  • NHS prescription charges
  • NHS dental treatment charges
  • the cost of sight tests, glasses and contact lenses
  • the cost of travelling to receive NHS treatment
  • NHS wigs and fabric supports (check with your hospital for their arrangements for supplying NHS wigs)

Find out how to apply for this help

Living in Scotland

Help you already get

If you’re in full time education and you live in Scotland, you already get:

  • free NHS prescriptions
  • free NHS sight tests
  • free NHS dental check-ups
  • free NHS dental treatment (if the treatment starts before your 26th birthday)

Extra help you could apply for

If you have a low income, you could apply to get extra help if you also need help to pay for:

  • NHS dental treatment charges (for treatment that starts on or after your 26th birthday)
  • the cost of glasses and contact lenses
  • NHS wigs and fabric supports (check with your hospital for their arrangements for supplying NHS wigs)

Find out how to apply for this extra help

Living in Wales

Help you already get

If you live in Wales, you already get free NHS prescriptions. And if you’re under 25 years old, you already get free NHS dental check-ups.

Extra help you could apply for

If you have a low income, you could apply to get extra help if you also need help to pay for:

  • NHS dental treatment charges
  • the cost of sight tests, glasses and contact lenses
  • the cost of travelling to receive NHS treatment
  • NHS wigs and fabric supports (check with your hospital for their arrangements for supplying NHS wigs)

Find out how to apply for this extra help

Living in Northern Ireland

If you live in Northern Ireland, you can find information about getting help with health costs on the nidirect website.