First time in Britain

Do visitors have to pay for NHS treatment?

For hospital care, usually yes: in England visitors are charged 150% of the national NHS rate unless exempt. A&E, seeing a GP and NHS 111 are free.

Facts last checked Nov 1, 2026. Britlens is independent: see our editorial policy.

Pharmacy shop front on a street corner in Ludlow
Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Short answer: For hospital care, usually yes: in England visitors are charged 150% of the national NHS rate unless exempt. A&E, seeing a GP and NHS 111 are free.

Is A&E free for visitors?

Yes, A&E is free to everyone in England, but not emergency treatment once you are admitted to hospital. Scotland and Northern Ireland also do not charge for treatment in an emergency department.[1][2][3]

How much does the NHS charge visitors?

In England, hospital treatment for visitors who are not exempt is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate. You also pay for prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.[1]

People waiting at the barrier in the International Arrivals hall at Heathrow Terminal 5
Photo: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Does an EHIC cover me in the UK?

If you are eligible to use it in the UK, a valid EHIC covers medically necessary care. It does not cover planned treatment, private care or being flown home, so the government advises visitors to take out insurance as well.[4]

Sources

Read on the dates shown. Rules, fees and services change: check the source before you rely on it. Pages marked “not read” refused automated access, so we state nothing from them.

  1. How to access NHS services in England if you are visiting from abroad (opens in new tab), NHS (nhs.uk), read Nov 1, 2026
  2. Healthcare for overseas visitors (opens in new tab), NHS inform (Scotland), read Nov 1, 2026
  3. Health services for visitors to Northern Ireland (opens in new tab), nidirect, read Nov 1, 2026
  4. Healthcare for visitors to the UK from the EU (opens in new tab), GOV.UK (DHSC), read Nov 1, 2026