Financial Help with Student Health Costs
Entitlement to help
If you are under 19 years old and in full-time education you are entitled to NHS items and services free of charge. This includes costs for prescriptions, NHS dental treatment, sight tests and NHS wigs. You will also be entitled to vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses.
To claim your entitlement tell your practitioner that you don't have to pay for health costs and he/she will ask you to sign a form.
If you are over 19 years old and in full-time education you MAY qualify for assistance with health costs. For example, if you have certain medical conditions you are entitled to apply for an NHS Medical Exemption Certificate that will allow you free prescriptions. Click here for the full list of medical conditions.
Women who are pregnant and those with dependent children are also entitled to apply for a Medical Exemption Certificate.
If you don't qualify for help on any of the above grounds but find it hard to pay health costs you might be able to get some help under the NHS Low Income Scheme. This scheme compares your weekly income with your weekly living costs (as set by the government). Many students who apply for help under the NHS Low Income Scheme get full help with their health costs. This includes:
- Free NHS prescriptions
- Free NHS dental treatment
- Free NHS sight tests
- Free NHS wigs and fabric supports
- Vouchers towards the cost of glasses/contact lenses
- A refund of the cost of travel to receive treatment under the care of a hospital consultant.
Other students don't get full help with health costs but get some help towards it.
Health Concerns
While you are at college or university and living in a student community you will be at a slightly greater risk of ill health.
When you first start college or university you may pick up what is affectionately referred to as ‘Freshers' Flu'. This occurs when everyone arrives at university from different areas of the country bringing with them different germs that other students have not had before. The symptoms can be eased by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic drinks, taking paracetamol to bring down your temperature and generally taking it easy for a few days.
You may have concerns about other health related issues while you are studying. For example, instances of mumps in student communities have increased in the last few years. Meningitis is another common concern among students and it is important you are aware of the symptoms of this disease. However, you should also appreciate that following the introduction of a vaccination against meningitis the risk of catching this disease has been dramatically reduced. The links will give you more information about some of the most common health worries among students. If you are concerned about your health after reading this information you should seek a doctor's opinion as soon as possible.
Sexually transmitted infections are frequently a problem in student communities, especially Chlamydia which shows no symptoms in up to 70% of cases but can lead to infertility. For more advice about Chlamydia and other STIs click here.
Click here for the 24 hour helplines – including the Meningitis Trust and NHS Direct.