NHS & health
Free NHS eye tests in England: who qualifies and how much the glasses voucher is worth
The NHS pays for a sight test for twelve groups in England, but for glasses the list is shorter. The Universal Credit thresholds are £435 and £935; vouchers run from £42.40 to £233.56.
Care needs assessment in England: how to get help from your council
A care needs assessment from council social services is free and anyone can ask for one. The council generally helps with care costs if savings are below £23,250, and carers have a right to a separate assessment of their own.
Free UK GHIC: state healthcare in Europe and 15 working days for delivery
A UK GHIC is free, lasts up to five years and gives you state healthcare in the EEA on the same basis as a local resident. Here is who qualifies, what the card does not cover and what to do if it has not arrived.
Brain cancer: government speeds up the route from lab to patient
On 14 October the Prime Minister set out four steps on brain cancer: an expert review reporting in three months, a national action plan, a dedicated clinical lead and an MHRA review of rare-disease medicine rules cut from three years to two.
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NHS Low Income Scheme: HC2 and HC3 certificates, the £16,000 limit and the 3-month refund window
The scheme covers prescriptions, dental care, eyecare, hospital travel and wigs — and reaches people refused a means-tested benefit, because council tax and housing costs count.
How to register with a GP in England: no passport, no address, no fee
Everyone in England can register with a GP surgery. No ID, no proof of address and no proof of immigration status can be demanded. Here is the procedure, the timescales and the only grounds for refusal.
A once-weekly insulin: MHRA authorises Onswik for type 2 diabetes
On 13 October 2026 the MHRA authorised Onswik — insulin efsitora alfa, injected once a week. For some adults with type 2 diabetes that is 52 injections a year instead of up to 365. Here is who it is for, what risks are named and when it might reach the NHS.
NHS prescriptions in England: £9.90 an item and how to pay less
An NHS prescription in England costs £9.90 per item — two medicines a month is almost £240 a year. A prepayment certificate covers everything for £114.50 a year or £32.05 for three months, and many groups pay nothing at all. Here is who is exempt, which conditions qualify and how to claim a refund.
UK egg recall over salmonella: check the shell for code 3UA1012066
The FSA and Food Standards Scotland have warned of a recall of raw eggs from Yasensvit Ltd. Check the stamp on the shell itself: eggs marked 3UA1012066 must not be eaten and should be disposed of safely at home.
Paying for sex in Britain: the law, scams, STIs and a next-morning action plan
Payment does not make every sexual encounter lawful or safe. Buying sexual services is an offence in Northern Ireland; in England, Wales and Scotland criminal risk arises around street solicitation, exploitation, coercion and brothel-related activity. This non-judgemental guide explains how to recognise danger, what to do after a condom failure, suspected spiking or sexual assault, where to obtain confidential care and what it costs.
ADHD and autism in England: government changes the rules on assessments and promises help without a diagnosis
Professor Fonagy's independent review was published on 9 October. ADHD and autism diagnostic assessments — including private and self-funded ones — are to be CQC-regulated, and national NHS prices are intended from April 2027.
Flu is rising in England and fewer people have had the jab than a year ago
UKHSA has published the first winter virus report of the season: September activity beat the past four winters, one circulating strain has drifted from the vaccine, and by 4 October only 9.9% of over-65s and 4.9% of at-risk adults had been vaccinated.
MenB jab for students: free until 31 December, but only 27% have had a first dose
UKHSA published the first coverage report on 1 October: of the 799,840 young people eligible for the free MenB vaccine, 212,549 had had a first dose by 20 September — 26.6%. London is the worst region at 21%. First doses are available until 31 December 2026 and second doses until 31 March 2027.
Pharmacy First: seven conditions a pharmacist in England treats without a GP appointment
Earache, sore throat, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, an infected bite and uncomplicated UTI in women — for these seven a pharmacist in England consults and supplies prescription medicines directly. No referral needed, the consultation is free, the medicine costs £9.90 or nothing if you are exempt.
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Martha's Rule in England's hospitals: how to summon a second medical team when someone is getting worse and nobody is listening
In 2021, 13-year-old Martha Mills died of sepsis in a London hospital: her parents saw her deteriorating, told the doctors — and were not heard. The coroner concluded she would probably have survived had she reached intensive care in time. Since 2024, hospitals in England operate Martha's Rule: the right of a patient or their family to summon an independent rapid review team at any hour, over the heads of the treating team. Here is the story — and how to use the right if English is not your first language.
Healthcare in the UK: what the NHS gives everyone for free, what prescriptions and dentists cost, and who pays under the 150% rule
Two myths circulate about British healthcare: 'everything is free here' and 'you can't see a doctor without insurance'. Both are wrong. A GP appointment, the ambulance, A&E and the 111 line are free for everyone — whatever your visa or status — and you can register with a GP without proof of address or right to reside. The pharmacy and the dentist, though, have their own tariffs: a prescription is £9.90 per item, dental work runs £27.90 to £332.10, and visitors who never paid the IHS surcharge get billed for hospital care under the 150% rule. The whole system, with the numbers.
Long-term sick leave in the UK: after a year off, fewer than half return to work
On 23 September the government published the plan for Britain's first Workplace Health System. Around 300,000 people a year leave work because of ill health, at a cost of £212 billion a year. What it means if you are an employee.
NHS dentist costs in England in 2026: £27.90 for a check-up, £332.10 for a crown — and how to get an appointment
NHS dental charges do not depend on how many procedures you have: there are three bands — £27.90, £76.60 and £332.10 — and you pay only for the highest one. What each band covers, why you cannot register with a dentist, who to call in pain, who is treated free, and the tick-box that brings a £100 penalty.
Free NHS flu jab from 1 October: who is on the list — and why 56% of eligible adults skip it
The national booking service opened on 17 August, children and pregnant women have been vaccinated since 1 September, and everyone else on the list can book from 1 October. Almost 19 million jabs last season prevented an estimated 104,000 hospital admissions — yet only 44% of at-risk adults aged 18 to 64 took one.
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Russian-speaking doctors and clinics in London: eight addresses checked against the registers
Every clinic checked against CQC, every named clinician against the GMC and GDC, every legal entity against Companies House. Where Russian really is spoken, where only the website has been translated, and why a chain advertising sixteen locations is registered for four. Plus one clinic that is not on the list, and how to check such a place yourself.
An NHS interpreter is free — and you can register with a GP without a single document
We checked the most common beliefs about the NHS against primary sources. The practice must book the interpreter, and nobody under 16 may do the job. Registering with a GP needs no passport, no address and no immigration status, and a refusal must be explained in writing within 14 days. And five minutes on the GMC, GDC and CQC registers separate a real doctor from a good-looking website.