Under Universal Credit, help with NHS health costs depends on your household’s total take-home pay in the UC assessment period that ended immediately before you claim.
| Your UC situation | Take-home pay limit |
|---|---|
| No child element and no LCW/LCWRA | £435 or less |
| Child element and/or LCW/LCWRA | £935 or less |
Tax Credits trap: Many people keep ticking the old Tax Credit box after DWP migration. That is a common path to NHSBSA enquiry letters and PCNs months later.
Check before you tick
- Sign in to your Universal Credit account.
- Open the latest statement and find total take-home pay.
- If over the threshold, do not claim UC exemption — pay or use a PPC.
Who else may get free prescriptions
Age rules, maternity exemption, medical exemption, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, and HC2 certificates are separate routes — see help with health costs.