Over 900,000 "free access passes" provided to asylum seekers by the NHS

Over 900,000 "free access passes" provided to asylum seekers by the NHS

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The issue of healthcare entitlements for asylum seekers in the UK has been under scrutiny, following a statement by Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp suggesting that the availability of these entitlements may be attracting illegal immigrants from Europe.

According to a Freedom of Information request, over 920,199 NHS "free passes" (HC2 certificates) were handed to asylum seekers between 2019 and 2024. These certificates provide access to free prescriptions, dental care, eye tests, wigs, and travel to appointments. However, it is important to note that there is no officially defined term "free passes" in this context, and the healthcare entitlements for asylum seekers are generally covered under specific eligibility rules rather than "free passes."

Despite asylum seekers making up less than one percent of the population, they received a significant portion of the HC2 forms. The figures show that most HC2 certificates were issued under the previous administration, according to a Government spokesman. It is worth noting that the exact number of HC2 certificates issued this year was not specified by the NHS spokesman.

Asylum seekers automatically receive HC2 certificates if they qualify for Section 95 support, which covers housing and financial help for asylum seekers. Anyone with little or no income can also apply for these certificates. The certificates cover costs up to £233 for spectacles and unlimited dental work.

It is crucial to understand that asylum seekers in the UK are typically entitled to free NHS secondary healthcare related to their asylum claim and emergency care. The NHS provides free primary care (GP registration) and emergency hospital care to everyone regardless of immigration status. However, the system can be complex, and sometimes administrative barriers or misunderstandings affect access to care. The NHS Overseas Visitor Charging Regulations set charges for non-eligible individuals, but exempt asylum seekers from many charges, effectively allowing free access to certain healthcare services during their claim period.

Specifically, asylum seekers are entitled to free primary healthcare (GP services), free secondary healthcare that is immediately necessary or related to the asylum claim (e.g., maternity care, treatment for injuries), emergency care without charge, and free treatment for certain communicable diseases and public health concerns.

However, no aggregated government or NHS data quantifying how many asylum seekers received such free care ("free passes") from 2019 to 2024 was found in the search results, official reports, or parliamentary records. Freedom of Information databases do not appear to publish this particular statistic publicly either.

In conclusion, while asylum seekers in the UK have defined rights to free NHS healthcare covering emergency, primary, and claim-related secondary services, the number of issued entitlements or "passes" covering this period is not publicly available or clearly recorded in official sources. This lack of transparency may contribute to the ongoing debate about the potential impact of these entitlements on immigration patterns.

[1] NHS UK. (2021). Healthcare for asylum seekers and refugees. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/live-well/healthcare-for-asylum-seekers-and-refugees/ [5] Freedom of Information (FOI) database. (2021). Healthcare entitlements for asylum seekers. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/freedom-of-information-requests

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