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Original poster

Registering for NHS Number when born abroad?

25 replies

Relic4 · 27/04/2016 10:12

My son is British by decent (born abroad to a British father and foreign mother), he has a consular birth registration certificate (registered abroad) and has a UK passport.

We are going back to the UK and we'd like him to have a few health checks, for this he'll need an NHS number. I can't find any information regarding this, does anyone know how we go about registering for a NHS number?

Many Thanks.

OP posts:
AveEldon · 27/04/2016 12:06

Are you visiting or moving back?

KP86 · 27/04/2016 12:10

You get your NHS number when you first register at a GP, but you need proof of a permanent address to register.

specialsubject · 27/04/2016 12:22

nationality irrelevant for NHS use, it is a residence-based system.

if you are just visiting the UK you'll need to pay. If you are moving back permanently, you can use the NHS - join the queue.

gingermary · 27/04/2016 12:32

Im not sure but think you have to be resident in th UK. I am British and now live overseas and my children have dual nationality, born overseas. On a visit home I was unwell and visited my mums Gp, I had to fill in a form to say I was resident overseas and would have paid except I was pregnant so it was free. If my children needed healthcare in the uk I would expect to pay. I have another British friend also resident overseas who had some health issues she would have to return to the uk and register with a residential address to seek treatment there. Perhaps someone else will be able to offer clarity on the rules

AveEldon · 27/04/2016 14:06

If you are just visiting then you should pay - if you have an EHIC card from another EU country then you should be covered

www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/uk-visitors/visiting-england/Pages/visitors-from-the-eea.aspx

SissySpacekAteMyHamster · 27/04/2016 14:07

My daughter was born abroad. When we moved back to UK and signed up with a surgery she was automatically given a number.

fatowl · 27/04/2016 15:28

It's incredibly easy (my DDs both moved back to UK in last few years), register at a GP and get one.
But you do need a permanent address and be settling permanently (not visiting)

Original poster
Relic4 · 28/04/2016 02:56

Thanks for the replies, they're quite conclusive and seems rather straight forward. We'll only be visiting this time, I thought I'd try and be pro-active but will register on-site

Cheers

OP posts:
specialsubject · 28/04/2016 10:22

Just visiting, no NHS number. Use your travel insurance and / or ehic to pay

SavoyCabbage · 28/04/2016 10:29

Once when we were visiting the uk (I am British and so is dd) we needed to get dd a new epipen and (quite rightly) had to pay for the appointment and the epipen.

When we returned permanently we registered with the GP again. We had to pay for dd's new glasses as we had to be here for three months to get her free ones.

Penfold007 · 28/04/2016 10:47

Relic4 your family are not eligible for NHS treatment without payment. You will be charged 150% of the NHS national tariff. It's essential that you have adequate health insurance.

JazzApple · 28/04/2016 16:19

'Register on site' for what?

JeninKL · 22/06/2021 05:19

Did you have to have a permanent address to do that? We will have a temporary address for 2 months.

Allington · 22/06/2021 05:49

As others have said, if you are visiting you are not eligible for NHS treatment. Because NHS treatment is paid for by UK residents.

MumInBrussels · 24/06/2021 19:46

You are, however, eligible for emergency treatment free of charge and GP visits are also free of charge. You don't need an NHS number for these, you register as a visitor (there might be another name for it, I can't remember now - I was feeling pretty crap, so the details passed me by...)

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/visiting-or-moving-to-england/how-to-access-nhs-services-in-england-if-you-are-visiting-from-abroad/ has all the details

Geamhradh · 03/07/2021 10:10

Zombie thread. Smile

MinervaMcGonagall45 · 05/07/2021 14:08

As others have said, if you are visiting you are not eligible for NHS treatment. Because NHS treatment is paid for by UK residents

You are right to say that free non -emergency NHS treatment is only available for those habitually resident in the UK. But that does not mean that they pay for it.

Many overseas residents have paid full NI contributions in the UK and continue to pay UK tax. But they are not entitled to NHS treatment despite the fact that they have and continue to pay into the system.

Meanwhile people arriving from abroad who have never contributed a penny, and in many cases never will, are entitled to free treatment.

Something seriously amiss there I think.

Geamhradh · 05/07/2021 15:18

@MinervaMcGonagall45

As others have said, if you are visiting you are not eligible for NHS treatment. Because NHS treatment is paid for by UK residents

You are right to say that free non -emergency NHS treatment is only available for those habitually resident in the UK. But that does not mean that they pay for it.

Many overseas residents have paid full NI contributions in the UK and continue to pay UK tax. But they are not entitled to NHS treatment despite the fact that they have and continue to pay into the system.

Meanwhile people arriving from abroad who have never contributed a penny, and in many cases never will, are entitled to free treatment.

Something seriously amiss there I think.

Your penultimate paragraph isn't true, as you well know, but don't let the truth get in the way of your hatred.

Zombie Thread**

MinervaMcGonagall45 · 05/07/2021 17:03

Your penultimate paragraph isn't true, as you well know, but don't let the truth get in the way of your hatred

@Geamhradh. I am not a hater.I will leave that to those of a more wintery disposition. The NHS is a residence based system. Once you have been resident in UK for three months you are entitled to secondary treatment regardless of whether you have paid into the system.

whataboutbob · 20/07/2021 22:03

There are rules but in practice it doesn’t usually get followed duo and it is quite easy to register with a GP and from then on get free treatment. Relatives of mine have done it ( come here after a lifetime abroad and access the NHS) , I also used to work quite recently in a London hospital and a considerable chunk of inpatients would not have qualified under the rules but got treated nonetheless, it was seldom if ever checked up on or chased up if there was an issue with entitlement to treatment. Doctors don’t want to be bothered and there isn’t the infrastructure within hospitals to tackle the issue.

kowari · 20/07/2021 22:06

Just turned up with passport on day of arrival. No proof of address, though I was still registered at the same GP at the same address (a relative) from 20 odd years before so that may have made a difference. Address was temporary, we had no permanent address yet.

kowari · 20/07/2021 22:07

I was still registered at the GP, but was also registering my child for the first time I mean

fairgame84 · 20/07/2021 22:14

They do check and are getting better at it. DH has had to pay for his fracture clinic appointments because he came on a 6month visa and hadn't paid his IHS because it wasn't payable on his initial visa. Despite being here over 6 months, O
only the A&E attendance was free.
Hes now got a longer visa and paid IHS so he's entitled to the same as everyone is now.

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