found this but its dated '05 was told today the limit was £15.500
Help with health costs
This means free NHS prescriptions, NHS dental treatment, NHS wigs and fabric supports, NHS eyesight tests, optical vouchers (towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses) and assistance with (reasonable) travel costs to receive NHS treatment under the care of a consultant.
You can claim help with health costs if you are getting
Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, or
Working Tax Credit only which includes a disability element (for you) or severe disability element (for you or your partner), or
Child Tax Credit and you are not eligible for Working Tax Credit, and
your gross annual income (that is, before tax and National Insurance contributions are taken off) for 2005 is £15,050 a year or less. Your gross annual income is the figure shown on the front page of your tax credit award notice. Your award notice will also show if a disability or severe disability element is included.
If you get the relevant tax credit and are within the income limits, we will automatically send your details to the Patient Services of the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) who will then send you an exemption certificate. This certificate will be valid for the time stated on the certificate. If you live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland you will be entitled to help on the same basis and will also be sent an exemption certificate by the Patient Services.
If you fall within any of the categories above but have not been sent your exemption certificate before you need to get treatment, you can sign an NHS treatment form on the basis that you are entitled to a certificate. You should use your tax credit award notice as proof of entitlement.
Most families who are entitled to one should receive their exemption certificate within a few weeks of receiving their tax credit award.
You will not be sent an exemption certificate if your income, for tax credit purposes, is more than £15,050. If your circumstances change, you should tell us straight away.
If your income rises above £15,050 a year, you can go on using your exemption certificate until it runs out, but you will not be sent a renewal certificate after that date.
If your income drops to £15,050 a year or less, the Patient Services will send you an exemption certificate but only if you have told us about the change and have received your revised tax credit award notice with the change of income shown.
Your exemption certificate will only be valid for charges you have incurred after the date you told us of your change of circumstances. So, if your income changes but you do not tell us about it, then you will not be entitled to claim exemption from charges until you do. The Patient Services will not be able to send out a certificate until we have sent that information to them.
If you are not automatically entitled to an exemption certificate because your annual income is above £15,050 you may still be entitled to some help with your health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. For more information pick up leaflet HC11 ?Help with health costs?.