Universal Credit recipients in NI to receive automatic help with healthcare costs from December

More than 195,000 Universal Credit recipients in Northern Ireland will gain automatic entitlement to free NHS sight tests, dental treatment, and travel cost support from 1 December, following a key legislative update announced by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.

The move brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK, after years of disparity in how Universal Credit recipients accessed the Help with Health Costs (HwHC) scheme.

The HwHC scheme supports people on low incomes by covering the cost of essential health services, including dental treatment, eye tests, glasses or contact lenses, and travel for Health and Social Care treatment.

Until now, those on Universal Credit in Northern Ireland had to apply manually for assistance, as the Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 had not been updated to reflect the introduction of Universal Credit.

The new amendment ensures that eligible Universal Credit claimants are now “automatically passported” into the scheme without needing to apply.

Minister: “This brings Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK”

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcomed the change, highlighting his department’s focus on tackling inequality:

“Tackling health inequalities has been a key area of focus for me since taking up the office of Health Minister. Intensive work has been ongoing within my Department to reinstate automatic passporting for those eligible for support through the Help with Health Costs scheme following the migration of their benefits to Universal Credit.”

He acknowledged that the lack of automatic entitlement had caused significant concern for many people across Northern Ireland:

“The loss of automatic passporting for such a large number of people in Northern Ireland has been of considerable and understandable concern.

“I am delighted to say that work has completed to update the relevant legislation which now brings Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK in this area and will ensure that eligible Universal Credit recipients receive the automatic help they need to access these crucial healthcare services.”

Eligibility and Earnings Thresholds

Not all Universal Credit claimants will qualify automatically. As in Great Britain, an earnings threshold will determine eligibility.

Automatic passporting will apply to Universal Credit recipients who had:

• No earnings, or take-home pay of £435 or less in their last Universal Credit assessment period; or

• No earnings, or take-home pay of £935 or less if their Universal Credit includes a payment for a child, or they have limited capability for work or limited capability for work and work-related activity.

Those who earn above these thresholds can still apply under the Low Income Scheme (LIS) to have their eligibility assessed before treatment.

Mr Nesbitt said the change restores consistency across the UK:

“Adopting the GB thresholds reintroduces parity across the UK and enables a UK-wide approach to future changes to the threshold.

“My Department will continue to work with counterparts across the UK nations on any potential revisions to the existing thresholds to ensure that these are reflected in Northern Ireland legislation.”

Continuing Support and Future Review

The Department for Communities will continue to provide advice to Universal Credit claimants about eligibility and manage applications for those not automatically covered.

The Department of Health also confirmed that it will monitor the impact of the new regulations and look for ways to simplify the process for those still required to apply.

“We will continue to monitor the impact of these changes. For those in receipt of Universal Credit who are not automatically passported as a result of these changes, we will seek to streamline the process of applying for Help with Health Costs,” the Minister added.

The Statutory Rule enacting the changes has now been formally laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly, following a public consultation launched in January 2025 to review eligibility for automatic support.