Support with health costs if you have cancer

You may be able to get financial help with health costs when you have cancer. This can include help with prescriptions, wigs and fabric supports, dental treatment and eye treatment.

If you need special equipment or aids to help you live at home, you may be able to get what you need for free. Your doctor or nurse may arrange for this to be provided, or they can refer you to a social worker.

If you pay for your own nursing home charges, you may be entitled to financial help. You should speak to your healthcare professional or call the Macmillan Support Line for free on 0808 808 00 00.

Help with the cost of dental care is different across the UK.

In Scotland, NHS dental examinations are free for everyone.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there is a cost for NHS or Health Service dental examinations. But if you qualify for free dental treatment below, you will not have to pay for examinations either.

In Wales, you also get free NHS dental examinations if you are aged:

• under 25
• 60 or over.

NHS dental treatment is free if you are:

• Under 18 (or 18 and in full-time education) in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
• Under 26 in Scotland.

If you are not in 1 of these groups, you may still get free NHS or Health Service dental treatment or free dentures. You need to meet 1 or more of the criteria listed here when the dental treatment starts:

• You are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months. You need a maternity exemption certificate called a MatEx. Speak to your doctor, midwife or health visitor.
• You are being treated in an NHS or Health Service hospital and a hospital dentist does the treatment. You may have to pay for any dentures or bridges.
• You have a valid war pension and need treatment for your war injury.
• You are entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs – this is called an HC2 certificate.

If you are named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs, called an HC3 certificate, you may get some help. We have more about this in our information about the NHS Low Income Scheme below.

You also qualify for free dental treatment if you or your partner get:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, 
• Universal Credit (UC) or tax credits, if you meet certain criteria.

You are also eligible if you are under the age of 20 and are the dependant of someone getting 1 of the benefits listed above.

When you go to the dentist

You must show your dentist that you are entitled to help with dental costs. For example, you could give them a letter showing which benefits you get. You must also sign a form to confirm that you do not have to pay.

Help with the cost of eye care is different across the UK.

Eyesight tests

In Scotland, eyesight tests are free for everyone.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you can get free NHS or Health Service eyesight tests if you meet 1 of the following criteria:

• You are aged under 16.
• You are aged under 19 and are in full-time education.
• You are aged 60 or over.
• You are registered as blind or are partially sighted.
• You have been diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma.
• You are aged 40 or over and your parent, brother, sister or child has been diagnosed with glaucoma.
• You have been advised by an eye doctor that you are at risk of glaucoma.
• You have a valid war pension and have eyesight issues due to your war injury.
• You are a prisoner on leave from prison.
• You need complex or powerful lenses.
• You get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit.
• You get Universal Credit (UC) and meet certain criteria.
• You have a low income and are named on a valid NHS HC2 certificate for full help with health costs.

You may get a reduced cost eyesight test if you are named on a valid NHS certificate for partial help with health costs – this is called an HC3 certificate. We have more information about the NHS Low Income Scheme on this page.

Cost of glasses or contact lenses

In all areas of the UK, vouchers can help with the cost of glasses or contact lenses. You can use the vouchers with any optician. You must show the optician proof that you qualify. For example, you could show them a letter showing which benefits you get.

You can get a voucher if you meet 1 of the following criteria:

• You are aged under 16.
• You are aged under 19 and are in full-time education.
• You are a prisoner on leave from prison.
• You need complex or powerful lenses.
• You get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit.
• You get Universal Credit (UC) and meet certain criteria.
• You have a low income and are named on a valid NHS HC2 certificate for full help with health costs.

You may get a voucher if you are named on a valid NHS certificate for partial help with health costs – this is called an HC3 certificate.

If you have a valid war pension and have eyesight issues due to your war injury, you may be able to claim money back for the cost of glasses or contact lenses.

Talk to your GP, cancer doctor or specialist nurse if you think you need equipment or aids to help you manage at home. For example, if you may need a raised toilet seat or handrails. If your doctor or nurse agrees you need equipment, they can arrange this.

Your doctor or nurse may refer you to a social worker. You can also contact your local social services or social work department directly. They can arrange for a social worker or occupational therapist to assess your needs. They may be able to give you what you need for free.

You can also get general advice and information about all types of equipment from Living Made Easy.

If you need support from carers at home or you need care in a residential or nursing home, you may get help to pay for this.

Local Authority or Health and Social Care Trust funding

In England, Scotland or Wales, your local council may pay some or all of the cost of your care. In Northern Ireland, your local Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust may provide funding.

What you get depends on the results of a needs assessment. It may also depend on your income, savings and assets.

You can contact your council or HSC trust to ask for an assessment of your care needs. Or someone else can contact them for you. For example, a family member, friend or someone from your healthcare team could call.

NHS funding

If you need ongoing, complex medical care, the NHS may pay for or provide some of the care you need at home or in a care home.

This is called the NHS Continuing Healthcare scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The rules and how funding is arranged is different in Scotland.

For more information speak to your healthcare professional or call our support line for free on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm.