Everyone can use NHS services, regardless of their immigration status or whether they have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). Individuals who are in the UK without the relevant permission may be charged for the care provided by the NHS.
Treatment from the NHS is not classed as a public fund.
This includes GP visits, hospital care, mental health support, and maternity services. The majority of people with NRPF will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to access NHS care. After paying that charge, they have the same entitlements as any of their local peers.
To learn more about the IHS and more about the link between NRPF and the NHS, view our NRPF and healthcare in the UK page.
See below for a variety of resources that may help you with your journey to good health.
The programme aims to strengthen links between GP Practice Teams and community services to support people in living well and improving their overall health and wellbeing.
Link Practitioners aim to help people connect with their community and overcome life’s challenges.
You must be 16 years old or over, and if you ask your GP, they can refer you. We have added a link to the referral form used at Old Aberdeen Medical Practice as an example.
Breathing Space is a free, confidential listening and mental health support service for anyone in Scotland aged 16 and over, providing a place to talk when thoughts and feelings become overwhelming.
It offers support via a freephone helpline and webchat, available evenings and nights when many other services are closed, providing crucial out-of-hours support.
You can reach them in the following ways:
Doctors of the World is the UK chapter of the global Médecins du Monde network. Their advice line provides free, confidential support to anyone in the UK facing barriers to NHS care, regardless of their immigration status.
Individuals can call the advice line for help with a range of healthcare access issues, including GP registration, being refused hospital treatment, and accessing maternity services or abortion care.
Their non-clinical caseworkers also help people understand their rights and challenge denials of care based on immigration status.
You can reach them in the following ways:
This factsheet, produced by Just Right Scotland (JRS) in 2021, outlines the rights of EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens, and their non-EU family members, to access NHS healthcare in Scotland following Brexit.
Mental Health Foundation Scotland provides several types of resources to assist all with their mental health. This includes educational films, lived-experience stories, policy research, podcasts, and mental health tips. They also list other sites and support organisations that offer similar support.
Several of the resources have been translated into languages like Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian and Urdu
You can reach them in the following ways:
This guide, part of the Migrants’ Rights Network’s “Know Your Rights” series, provides essential information on mental health and accessing support for migrants.
The guide covers registering with a GP, what treatments might be available, and how to get help in a crisis. It also includes a self-help guide with tips and activities.
You can contact them in the following ways:
NHS Inform explains how people from outside the UK, including overseas students, workers, and tourists, can access healthcare services in Scotland. Their phone lines offer interpreters
They have three separate fact sheets in addition to the information found on the website: one for ‘People Coming to Work‘, one for ‘People Coming to Study‘ and one for ‘Holidaymakers‘
You can reach them in the following ways:
Penumbra365 supports individuals feeling overwhelmed or in distress, worried about their mental health or looking for ways to improve their mental wellbeing. They connect you to an appropriate member of staff who can talk through your options, which may include one-to-one support, workshops, peer mentoring, and more.
The service is for anyone aged 18 or over in Aberdeen City. Individuals can self-refer by contacting Penumbra directly; contact details below.
You can reach them in the following ways:
The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) operates over 70 services across Scotland, providing mental health social care, addiction services, and employment support, among others.
They recently opened their first ‘Nook‘ in Glasgow, a space for drop-in mental health support in a safe, stigma-free and non-clinical environment – without the need for an appointment. They plan to expand to Aberdeen by 2028.
You can reach them in the following ways:
The Bounds provides a free and confidential counselling service to the community, delivered by trainee counsellors under professional supervision. Sessions are 50 minutes long and take place weekly; available face-to-face on the University campus and online via Microsoft Teams.
Your first session will be an assessment to understand your needs and ensure this is the right service for you. The service may also offer sessions in your own language – please mention this when you book.
You can contact them in the following ways:
Young Carer Grant is a yearly payment of £405.10 for young carers in Scotland, in recognition of their caring role, provided by Social Security Scotland.
Basic eligibility includes being between 16 and 19 in Scotland and meeting the caring requirements. The payment increases with inflation each year, and there are no restrictions on how you can spend the money.
You can apply online, by phone, or by requesting a paper form. The online form must be completed in one sitting.
You can reach Social Security Scotland in the following ways: