Immigration Health Surcharge and NHS Tax Exemption Cert

[limey10]

Hi all.

My wife successfully received her spouse visa last September. As such she paid for the IHS which, as I understand it, entitles her to use the NHS the same as a UK citizen.

In the meantime, I qualify for the NHS Tax Credit Certificate, which entitles me to free NHS services, such as prescriptions, dental work etc.

The paperwork that comes with the card states that it covers myself and family members. Would this therefore cover my wife or not? I suspect that it doesn't - due to the no recourse to public funds; however, if anyone has personal experience of this, I would really like to hear from you please?

Thanks in advance, Phil

[Petaltop]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-funds

[limey10]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-funds

Thanks Petaltop.

However, that document was last updated in February 2014, the IHS was introduced in April 2015 and is not covered directly by it.

This page tells you how to consider National Health Service (NHS) treatment in relation to public funds for the purposes of the Immigration Rules.
The Department for Health has its own rules on whether people who are not ordinarily resident in the UK can receive free NHS treatment. NHS treatment does not count as public funds for the purposes of the Immigration Rules whether it is paid or unpaid.
For more information, see related link: 2 Ordinary Residence.
NHS treatment or planned treatment may lead to the refusal of leave on other grounds even though it is not classed as a public fund. For example, a person may apply for leave in a category under the rules when they are actually here to access NHS treatment.
If a person has been granted leave to receive private medical treatment and it comes to light they have received NHS treatment, you must find out if the NHS treatment was the same they were granted leave for. If this is the case they may have breached the conditions of their stay in the UK and you must consider refusing their leave under general grounds.
If the NHS treatment is different to that they were granted leave for, and for more information in general, see related links:
 Am I entitled to NHS treatment when I visit England?
 Am I entitled to NHS treatment when I move to England?