Almost one million NHS health cost exemption certificates have been issued to asylum seekers in the UK over the past five years, according to newly released data.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request to the NHS Business Services Authority reveal that 920,199 HC2 certificates were granted to asylum seekers between 2019 and 2024. This represents 59% of the 1.56 million total HC2 certificates issued nationwide during that time.
What HC2 certificate is
The HC2 certificate is part of the NHS Low Income Scheme and offers full exemption from health-related charges to individuals on very low incomes. Benefits include free prescriptions, dental care, eye tests, wigs, and support for travel to medical appointments. It also includes optical vouchers worth up to £233 for glasses or contact lenses.
Certificates are available to UK residents regardless of immigration status, provided they meet the financial eligibility criteria. Asylum seekers automatically qualify for the HC2 certificate if they are receiving “section 95 support” under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which includes financial and housing assistance. Others can apply based on their support status.
Asylum seekers must reapply for the certificate every six months, compared to a 12-month duration for other low-income applicants, making it difficult to determine how many individuals hold active certificates at any given time.
The data has sparked criticism from senior political figures as Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, described the figures as another illustration of the costs of illegal immigration, claiming that those who cross the Channel illegally are subsequently granted asylum, housing, financial support and full healthcare coverage, despite not having contributed to the UK tax system.
Steve Barclay, former Health Secretary and current Conservative MP for North East Cambridgeshire, said it was an abuse of taxpayer funds and claimed it was completely wrong that asylum seekers are receiving beneficial access to health treatment compared to the taxpayers who fund it. He also accused NHS England of mismanagement and called for parliamentary accountability through the Health Select Committee.
Dr Sean Phillips, Head of Health at the Policy Exchange think tank, questioned the equity of the system, stating: “Asylum seekers make up less than 1% of the UK population, so for the majority of HC2 certificates to go to this group feels unbalanced, even unfair, given the widespread hardship across the country.”
Between 2019 and 2024, the UK received 317,000 asylum claims, double the number made in the previous five years. In 2025 alone, 25,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats, reaching that figure earlier in the year than ever before.
Many of those awaiting decisions on asylum claims are housed in hotels or temporary accommodations funded by taxpayers. During this time, they are entitled to full health cost coverage through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
The cost implications are significant. A standard NHS prescription costs £9.90, while a basic dental check-up is £27.40 with more extensive treatments reaching hundreds of pounds. An NHS eye test is £23.55, and wigs for medical reasons can exceed £300.
In addition to personal coverage, the HC2 certificate also extends to a claimant’s partner and dependents under 18. Even if circumstances change during the validity of the certificate, it remains usable until it expires.
An NHS spokesperson clarified that the health service is legally required to provide healthcare access to asylum seekers, including eligibility for HC2 certificates via the Low Income Scheme.
A government spokesperson added: “We are fixing the chaotic asylum system we inherited and have returned over 35,000 people, including failed asylum seekers and foreign national offenders, to help reduce pressure on public services.”
They also noted that HC2 certificates do not grant priority access to NHS services over other patients. Additionally, the majority of these certificates were issued under previous administrations.
