Whether you are a tourist, a student, an expat, or an undocumented person, the same rule applies across every part of the United Kingdom: you can access sexual healthcare without cost, without ID, and without a GP referral. The specifics of how to navigate each country's NHS differ — but the right of access does not.
For the full picture of how the UK sexual health system works, see UK: The GUM Clinic & The Firewall.
🛡️ The Universal Exemption
Sexual health services across the UK — in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland — are exempt from NHS residency and immigration checks by law.
You do not need an NHS number, a visa, or any form of ID to access a GUM (Sexual Health) Clinic. Testing, STI treatment, HIV care, PrEP, and emergency PEP are free of charge for everyone. Clinics will not ask for your passport, your immigration status, or your residency.
This exemption is not a policy preference or a clinic-by-clinic decision. It is a legal requirement across all four nations.
🇪🇺 EHIC / GHIC
- EU/EEA Citizens (Short Stays): If you are visiting from the EU, you can use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access medically necessary care across the NHS.
- For GUM clinics: They will not ask for the EHIC. Sexual health is universally free for everyone.
- For A&E (emergency PEP): Show your EHIC if you have it. If you don't, emergency sexual healthcare — including PEP — will still not be billed to you.
🪪 GP Registration and Immigration Status
While sexual health services are universally free, broader access to the NHS for non-emergency hospital treatment depends on your immigration status.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
If you are moving to the UK for more than 6 months:
- Non-EU Citizens & EU Citizens: You must typically pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of your visa application. Once paid, you are entitled to use the NHS on the same basis as a UK resident.
- EU Citizens (Pre-Settled/Settled Status): If you are living in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme, you do not pay the IHS and have full, free access to the NHS.
Registering with a GP
Each of the four UK nations runs its own GP registration system. If you plan to stay in the UK and want access to the broader NHS (beyond sexual health), you will need to register with a local GP. No proof of address or ID is legally required for GP registration, though you may encounter receptionists who request them.
| Nation | Health System | Patient Identifier |
|---|---|---|
| England | NHS England | NHS Number |
| Wales | NHS Wales (GIG Cymru) | NHS Number |
| Scotland | NHS Scotland | CHI (Community Health Index) Number |
| Northern Ireland | Health & Social Care NI (HSCNI) | HSC Number |
Giving your patient identifier to a GUM clinic does not break the confidentiality firewall. Your sexual health records remain legally separate from your GP records regardless. See GUM vs. GP: The NHS Firewall for details.
📞 National Health Hotline: 111
For non-emergency medical advice, the UK uses the 111 service. You can call 111 for advice on where to go, to get an out-of-hours GP, or if you are unsure if you need A&E.
- From within the UK: Dial 111 (Free from landlines and mobiles).
- From outside the UK / Foreign SIMs: 111 is a short-code that only works from within the UK. There is no international format (like +44 111). If your foreign SIM does not connect, use the 111.nhs.uk online service or use a UK phone.
In a life-threatening medical emergency, immediately dial 999 (or 112).
Choose your country: