How much are NHS optical vouchers?
You could get between £39.10 and £215.50 with NHS optical vouchers.
What is a NHS free eye test? What are NHS optical vouchers? Am I eligible to receive them? These can refund or pay for part or all of your sight test, glasses or contact lens costs. However, you may be unsure if your health status is making you eligible. Then, Your Benefit will walk you through everything you need to know about the free eye test and optical vouchers in 2022.
Am I eligible for a free eye test?
In order to qualify for a free eye test, you must be one of the following:
- Under 16 years old;
- 16, 17 or 18 as well as in full-time education;
- Over 60 years old;
- Registered as partially sighted or blind;
- Diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma;
- 40 years or older, and your father, mother, siblings or child was diagnosed with glaucoma;
- Are a prisoner on leave from prison;
- Qualify for an NHS complex lens voucher (ask your optician).
If these do not apply to you, you may still qualify for a free eye test. This is the case if you or your (civil) partner depend on someone receiving a qualifying benefit. More specifically, one of the following:
- Income Support;
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA);
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA);
- Universal Credit (additional criteria apply);
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit.
Can I get a free eye test if I do not get these benefits?
You may also be entitled to a free eye test if you are named on or entitled to one of two things. In fact, this can be a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate. If you do not have a certificate, you may use your award notice as evidence.
Important
You qualify if you have a NHS tax credit exemption certificate, and you receive Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits with a disability element (either or both), and if your income for tax credit purposes totals £15,276 or less.
You may also receive help on paying for a private eye test. For this, you must be named on a HC3 NHS certificate for partial help with health costs. You may learn more on our page about the NHS Low Income Scheme. If you are eligible, you will get a free eye test through this scheme.
How can I claim a refund on eye test costs?
It is possible that you already paid for a sight test or glasses or contact lenses. Then, you could be unable to get a free eye test. Additionally, you may apply for a refund, as an alternative to a free eye test.
You may apply for a refund of your sight test fees. You may have paid for a test already, but qualify for a free NHS sight test. Ask your optometrist for a receipt that shows both the date of payment and that you paid for the test. Then, to apply for a refund, you must fill HC5 claim form for optical charges.
If you already used a voucher towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses, you may not ask for a refund. The exception is if the voucher used was a complex lens voucher.
Furthermore, you may believe you qualified for a voucher, but already paid for glasses and contact lenses. In this case, procure yourself with a receipt of your payment. It must include the date of the payment and amount paid. Then, fill out an HC5 claim form for optical charges.
Include your optical prescription and the receipt. You may lose or break your glasses or contact lenses. If you pay for repairs or a new pair, you may be eligible for a refund. However, this is if you are already eligible for an optical voucher.
Are optical vouchers like the free eye test?
You may be eligible for a NHS free eye test, which would let you get your eyes tested for free. You could also get an optical voucher to receive discounts on the cost of your glasses and contacts.
A free eye test is exactly that: an eye test that is free of charge. You can attend an NHS free eye test if you are eligible. NHS optical vouchers help reimburse a part of the costs of glasses and contact lenses.
There are 10 different tiers for NHS optical vouchers. The tier that you are eligible for depends on the strength of the lenses that you need. If the voucher covers the entire costs, you will essentially receive free prescriptions.
There are also things like NHS complex lens vouchers and mobile sight tests, which are variations of the same aid.
How much are optical vouchers worth?
The 10 different tiers of NHS optical vouchers go from £39.10 to £215.50. Note that the cost of your glasses or contact lenses may be higher than the value of your vouchers. In this case, the cost difference will have to be paid by you.
| How much optical vouchers are in 2022 | |
|---|---|
| Voucher | Value |
| Voucher A | £39.10 |
| Voucher B | £59.30 |
| Voucher C | £86.90 |
| Voucher D | £196.00 |
| Voucher E | £67.50 |
| Voucher F | £85.60 |
| Voucher G | £111.20 |
| Voucher H | £215.50 |
| Voucher I (HES) | £200.80 |
| Voucher J | £57.00 |
Important
With the NHS complex lens vouchers, you will receive £14.60 for single vision lenses, and £37.40 for bifocal lenses.
To use your NHS optical vouchers, you will need to do so with a supplier that takes them. If so, they can be the supplier of your choice. You will be asked to give proof. This will be to show that you are indeed entitled to vouchers.
The cost of your glasses or contact lenses might be more than the voucher value. In this case, you will have to pay the difference. If you wish for your glasses’ or contact lenses’ repair to be covered by the NHS, they may. However, they must not be covered by a warranty, insurance or after-sale service.
NHS optical vouchers eligibility
The optical vouchers eligibility is similar to the free eye test eligibility. To be eligible for an NHS optical voucher, you must be one of the following:
- Under 16 years old;
- 16, 17 or 18 as well as in a full-time education;
- Are a prisoner on leave from prison;
- Qualify for an NHS complex lens voucher (ask your optician).
There are other conditions under which you may be eligible for optical vouchers. Apart from the ones already listed here, they are the same as the conditions for the NHS free eye test. See the relevant section above this one to see those conditions.
There are 10 different tiers of NHS optical vouchers. They depend on the strength of your lenses. You may also earn higher vouchers if your glasses require tints or prisms. The first 4 tiers of optical vouchers all require glasses with single vision lenses. On top of this, they must also be the following:
- Voucher A;
- A cylindrical power of no more than 2 dioptres, and a spherical power of no more than 6 dioptres;
- Voucher B;
- A cylindrical power of no more than 6 dioptres, and a spherical power more than 6 dioptres, but no more than 10 dioptres ;
- A cylindrical power more than 2 dioptres, but no more than 6 dioptres, and a spherical power less than 10 dioptres;
- Voucher C;
- A cylindrical power of no more than 6 dioptres, and a spherical power of 10 or more dioptres, but no more than 14 dioptres;
- Voucher D;
- A spherical power of more than 14 dioptres with any cylindrical power;
- A cylindrical power of more than 6 dioptres with any spherical power.
What are other types of optical vouchers?
The following 4 tiers of vouchers require bifocal lenses, with the following conditions:
- Voucher E;
- Lenses with 2 distinct optical powers;
- that have a cylindrical power of no more than 2 dioptres, and a spherical power of no more than 6 dioptres.
- Lenses with 2 distinct optical powers;
- Voucher F;
- a cylindrical power of no more than 6 dioptres, and a spherical power of more than 6 dioptres, but no more than 10 dioptres;
- a cylindrical power of more than 2 dioptres, but no more than 6 dioptres, and a spherical power of less than 10 dioptres;
- Voucher G;
- a cylindrical power of no more than 6 dioptres, and a spherical power of 10 or more dioptres, but no more than 14 dioptres;
- Voucher H;
- a spherical power of more than 14 dioptres with any cylindrical power;
- a cylindrical power of more than 6 dioptres with any spherical power.
Disclaimer
Then, voucher I (HES) covers any glasses not eligible for any of the previous categories. They must also be prescribed by an NHS trust (hospital). Voucher J is for contact lenses. They must be prescribed by an NHS trust or NHS foundation trust.
Some vouchers require a change in your prescription or degradation of the condition of your glasses to be usable. This means that this will need to happen for you to be able to use the vouchers.
Can I get other benefits with free eye test?
There are additional aids you may be entitled to, like NHS complex lens vouchers and mobile sight test.
NHS complex lens vouchers are vouchers that contribute towards lens costs. To be eligible, your lenses must either be -10/+10 dioptres or more, or prism-controlled bifocal lenses. These vouchers are for people who meet the clinical criteria but cannot receive main optical vouchers.
If you are already eligible for a NHS free eye test, it means that you may also be eligible for a mobile sight test. This is when the optometrist comes to visit you for your test, instead of the other way around. They might come visit you in the following places:
- At home: if a physical or mental illness is making you unable to leave home unaccompanied;
- A care home or residential home: if you are a resident and if a mental or physical illness is making you unable to leave the home unaccompanied;
- At a day centre: if a mental or physical disability is making you unable to get a sight test at an optician’s practice. It could also be if you have trouble communicating your health needs without help.
how can i get a hc11 form by post?
Hello Mr. Wiggett,
You can order an HC1 form from online on the NHS website. They will send it to you by post. You can find the link in this article: https://www.your-benefits.co.uk/health/hc1-form/
Hope this helps,
Robin