Who can get a free NHS eye test?

For people who want to know if they can get a free NHS eye test or help with glasses.

Applies to: England, Scotland Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

In England you get a free NHS eye test if you are under 16, 60 or over, or 16 to 18 and in full-time education.

People with diabetes or glaucoma, or who are registered blind or partially sighted, also qualify.
So do people aged 40 or over whose parent, brother, sister or child has glaucoma.
You or your partner getting Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or qualifying Universal Credit also counts.
Most of the same groups get a voucher towards glasses or contact lenses.

Different in Scotland

Scotland gives free NHS eye examinations to anyone ordinarily resident in the UK.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Wales: Check gov.wales for Wales
Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Free under 16 and from 60
Free with diabetes or glaucoma
Glasses vouchers from £42.40
Scotland: free for UK residents

Who gets a free NHS eye test in England

Reason	Who
Age	Under 16, 60 or over, or 16 to 18 in full-time education
Eye or health condition	Diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma, or registered blind or partially sighted
Glaucoma risk	Aged 40 or over with a parent, brother, sister or child who has glaucoma, or told by an eye doctor you are at risk of glaucoma
Benefits	You or your partner get Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, or Universal Credit and meet the criteria
Low income	Named on an HC2 certificate
Other	You need complex lenses, or you are a prisoner on leave

For Universal Credit, the NHS uses earnings limits. Your take-home pay must be £435 or less in your last assessment period, or £935 or less if your award includes a child or limited capability for work. For couples, it is your combined pay.

Vouchers towards glasses and contact lenses

Most people who get a free test also get an NHS optical voucher. The main exception is people who qualify only because of diabetes or glaucoma. They get a free test but not an automatic voucher.

The voucher value depends on your prescription. These values have applied since 1 May 2024 and are still current in 2026/27:

Voucher	Lens type	Value
A	Single vision (weakest)	£42.40
B	Single vision	£64.26
C	Single vision	£94.14
D	Single vision (strongest)	£212.40
E	Bifocal (weakest)	£73.10
H	Bifocal (strongest)	£233.56

Worked examples

Example 1. Jo is 17 and at college. She gets a free test and a voucher A worth £42.40. She picks glasses costing £50. She pays £7.60.

Example 2. Ray is on Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and gets voucher B worth £64.26. He chooses glasses costing £100, so he pays £35.74.

Tests at home

You can get a free NHS eye test at home if you qualify for a free test and cannot leave home without someone with you because of illness or disability. Ask a local optician that does home visits.

If you paid but should not have

Claim a refund on form HC5(O). Send it with your original receipts to the NHS Business Services Authority. It must arrive within 3 months of the date you paid.

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Scotland: NHS eye examinations are free for anyone ordinarily resident in the UK.
Wales: free sight tests cover similar groups, plus people with retinitis pigmentosa, people with sight in only one eye, people with a hearing impairment, and people assessed as at risk of eye disease. Some benefits or a low income can also qualify you.
Northern Ireland: free sight tests and glasses vouchers go to people in the same help with health costs groups, including some people on Universal Credit or a low income.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

NHS: Free NHS eye tests and optical vouchers
NHS: NHS voucher values for glasses and lenses
NHSBSA: Help with health costs (HC11), April 2026
Scottish Government: Eyecare
Welsh Government: Get help with NHS eye care costs
nidirect: Help with health costs

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Check free eye test rules

Common questions

Is my eye test free if I am over 60?

Yes. Everyone aged 60 or over gets a free NHS eye test in England.

Do I get a glasses voucher if I have diabetes?

Not just for having diabetes. Diabetes gives a free eye test, but not an automatic voucher.

Can I get a free eye test at home?

Yes, if you qualify for a free test and cannot leave home without help because of illness or disability.

Official sources

1.Free NHS eye tests and optical voucherswww.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/
2.Eyecare (Scottish Government)www.gov.scot/policies/primary-care-services/eyecare/

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

Information from the NHS website is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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