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If you’re planning a move to the UK, you’ll want to understand how to navigate the healthcare system. While Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) offers excellent public healthcare services, many expats opt for private health insurance to ensure faster access to treatment and a wider range of options. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about healthcare in the UK, and how private health insurance could help you enjoy added peace of mind.
What you’ll learn on this page:
Natalie Harris
International Policy Services & Retention Manager
The healthcare system in the UK is divided into public and private health sectors. The NHS provides comprehensive public healthcare funded primarily through a National Insurance (NI) tax, and ensures residents have access to a complete range of medical services without direct costs at the point of care (although some discretionary fees may still apply).
As an expat in the UK, you are eligible to receive treatment through the NHS if you meet certain residency requirements. However, many expats prefer private health insurance to avoid long waiting times and to access a broader range of services.
The NHS is considered to be one of the world’s largest and most efficient public health services, offering a wide range of medical treatments from general practitioner (GP) visits to specialised surgeries.
The quality of care provided by the NHS is generally high compared to worldwide standards, however a decade of low spending growth has left the service with significant issues including staffing gaps, insufficient bedspace and outdated equipment. Over the last five years, the UK has fallen steadily in the World Health Care Index from 13th in 2019 to 19th in 2024.
As a result, current NHS patients can expect long waiting times for non-urgent procedures and treatments due to high demand, as well as a varying quality of service across different regions.
The Labour government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer has committed to “building an NHS fit for the future.” They have promised to slash waiting times by adding 40,000 new operations and appointments per week, including at evenings and weekends, with a view to ensure no patient needs to wait longer than 18 weeks between referral and treatment.
They will also add 8,500 new mental health staff, double the number of cancer scanners, and add 700,000 new dentist appointments per year.
The UK boasts a robust private healthcare sector, with over 200 private hospitals and clinics registered across the country. These facilities are especially concentrated in major cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Private healthcare in the UK offers several advantages, including reduced waiting times, more personalised care, and access to advanced medical treatments and procedures.
Many private hospitals in the UK provide state-of-the-art facilities and attract top-tier medical professionals. They also offer a higher standard of comfort and privacy, as well as the convenience of scheduling appointments at times that suit you.
As the NHS struggles to meet patient demand, NHS leaders have started working closely with their private sector peers. For patients in the UK, this means two things:
This relationship benefits both the NHS (who make extra money from working with the private sector while reducing patient demand) and the private sector (who receive contracts from the NHS while also gaining additional hospital space).
Yes, expats can access healthcare in the UK through both the public and private sectors. Expats wishing to access the NHS will need to meet specific residency requirements, while private healthcare services are widely available across the country. Discover more about your options below.
You are not required by law to have private health insurance to access healthcare in the UK. Expats who qualify as residents can use NHS services, which are largely funded by National Insurance and free at the point of service for most treatments.
However, for non-residents and those not eligible for NHS coverage, costs may apply. If you choose to live without health insurance, you will need to pay for treatments out of your own pocket. You should also be aware that some NHS services, such as GP surgeries, may refuse to see you without an NHS number.
If you are not registered with the NHS and decide not to take out health insurance, you will need to self-fund your healthcare from personal savings. This will allow you to access private sector facilities as needed, provided you have the funds to pay for your treatment.
Self-insuring can offer flexibility but comes with significant financial risks, especially if you encounter high medical costs. Some private hospitals may require proof of financial capability or insurance before treatment, particularly for expensive procedures or extended care, potentially limiting your access to certain treatments.
In the UK, you can find a variety of local health insurance providers. These plans usually complement the NHS, and you may be expected to enrol with the NHS even while you are insured, with your NHS GP acting as your first point of call. Some insurers even offer an NHS cash benefit, paying patients up to £200 per night if they choose to be treated through the NHS.
As a domestic health insurance customer, your cover options may vary depending on the provider. Some plans focus on specific hospitals or healthcare networks.
While local insurance can provide valuable protection and convenience, policies may come with limitations such as caps on annual benefits and exclusions for pre-existing conditions. You may also be restricted in the range of services you can access, with many treatments still provided through the NHS. You will also not be covered overseas, which could be a drawback for frequent travellers.
International health insurance is an excellent option for expats looking for comprehensive coverage that extends both across, and beyond the UK.
With international health insurance from a provider such as William Russell, you have wider access to private medical facilities and fewer restrictions on the hospitals and healthcare networks you can access. As a William Russell member, you will be allowed to access any hospital in the UK.
International plans often come with benefits such as coverage for medical evacuation, multilingual customer service, and flexible policy options to suit various needs. These policies provide peace of mind, knowing that high-standard medical care is available both in the UK and abroad, making them ideal for expats who travel home or abroad frequently, or would prefer a broader safety net.
Let’s explore the key differences between international health insurance, local health insurance, and relying on the NHS.
International health insurance
Domestic health insurance
Relying on the NHS
If you’re applying for immigration or a visa and planning to stay in the UK for more than 6 months, you may need to pay a healthcare surcharge – even if you have private medical insurance. Costs range from £776 to £1,035 per person per year. You can work out the exact amount on the UK Government website.
Once you’ve paid and your visa or immigration status has been granted, you can start using NHS services, although patient contributions still apply.
To gain full access to the NHS, you must first establish legal and permanent residency in the UK – otherwise known as having ‘indefinite leave to remain’.
You will then need to register with a GP and get an official NHS number that can be used to identify you as an NHS patient.
EU citizens living in the UK before 01 January 2021 can continue to access NHS services. However, those arriving after this date will need to apply for permanent residency as outlined above.
If you are from an EU country or Switzerland, you’ll still be able to use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), or a new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), while visiting the UK temporarily. However, you should be aware that the EHIC and GHIC do not cover planned treatment, medical evacuation, or any private healthcare.
Yes, by law the NHS must provide free interpreter services for patients who need them.
This includes translators for non-English speakers and sign language interpreters for the deaf or hard of hearing.
Certain health services are not covered by the NHS, including prescription charges (in England), dental treatment, eye tests, and some cosmetic surgeries. You may also need to pay for some travel vaccinations and specialist treatments.
GP stands for ‘General Practitioner’. In other countries, they are often referred to as family doctors or family physicians. (In the UK, a ‘physician’ is a general practitioner who works in a hospital.)
GPs work in ‘surgeries’ or ‘practices’, which are local medical centres in towns and villages. A GP is responsible for diagnosing illnesses, conducting physical examinations and health screenings, prescribing medication and referring patients for ongoing treatment.
If you feel unwell, you will typically visit your GP as your first port of call, and if you need further treatment, your GP may refer you to a specialist.
We’ve worked with a number of different medical providers and expats to understand the common issues people face when moving abroad. Here are the main benefits that—in our experience—expats look for when purchasing an international health insurance policy in the UK.
In the UK, the NHS can experience significant waiting times for non-urgent procedures and specialist consultations. Having international health insurance allows you to access private healthcare facilities with much shorter waiting times. This means you can receive quicker diagnoses and treatments, avoiding long delays that can impact your health and well-being.
At William Russell, we make getting diagnoses and ongoing treatments even easier with cashless access to outpatient treatment. Cashless access is a feature of your health insurance policy that lets you receive outpatient treatment (e.g. a doctor visit, a specialist consultation) without paying for it from your own pocket. Instead, the clinic where you receive the treatment sends us the bill.
It’s available on all plans except Bronze (see below for information about our plans).
Our international health insurance gives you access to 40,000 hospitals around the world, including some of the best private hospitals and clinics in the UK. This means you can choose from top-rated private healthcare providers, many of which offer cutting-edge treatments and state-of-the-art facilities not available on the NHS. This access can make a significant difference in the level of care and comfort you receive during treatment.
That said, we don’t place restrictions on where you receive your medical treatment. With a policy from William Russell, you’ll have access to all the top-rated hospitals and medical clinics with your coverage zone, ensuring you always enjoy high-quality medical care.
If you fall ill or suffer a serious injury while abroad, international health insurance can cover the cost of medical evacuation to a hospital in the nearest suitable location included in your international cover. This gives you peace of mind on your travels abroad for business or leisure.
At William Russell, all our international health insurance plans include full cover for emergency medical evacuation as standard. If you suffer a life-threatening or limb-threatening condition that requires urgent inpatient treatment that cannot be provided locally, we’ll arrange your evacuation to the nearest suitable location.
At William Russell, we’ve been providing private international health insurance to expats across the world for over 30 years. Here are the main features of our policies.
Select the doctor/hospital of your choice within your coverage zone.
Cover for doctor visits, tests, and physio on the SilverLite, Silver, and Gold plans. On Bronze, you have cover for post-hospital outpatient treatment only.
We’ll arrange your evacuation if the urgent hospital treatment for a life or limb-threatening condition isn’t available locally.
Cover for when you’re admitted to hospital (including doctor fees, surgery, nursing care, theatre charges, and diagnostic tests).
Full cover for cancer treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and genome testing of cancer cells.
When you become a member, you’ll have a dedicated contact to help you with your policy and claims.
If you have an emergency that requires immediate assistance, call our 24-hour helpline.
Get near real-time security alerts for natural disasters and public safety incidents near your current location.
Annual benefit limit
Some of the benefits have waiting periods. For full information, visit our comparison page.
With William Russell, you are free to choose your own area of cover. This is the range of countries where you will be fully covered as a William Russell member.
This means you are free to travel to any other country within your area of cover while still enjoying all the benefits of your international health insurance policy. You won’t need to take out additional travel health insurance unless you go outside of the countries included in your plan.
As an expat living in the UK, you will need to choose Zone 1 as your coverage zone:
Zone 1
Find out more about our coverage zones.
The true cost of your health insurance will depend on many factors, including your age, your current state of health, your lifestyle choices (such as whether you smoke), your occupation and your excess.
While we cannot advise you on which health plan to purchase, we can share some common insurance strategies adopted by our members over the years, together with example premiums. This might give you a useful starting point on your insurance journey. If you need professional advice, you’ll need to contact an insurance broker.
Some members only want insurance cover for serious medical conditions such as cancer, strokes, and heart disease, or if they’re hospitalised following a road traffic accident or similar. Generally speaking, these members aren’t particularly bothered about paying from their own pocket for the occasional doctor visit or health check-up. Rather, they’re mainly concerned with insuring the things they couldn’t afford.
These members typically purchase a Bronze plan, which gives them cover for inpatient treatment only. They’ll often pair their Bronze plan with a higher excess. This keeps their premiums reasonable, without significantly compromising their cover should the worst happen and they suffer a serious medical condition.
Here are some example premiums for members adopting an insure what you cannot afford strategy.
Some members want insurance cover because they don’t want to pay a penny for their medical treatment. Rather, they want their insurance provider to cover everything. This is a legitimate approach, and we have options to help members follow such a comprehensive cover strategy.
These members typically purchase a Silver or Gold plan, which gives them cover for inpatient and outpatient treatment plus cover for annual check-ups. If members are on a tighter budget, they might choose the SilverLite plan, which dispenses with some of the bells and whistles that members can expect from a Silver or Gold plan.
They typically pair their plan with a nil excess or low excess.
It’s worth noting that comprehensive cover will naturally lead to higher premiums. Here are some example premiums to give you an idea of what to expect.
The Gold plan is the only plan with benefits for childbirth and routine maternity care. So if you’re planning to start a family and you want you to give birth at a good private hospital in Jakarta, the mother will need the Gold plan. Though it’s our most expensive plan, the good news is that the father and children (if you’re including them on your policy) can choose a different, cheaper plan.
Here are some example premiums for a member on the Gold plan who are looking to start a family.
For digital nomads thinking about cost-efficiency, our Bronze and SilverLite plans may be the best options. The Bronze plan covers inpatient treatment only, while the SilverLite plan adds basic outpatient cover for services like physiotherapy and doctor visits.
Pairing your plan with a higher excess or a cheaper coverage zone can further reduce premiums, making it easier to stay within your budget.
Here are some example premiums for digital nomads looking to keep costs down.
It’s a fact of life that health insurance premiums get more expensive as we get older. Even if you are fit and in good health, our data tells us that seniors and retirees require more healthcare on average.
When standard premiums are high, most of our members look for ways to reduce their premium. Often this means prioritising cover for serious medical conditions such as cancer and strokes, while compromising on cover for outpatient benefits like doctor visits and reducing the geographical scope of their policy.
Our senior members typically purchase a Bronze plan, which gives them cover for inpatient treatment only. They’ll often pair their Bronze plan with a higher excess and a restrictive coverage zone. This keeps their premiums reasonable, without significantly compromising their cover should the worst happen and they suffer a serious medical condition.
Here are some example premiums for senior members.
These premium examples are indicative, and are subject to your personal circumstances and your application. Our premiums are also available in Euros and US dollars. You can add family members to your policy.
It’s a good idea to take out your international health insurance before you arrive in the UK. This is because you may not be entitled to public healthcare when you first arrive. Thankfully, taking out international health insurance with William Russell is easy – you can do it today in just four steps.
At William Russell, we offer four core health insurance plans with optional add-ons to suit different needs and budgets. Explore our policy options to find the perfect fit for you.
Enter your details online to get your estimated premium. You can customise your cover by selecting optional extras like personal accident protection, choosing your excess, and payment frequency.
Once you’ve found your ideal policy, simply complete our digital application form. We’ll ask you a few questions about your health, occupation, and lifestyle. You’ll also need to declare any pre-existing medical conditions.
After reviewing your application, we’ll provide you with an acceptance invitation outlining the terms of your cover. This document also serves as your invoice. Pay your first premium to activate your policy, and we’ll send you your certificate of insurance confirming your coverage.
We want to provide you with an insurance policy you can rely on, so it is important that you fully understand the scope of the cover we provide. You can find answers to the most common questions about international health insurance in the UK below, but feel free to get in touch and speak to a member of our award-winning team. We’d be glad to help.
Yes, you will have access to every private hospital and clinic in the UK.
Absolutely. While many of our members live abroad permanently, we also cater for those with a more adventurous lifestyle. If you’re a digital nomad or backpacker planning to spend at least six months a year outside your home country, we can provide suitable cover.
You must be under age 76 when your policy starts, but once your policy starts you can renew it for as long as you need it—even if your health deteriorates.
We assess pre-existing conditions on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately, most pre-existing conditions and related issues aren’t typically covered. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t apply.
When applying, you’ll complete a medical questionnaire. If you have a pre-existing condition, we might exclude it from coverage or include it with an increased premium. For long-standing conditions, we may offer cover without extra cost.
Once your policy starts, there’s no further underwriting. That means new medical conditions that develop after your plan starts won’t be excluded each time you renew your policy.
You can choose to pay your premium in US dollars, pounds sterling, or Euros. You can pay by credit or debit card, bank transfer, cheque, or direct debit (if you pay your premium in pounds sterling). Our payment frequency options are annual, half-yearly, quarterly, or monthly. Paying your premiums annually is the cheapest option.
Yes, you’re covered for eligible medical treatment from your policy start date.
However, some benefits have waiting periods, meaning you can’t claim for those treatments until the specified time has passed. It’s also important to remember that pre-existing medical conditions (those existing before your policy start date) aren’t covered.
Getting a quote takes just two minutes with our quick quote tool. You can then apply directly using our digital form, which usually takes 10–20 minutes to complete. Once submitted, we aim to get your policy started within two working days.
While not compulsory, it’s advisable. Although the NHS offers free healthcare, you must be a registered UK resident to access it (except in emergencies). The process of registering with the NHS can take time, leaving a potential coverage gap for you and your family.
Our international health insurance bridges this gap, providing access to private healthcare in the UK and worldwide coverage for frequent travellers.
International health insurance offers comprehensive medical coverage for those living and working abroad. It’s designed for people settling overseas, providing access to high-quality medical facilities globally with additional lifestyle benefits.
Travel insurance is for short trips and covers lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, legal expenses, and some medical treatments. Many travel insurance policies have maximum durations of 30 days, making them unsuitable for long-term overseas living.
William Russell was one of the first insurance providers to cover people living abroad, and we’ve earned a reputation for outstanding customer experience.
When you purchase a policy from William Russell, you can be sure there’ll always be money to pay your claims. The insurer behind our health insurance is a company in the Allianz group, one of the largest financial services companies in the world.
We have independently verified reviews from over 1,000 of our members, and we win prestigious awards for our outstanding customer service. When you purchase a policy, you’ll be assigned your own dedicated policy manager as your main point of contact at William Russell.
Unlike other providers, we don’t tell you where you have to go for medical treatment. You can choose any doctor at any hospital in your coverage zone. And if you don’t know where to go, we’ll help you find a suitable hospital for your treatment.
William Russell have always been very sympathetic and extremely helpful. I never had any issues with William Russell – Reimbursements/Letters of Guarantee were always prompt. It was an excellent service – no issues, no questions and no delays.
I felt really, really supported, being able to write an email and knowing the person I sent it to was the one who would read and reply to it. I feel appreciated for being a member for so many years. And now that I’ve retired, I’ve even been given a discount on my health insurance package, which I’m grateful for.
What comes across strongest is the humanitarian aspect of William Russell…. always looking for the best treatment options for its members and not being too concerned with the cost issues. Had I not been air evacuated to the Nairobi Hospital when I was, I very likely would not have been around today. Thank you William Russell.
I liked that I could speak to a human being at the end of the phone. I just prefer dealing with someone directly. For me, in particular, it was very important to deal with someone regulated by a regulator as recognised and reputable as the FCA (the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK).
What makes William Russell stand out from other providers is their great service, international coverage, and the ability to pick the plan that fit our lifestyle. When we first signed up we were dating and traveling the world, then married and pregnant, and now have two beautiful boys and we have been able to pick plans that best suit our needs.
If you’re not happy with your health insurance policy or the service we provide, and you haven’t yet made a claim, then we’ll refund the premium you’ve paid—no questions asked.
We put our members at the heart of everything we do. We’re proud of our award-winning customer service and our members rate it highly.
The insurer behind our policies is an insurance company in the Allianz group – one of the world’s largest financial services groups.
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