What was claimed
The government introduced a £100 annual NHS Access card in October, without which you won’t be able to access healthcare.
Our verdict
False. No such card exists. The NHS remains free for UK residents.
No, you don’t need to buy a ‘£100 access card’ to use NHS services
Facebook posts viewed more than 100,000 times have falsely claimed that the government introduced a ‘£100 annual NHS Access card’ in October, without which you won’t be able to access healthcare. And we’ve seen similar claims in videos on Instagram and being widely shared on TikTok.
No such card exists. Patients in England (which is the part of the NHS that the UK government controls) still do not need to pay to see a GP or book a hospital appointment.
Two of the Facebook videos are presented like TV news reports, with a voiceover saying that the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer (or “Sir Keith Starmer” as their subtitles call him) “confirms that starting October 1, 2025, the UK is introducing a major change to healthcare. The government will roll out a £100 annual NHS access card, and without it, you won't be able to see your GP, book a hospital appointment, or access routine medical services. Yes, medical care will now come with a cost.”
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It goes on to say: “The NHS, once a fundamental right for every citizen, is now becoming a service that requires payment to access.”
Some cards exist to help homeless people access NHS healthcare, or to authorise NHS staff to view patient information. The government has also announced plans for a digital ID card. But a search on the government’s website shows there is no “access card” that people need to buy to use the NHS. Its 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, pledged that the NHS would continue to be “free at the point of use”.
The NHS is free at the point of use for those ordinarily resident in the UK—including in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales. People without the right to live here may have to pay for some services.
Prescriptions and some other NHS services often need to be paid for, except by people who have an exemption. People may also choose to pay for private healthcare.
We’ve fact checked a number of similar videos recently, announcing a wide range of nonexistent policies, including mandatory livestock reductions, fines for sitting on benches and restrictions on which groceries people can buy. We wrote about this phenomenon in more detail in September.
Before sharing videos like this on social media, first consider whether they come from a trustworthy and verifiable source. Our Full Fact toolkit can help you do this.