AQW 9305/22-27

Ms Sorcha Eastwood
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 20/03/2024
Answered On Date: 05/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department plans to create a young patient travel fund.

Answer:

Help with travel costs associated with medical treatment is provided via the Help with Health Costs (HwHC) scheme, which also provides financial help towards the cost of dental treatment, eyesight tests, glasses or contact lens. The scheme is open to individuals and their dependants, primarily on low incomes. The eligibility criteria are set out in legislation and certain benefit recipients automatically passport on to the scheme. Eligibility in terms of age is determined by the eligibility rules for benefits.

Preparatory work has recently commenced in advance of updating the Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004. The focus of the update is to reinstate automatic passporting for those eligible to receive free sight tests and free Health Service dental treatment through the Help with Health Care (HwHC) scheme following the migration of their benefits to Universal Credit by the Department for Communities (DfC).

The commencement of a wider review of the provisions within these Regulations and associated HwHC scheme will be considered once this urgent work is completed and in line with available resources.