AQW 48902/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 17/06/2026
Answered On Date: 01/07/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of people in receipt of Universal Credit who have availed of (i) a sight test; (ii) dental treatment; (iii) a hearing test; and (iv) reimbursement of travel to hospital costs, since the Help with Health Costs in Northern Ireland Scheme was introduced on 1 December 2025.

Answer:

Ophthalmic and dental information is available up to March 2026, the reference date of the latest published Accredited Official Statistics, and shows that;

(i) 12,905 unique identifiable patients in receipt of Universal Credit have had sight tests since 1st December 2025, and

(ii) 5,945 unique patients in receipt of Universal Credit have had dental treatments completed since 1st December 2025.

(iii) & (iv) my Department does not hold information in relation to hearing tests or travel costs.