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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 536
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, ENGLAND
The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas
Visitors) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
at 1.02 p.m. on 18th
Made - - - - May 2026
at 4.16 p.m. on 18th
Laid before Parliament May 2026
at 6.00 p.m. on 18th
Coming into force - - May 2026
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 175
and 272(7) and (8) of the National Health Service Act 2006(1).
Citation, commencement, extent and application
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas
Visitors) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and come into force at 6.00 p.m. on 18th May 2026.
(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and apply to England only.
Amendment of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015
2.—(1) The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015(2) are
amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 9—
(a) in paragraph (1)(d) after “Schedule 1”, insert “, provided that the overseas visitor has not
travelled to the United Kingdom for the purpose of seeking that diagnosis or treatment,
unless it is by means of a form of transport which has been agreed with or funded by the
Secretary of State”.
(b) after paragraph (3), insert—
“(4) Paragraph (2) also applies in the case of an overseas visitor who, on or after
1st May 2026 but before this paragraph came into force, was provided with services
for the diagnosis or treatment of hantavirus disease, including hantavirus pulmonary or
cardiopulmonary syndrome and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.”.
(1) 2006 c. 41. By virtue of section 271(1) the powers of the Secretary of State exercised in making these Regulations are
exercisable only in relation to England. See section 275(1) for the definitions of “prescribed” and “regulations”.
(2) S.I. 2015/238, amended by S.I. 2022/614; there are other amending instruments which are not relevant.Document Generated: 2026-05-18
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
(3) In Schedule 1 at the appropriate place, insert “Hantavirus disease, including hantavirus
pulmonary or cardiopulmonary syndrome and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome”.
Signed by the authority of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Sharon Hodgson
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at 1.02 p.m. on 18th May 2026 Department of Health and Social Care
2Document Generated: 2026-05-18
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations
2015 (S.I. 2015/238) (“the 2015 Regulations”) which provide for the making and recovery of charges
for relevant services provided under the National Health Service Act 2006 (c. 41) to overseas visitors,
i.e. persons not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.
Regulation 2 amends regulation 9 of the 2015 Regulations to provide that the exemption from charges
for diagnosis or treatment of conditions listed in Schedule 1 does not apply to overseas visitors who
have travelled to the United Kingdom for the purpose of seeking that diagnosis or treatment, unless
it is by means of a form of transport which has been agreed with or funded by the Secretary of State.
Amendments are also made to ensure that charges are not made or recovered for the diagnosis or
treatment of hantavirus disease, including hantavirus pulmonary or cardiopulmonary syndrome and
haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome on or after 1st May 2026 and before 6.00 p.m. on 18th May
2026, and that any sums paid are re-paid.
Regulation 3 amends Schedule 1 of the 2015 Regulations to add hantavirus disease, including
hantavirus pulmonary or cardiopulmonary syndrome and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument because no, or no significant,
impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
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