Moving to London in 2026. A Healthcare Guide for Expats and Relocating Families
Most people moving to London on a work or family visa can use the NHS, and the first practical step is to register with an NHS GP practice near your home. The Immigration Health Surcharge, paid with your visa, is £1,035 a year for most adults and £776 for students and children under 18, and gives access to NHS services on broadly the same basis as people who live here permanently. Prescriptions, dental care and eye tests are still charged in England. You do not need proof of address or immigration status to register with a GP, although practices often ask for it. The NHS is free at the point of use but busy. In March 2026 there were 7.1 million pathways on the waiting list for planned hospital treatment, with 65.3% treated within 18 weeks. Many relocating professionals also have private medical insurance through their employer, which usually covers specialist and hospital care and usually excludes conditions you already have, and most insurers need a referral letter from a GP before a specialist claim. Private general practice fills the gaps families notice first, a same-day doctor, continuity of prescriptions from home, a baseline health check, and referrals your insurer will accept. At The Wellness appointments are available the same day, 7 days a week, from £150 by video and £220 in person, in Arabic, French, Spanish and Dutch as well as English. Fees appear further down this page.
Reviewed by the medical team at The Wellness. Last updated 2 October 2026.
Set up your family's doctor on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
Key facts for anyone moving to London
Register with an NHS GP practice as soon as you have an address. Registration is free.
The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 a year for most adults and £776 for students and children under 18.
Call 999 in an emergency, NHS 111 for urgent advice, and use a pharmacy for 7 common conditions under Pharmacy First.
Prescriptions written abroad generally cannot be dispensed by UK pharmacies, so arrange a UK prescription before you run out.
Most private medical insurers need a GP referral letter before a specialist appointment.
How do you register with an NHS GP
Find GP practices whose catchment area includes your home, using the NHS website, and register online or in person. You do not need proof of address, immigration status, ID or an NHS number to register, according to NHS guidance, although practices commonly ask for documents and you should bring them if you have them.
Register every member of the family, including children. Bring vaccination records and a summary of medical history for each person, translated into English if possible.
How does private medical insurance work in the UK
Private medical insurance, often provided by employers to relocating staff, usually covers consultations with specialists, diagnostic tests, scans and hospital treatment for new conditions that arise after the policy starts.
Policies commonly exclude conditions you had before joining, long-term conditions such as diabetes or asthma, routine GP care and pregnancy, although terms vary widely. Read the policy wording, and ask your employer whether the scheme is underwritten on a moratorium basis or with full medical underwriting, since this decides what is excluded.
Most insurers need a referral letter from a GP, NHS or private, before they authorise a specialist appointment. A same-day private GP appointment that ends with a referral letter to a named consultant is often the fastest route into the care your policy already pays for.
Ask about referrals for your insurer on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
What should you sort out before and after the move
Medicines. Bring enough to last until you have a UK prescription, in original packaging, with a letter from your doctor listing each medicine and dose. Some medicines, including many for ADHD, anxiety and pain, are controlled in the UK and have their own rules for bringing them in, and they cannot be issued at a first consultation without established records.
Records. Ask your current doctor for a summary of diagnoses, medicines, allergies, operations and recent results for each family member.
Vaccinations. The UK routine schedule differs from those in many countries. Compare your children's records with it, so any missing doses can be given here.
Long-term conditions. Arrange an early appointment in London for anyone with diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, thyroid disease or another condition needing regular review, so care continues without a gap.
When should you use 999, 111, a pharmacy or a GP
Call 999 for a medical emergency, such as chest pain, signs of a stroke, severe breathing difficulty, heavy bleeding or a seriously unwell child.
Call NHS 111 or use the NHS 111 website for urgent advice when you are unsure where to go.
Visit a pharmacy for the 7 Pharmacy First conditions, which are sinusitis, sore throat, earache in children, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary infection in women aged 16 to 64.
See a GP for everything else, from a new symptom or an unwell child to repeat prescriptions, health checks and referrals.
Why do many expat families also want a private GP
Speed. A same-day appointment, usually arranged within hours, 7 days a week.
Continuity. One doctor who knows the family, from the first week in London.
An annual health check. Many people arrive from health systems with a routine yearly physical. In the UK that review is something you arrange yourself, and a full baseline in your first months gives every later result a reference point.
Language. Consultations in Arabic, French, Spanish and Dutch as well as English.
Home visits. A doctor at home, in a serviced apartment or at a hotel while you settle in.
What does private healthcare cost for families in London
Family office healthcare and longevity memberships at the top of the London market run into tens of thousands of pounds a year, membership practices charge annual retainers running into thousands and then £400 to £600 or more per visit, and Harley Street GP consultations sit at £250 to £350.
At The Wellness each appointment is a single fee, with prescriptions and referral letters included. All figures are from prices.
Family Office Programme, 12 months covering a principal and up to 3 family members, each with their own doctor and record, from £49,995.
Platinum Membership, from £17,450 a year. Signature Membership, from £6,950 a year or £610 a month.
Executive Health Programme, the most comprehensive single assessment, from £11,995.
Home, hotel or apartment visit, evenings and weekends from £695 and daytime from £495, with additional household members from £195 each.
Comprehensive Blood Panel with consultation and interpretation, from £495.
In-person consultation, 30 minutes with examination, from £220. Same-day video consultation, from £150.
Appointments are available the same day at our London clinics, including Marylebone and Belgravia, by video, or at home.
Why relocating families choose The Wellness
Because you can see a doctor in your first week, before NHS registration has been completed.
Because prescriptions from home are handled properly, with your records reviewed and the UK equivalent prescribed where it is safe to do so.
Because referral letters are written to named consultants, in the form insurers accept, with the appointment arranged.
Because the whole family can be seen together, at the clinic or at home, in several languages.
And because one team keeps the family's records, results and history in one place from the day you arrive.
Related reading
Private GP for international students covers NHS rights for students, private prescriptions in London covers medicines from home, private urgent care in London covers when to avoid A&E, full health check in London covers a baseline assessment, a private doctor for elderly parents covers care for parents in London, and private GP membership covers ongoing family care.
Book your first appointment on WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions
Can expats use the NHS in London
Yes, most people on a work or family visa who paid the Immigration Health Surcharge can use NHS services while their visa is valid, broadly on the same basis as permanent residents. Prescriptions, dental care and eye tests are still charged in England.
How much is the Immigration Health Surcharge
£1,035 a year for most adults, and £776 a year for students, their dependants and children under 18. It is paid with the visa application.
Do I need proof of address to register with a GP
No. NHS guidance says you do not need proof of address, immigration status, ID or an NHS number to register with a GP practice, although practices often ask for documents.
Does private medical insurance cover GP appointments
Often not. Many UK policies cover specialist and hospital care for new conditions and exclude routine GP care and conditions you already had. Most insurers need a GP referral letter before a specialist appointment.
Can I get my prescription from home filled in London
A prescription written abroad generally cannot be dispensed by a UK pharmacy. A doctor can review your records and prescribe the UK equivalent where it is safe to do so. Controlled medicines cannot be issued at a first consultation without established records.
How much does a private GP cost for a family in London
At The Wellness a same-day video consultation is from £150, a 30-minute in-person consultation from £220 and a home visit from £495, with additional household members seen in the same visit from £195 each.
The Wellness is a doctor-led private healthcare group providing medical care from our London clinics, including Marylebone and Belgravia. All doctors are GMC-registered. Prescriptions are issued only following a consultation and clinical assessment, and controlled medicines are not issued at a first consultation. In an emergency call 999. This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice about your own health.
Enquire now on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
