Guidance on meeting the Ordinary Residence Test - NHS

Access to NHS for mission partners during their stays in England

The NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 have implications for access to free secondary NHS healthcare in England for UK nationals working overseas as missionaries.

The decision has been made to continue the basis of the NHS as a residence-based healthcare service.

The key (and only) criteria as to whether or not mission partners working overseas will be entitled to free access to NHS care (for their stays in England) without charge, is whether they can be deemed ‘ordinarily resident’ (OR) during their times in the UK.

The Ordinary Residence tool has been created, and will be used by Overseas Visitor Managers in hospitals to help determine ordinary residence - this includes a number of questions that will be asked of mission partners when visiting England and accessing NHS secondary healthcare. Our guidance is based on the questions that are included in this tool and can be used to help guide your organisation / church to ensure as much as possible is in place to help your mission partners meet the OR test.