GovWire

UK nationals living in Italy usually access the Italian health system in one of these ways:

• registering to use the Italian state health system
• using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) for temporary stays when studying, or as a posted (detached) worker
• registering a UK-issued S1 form with the Italian health system (see UK-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Italy below)

You have to pay to use parts of the healthcare system, although some parts are free.

If you are having difficulty in registering for healthcare you can show your provider the Italian Ministry of Healths note on healthcare rights (in Italian)

Healthcare in Italy page

If you are planning on moving to Italy, see the guidance on Living in Italy for more information about visa and residency requirements.

You must show proof of healthcare cover:

• before you can register as a resident
• when you apply for a visa

For details about the healthcare cover required for residency applications, contact local authorities in Italy or the appropriate Italian embassy or consulate in the UK.

If youre employed or self-employed you can register with the national health system for free. This is called iscrizione obbligatoria.

You can register your dependants at the same time.

If you are not working or paying social security contributions, you may be able to register with the national health system voluntarily by paying a fee each year (iscrizione volontaria).

If you do not register with the Italian health system using either of the above routes, youll need to take out private health insurance.

If youre registered under iscrizione obbligatoria, you may be entitled to an Italian EHIC (TEAM in Italian) for travel, including visits to the UK.

You cannot get an Italian EHIC if youre registered voluntarily.

You may also have the right to apply for a UK S1 if you start drawing a UK State Pension (see UK-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Italy below).

How to register for healthcare

First, apply for a permit of stay at the immigration office and register as a resident.

If you started living in Italy before 1 January 2021, you must register as a resident.

Then register for healthcare at your local health authority (Azienda Sanitaria Locale or ASL).

Youll need your:

• residency certificate, permit of stay or application receipt
• passport
• tax code (codice fiscale)
• evidence of your dependants, such as a translated marriage certificate or birth certificate (if youre registering your spouse or children)

If youre registering your family members, check with your ASL if you need to provide evidence that theyre economically dependent on you.

If youre employed or self-employed, youll also need to bring evidence of your employment status, such as a work contract, to prove youre eligible to register for free.

If youre registering voluntarily (if you are not working, not paying social security contributions and not registering for healthcare as someones dependant), youll need to pay a fee to register.

Your ASL will tell you how much to pay and how to pay it. Show your proof of payment at your local health authority when you complete your registration.

Once youve registered for healthcare:

• you can register with a GP
• youll receive a health card (which includes your Italian EHIC if youre registered with the obligatory scheme)
• you may be able to apply for a co-payments exemption if you have a chronic condition or low income

How to access healthcare services

Find your nearest hospital or clinic on the Salute website (in Italian).

How much youll pay

Once youve registered for healthcare, the following are free:

• emergency care
• hospital admission
• GP appointments

Youll need to pay a co-payment, called Ticket, for:

• specialist referrals
• diagnostic tests
• prescription medicines, unless youre registered as exempt, for example because of a chronic medical condition

If your UK employer has sent you to Italy temporarily (posted workers)

A posted worker, also known as a detached worker, is someone employed or self-employed in the UK, but temporarily sent to a European Economic Area (EEA) country.

UK posted workers can access healthcare in Italy using an EHIC, GHIC or S1 form.

HMRC has a helpline for National Insurance enquiries from non-UK residents. They can answer questions about posted worker status and explain which documents you will need to get healthcare while posted.

UK-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Italy

Theres different guidance if you have an S1 as a posted worker (see If your UK employer has sent you to Italy temporarily (posted workers) above).

You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if youre a resident in Italy and receive a UK State Pension or an exportable benefit. See Planning your healthcare abroad on the NHS website for more information about eligibility.

You may also be entitled to an S1 form if youre a frontier worker (someone who works in one state and lives in another). You must contact HMRC National Insurance enquiries to find out if youre eligible.

Once you have an S1 form, you must register it with your local health authority.

This will mean you and your dependants will be entitled to healthcare in Italy on the same basis as an Italian citizen.

Youll also be able to get:

• a UK-issued EHIC or GHIC for travel
• planned treatments in other EU countries

Dependants and family members may be classified differently in Italy than the UK.

Check with the local authorities when you register your S1 form.

If youre entitled to an S1 form as a dependant of a State Pensioner, your health cover will be cancelled once you begin claiming your UK State Pension.

You will be sent a new S1 form to your registered address from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. You must register this form to ensure continuation of healthcare cover.

You are responsible for informing NHS Overseas Healthcare Services if you change your address or your circumstances change.