Ophthalmic Services: Voucher Schemes
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the value of the complex lens voucher supplements; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that support in meeting the cost of spectacles for patients with complex prescriptions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
National Health Service optical vouchers are primarily targeted at children and individuals on low incomes to help with the cost of glasses and contact lenses. The NHS complex lens voucher is a separate contribution available to eligible individuals with complex prescriptions who do not qualify for a main NHS optical voucher on income grounds.
The value of NHS optical vouchers and associated supplements is kept under annual review as part of the Department’s usual fee-setting process. No decisions have yet been made on voucher values or supplements for 2026/27.
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