Universal Test for Credit Claimants

With much being scrutinised in the United Kingdom about change in welfare and benefits and in particular the roll out of the new Universal Credit, many key-workers, patients and health care professionals are concerned that the public in receipt of such welfare support still have access to health care. The Optical Federation have already reported the necessity for people on limited wages and means have a route to provision of eye care in particular to eye sight testing to maintain a level of positive eye health.

These people living in the new pathfinder areas, in particular the North West of the country who are claiming benefit and are receipt of  the new Universal Credit will qualify for NHS sight tests and optical vouchers throughout UK. Guidelines for contractors has been submitted via the Optical Federation for processing new claims.

The Universal Credit system is to be fully rolled-out across Great Britain by 2017.

The Department of Work and Pensions  will provide award letters to  the recipients of the credit which is to be produced when attending an NHS sight test. However GOS forms have still not been print edited to claim the new credit. Claimants are to mark the Income based Job Seekers Allowance box while the roll out is still in its pilot phase.