Healthcare for Families Moving to the UK — Ensuring the Best Start (2026)
Moving to the UK with children in 2026? Learn how NHS family healthcare works, GP registration, vaccinations, maternity care, typical costs, waiting times—and when families add extra cover for peace of mind.
Updated 20/01/2026
Moving to the UK with children is both exciting and quietly daunting. Alongside schools, housing and work, healthcare sits at the centre of family life, particularly in the first year of settling in. Parents want to know that their children will be looked after if they become unwell, that pregnancy and postnatal care will be reliable, and that everyday health needs won’t become another source of stress while everything else is new.
The UK is home to the National Health Service, one of the most established public healthcare systems in the world. For families who are eligible, the NHS provides comprehensive medical care from the moment they arrive. Yet understanding how it works in practice — how you access care, what happens when a child needs to see a specialist, and where families often choose additional support — takes time.
This guide is written for families planning a move to the UK who want clarity, reassurance and practical understanding. It explains how family healthcare works, what to arrange before and after arrival, how maternity and children’s services are structured, and why some families choose to complement NHS access with international health insurance for continuity and peace of mind.
- How healthcare works for families in the UK
- NHS eligibility for families moving to the UK
- Registering with a GP: the foundation of family healthcare
- Children’s healthcare and vaccinations
- Maternity care for families arriving in the UK
- Everyday healthcare costs for families
- Waiting times and family life
- Why some families choose additional health cover
- How Cigna Healthcare supports families moving internationally
- Preparing your family’s healthcare before the move
- The first months in the UK
- Giving your family the best start in the UK
How healthcare works for families in the UK
Healthcare in the UK is primarily delivered through the NHS, which provides GP services, hospital care, maternity support, paediatric treatment and emergency services. For eligible residents, care is largely funded through public systems rather than paid for at the point of treatment.
What often surprises families moving from abroad is not the quality of care, but the way it is organised. Access usually begins with a GP, who acts as the central coordinator for healthcare needs. Specialist appointments, paediatric referrals and hospital treatment are typically arranged through this route, rather than being booked directly.
This structure prioritises clinical need and long-term care over speed or consumer choice. For many families it works well, but it can feel unfamiliar at first, particularly if you are used to private healthcare systems where appointments are arranged directly.
Understanding this difference early helps families approach UK healthcare with realistic expectations and far less frustration.
>> Read more about UK National Health Service (NHS): How It Works in 2026 – Complete Guide
NHS eligibility for families moving to the UK
Eligibility for NHS care is not based on nationality. Instead, it depends on residency and immigration status.
Most families moving to the UK on visas lasting longer than six months are required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of their visa application. Paying this surcharge usually allows parents and children to access NHS services on a similar basis to UK residents for the duration of the visa.
For families, this typically means access to GP registration, hospital care, emergency services, maternity care and paediatric treatment. It also means inclusion in routine child health programmes, such as immunisations and postnatal support.
It is important to understand, however, that NHS access does not mean that every aspect of healthcare is free or immediate. Certain services, particularly in England, still involve charges, and waiting times can vary depending on location and demand.
Families arriving on short-term visas or living between countries should take extra care to understand their entitlement, as different rules may apply.
>> Read more about NHS Eligibility UK 2026: Who Can Get NHS Treatment? A Complete Guide for Expats, Students and Visitors
Registering with a GP: the foundation of family healthcare
Registering with a GP is one of the most important steps families can take after arriving in the UK. The GP is the gateway to most NHS services and plays a central role in coordinating care for both adults and children.
Once registered, families can access routine medical advice, prescriptions, referrals to specialists and support for ongoing conditions. Children benefit from continuity, as the GP becomes familiar with their health history and development over time.
In England, GP practices are not meant to refuse registration based on a lack of address documents or immigration paperwork, although some administrative details may be requested. Availability of appointments varies significantly by area, which makes early registration particularly valuable.
For families, having a named GP practice often brings a sense of stability at a time when everything else is still settling into place.
>> Read more about Registering with a GP in the UK: 2026 Guide for Expats & New Residents
Children’s healthcare and vaccinations
The UK runs a nationally coordinated childhood immunisation programme, delivered through GP practices and community services. Children who move to the UK from overseas may have followed a different vaccination schedule, but this is common and easily managed.
Once registered with a GP, a child’s vaccination history can be reviewed and any missing immunisations arranged. Bringing official vaccination records from your home country helps ensure this process is smooth and avoids unnecessary duplication.
Beyond immunisations, the NHS provides health and developmental checks during early childhood, as well as access to paediatric services when medically necessary. GPs manage the majority of childhood health concerns, referring to specialists when required.
For families used to direct access to paediatricians, this model can take some adjustment, but it is designed to provide continuity and appropriate escalation of care.
Maternity care for families arriving in the UK
Families moving to the UK during pregnancy, or planning to start a family after arrival, often have questions about maternity care.
For eligible residents, NHS maternity services include antenatal care led primarily by midwives, hospital or birth-centre delivery, and postnatal support following birth. Obstetricians are involved when additional medical input is needed, such as during higher-risk pregnancies.
The emphasis within the NHS is on clinically appropriate care rather than personalised scheduling or private facilities. Many families find the quality of care reassuring, though it can feel different from private maternity systems elsewhere.
Registering with a GP and contacting local maternity services as early as possible helps ensure continuity, particularly for families arriving partway through a pregnancy.
Cigna Healthcare provides international medical insurance designed around family life abroad. It’s a popular choice for families moving to the UK who want the security of private healthcare alongside NHS access — particularly during the first year, when continuity, quick advice for children, and maternity support matter most.
Everyday healthcare costs for families
Even when families are fully eligible for NHS care, some healthcare costs are part of everyday life in the UK.
In England, most adults pay for prescriptions unless they qualify for an exemption. Dental treatment is provided through the NHS but involves banded charges, and optical care such as eye tests and glasses is often paid for privately.
Children receive additional support in some areas, but access to NHS dentists can vary depending on location. Registering early is often advised, even before treatment is needed.
Understanding these costs early helps families budget realistically and avoid unexpected expenses.
Waiting times and family life
Waiting times are one of the most commonly discussed aspects of UK healthcare. The NHS prioritises care based on clinical urgency, ensuring that serious conditions are treated quickly and safely.
For families, this means that emergency and urgent care is responsive, but routine referrals and non-urgent specialist appointments can involve waiting periods. This can be challenging when parents are seeking reassurance, monitoring ongoing conditions or navigating health concerns that affect daily life rather than presenting immediate risk.
These waiting times are not a reflection of poor care, but of how resources are allocated within a national system. Many families find that once they understand how referrals and triage work, the system becomes easier to navigate.
>> Read more about NHS Waiting Times Explained: What to Expect in 2026
Why some families choose additional health cover
While the NHS forms the foundation of healthcare for most families in the UK, some choose to add private or international health insurance alongside it.
This decision is rarely about dissatisfaction with the NHS. Instead, it often reflects the realities of family life during relocation. Parents may want faster access to specialist advice, greater flexibility around appointments, or reassurance during the early months of settling in.
For families who travel frequently or expect future international moves, continuity of care also plays an important role. Healthcare that adapts as family circumstances change can reduce disruption and administrative complexity over time.
Choosing additional cover is often about confidence — knowing that options exist, rather than intending to use them regularly.
How Cigna Healthcare supports families moving internationally
For families relocating to the UK from abroad, Cigna’s Healthcare global health insurance plans are designed with mobility in mind.
Parents often value cover that includes children under a single family policy, supports maternity care across borders, and provides access to healthcare services both in the UK and internationally. For families who move while pregnant, or who anticipate further relocation, having consistent healthcare support can make an enormous difference.
Cigna Healthcare also offers practical guidance for families navigating healthcare transitions, including resources for moving abroad during pregnancy and understanding how international health insurance works in real-life situations.
For many families, this type of cover works alongside the NHS, offering reassurance and flexibility rather than replacing public healthcare.
Get a free personalised quote from Cigna Healthcare based on your family and travel plans >>
Preparing your family’s healthcare before the move
Healthcare preparation before relocating can significantly reduce stress after arrival. Families benefit from gathering medical summaries for each family member, ensuring vaccination records are complete and accessible, and understanding how ongoing conditions will be managed in the UK.
Bringing a supply of essential medication for the transition period, within legal limits, also helps bridge the gap while registrations are completed.
This preparation allows families to focus on settling in, rather than navigating healthcare systems under pressure.
The first months in the UK
During the first few months, establishing healthcare routines helps life feel more settled. Registering with a GP, understanding local urgent care options, arranging maternity or paediatric follow-ups if relevant, and deciding whether additional cover feels appropriate all contribute to a sense of stability.
Once these foundations are in place, UK healthcare tends to feel far more manageable.
Giving your family the best start in the UK
The UK offers a strong healthcare system that supports families through every stage of life. When understood and accessed effectively, it provides reliable, high-quality care for children and parents alike.
For many families, the NHS is more than enough. For others, particularly those navigating international moves or seeking additional flexibility, supplementary cover adds reassurance during a time of change.
Whichever path you choose, taking the time to understand your options allows healthcare to become a source of confidence rather than concern — helping your family feel at home in the UK from the very beginning.
For families moving to the UK, healthcare decisions are rarely about choosing between “NHS or private.” In reality, most parents build a blend that reflects their children’s needs, their own comfort with waiting times, and how permanent their life in Britain is likely to be.
The NHS provides a strong foundation: reliable maternity services, structured paediatric care, emergency support and a national vaccination programme. For many families this is entirely sufficient, particularly once GP registration is in place and routines begin to feel familiar. What takes time is not the quality of care, but learning the rhythm of referrals, appointments and local services.
Some families decide they want an additional layer. This is often less about medical necessity and more about everyday life — being able to book a specialist quickly, fitting appointments around work and school, or keeping continuity if another international move is on the horizon. Neither approach is more “correct”; they simply reflect different priorities during a period of change.
The most helpful step is to plan early: register with a GP as soon as you arrive, bring clear medical records, understand local urgent-care options, and be honest about the level of reassurance your family needs in the first year. Once those pieces are in place, healthcare usually becomes one of the steadier parts of life in the UK.
With a little preparation, healthcare can move from being a worry on the moving checklist to something quietly dependable — allowing your family to focus on the far more enjoyable business of beginning life in the UK.
