A maternity exemption certificate is a document issued by the NHS that allows pregnant women and new mothers to receive free prescriptions. It is available to all women who are pregnant or have given birth within the last 12 months.
You can also use your certificate to prove you’re entitled to free NHS dental treatment!
How to Apply for Your Maternity Exemption Certificate
To apply for a maternity exemption certificate, you will need to speak with your midwife, GP or health visitor. They’ll complete the application for you, and can do so once they’ve confirmed you’re pregnant.
The NHS states that applicants will get their paper certificates within ten working days of when the application was received.
However, if your health professional is registered with the Digital Maternity Exemption Service, you will receive your certificate by email immediately after your application has been completed.
How Long Does the Certificate Last?
You will be entitled to free NHS prescriptions for 12 months after either:
- Your due date
- The birth of your baby
If your baby is born later than expected, you can send a copy of the birth certificate to the NHS, and they will extend the expiry date and send out a new certificate.
Can I Use My Exemption Certificate on Healthera?
Yes!
Applying your medical exemption to your Healthera profile is super simple, and will only take a couple of minutes.
Simply navigate to the “Profile” tab on the app, and click on “Exemptions” – here you’ll choose which exemption applies to you, and optionally you can choose to upload a photo of your exemption certificate to prevent losing or damaging the original copy.
To get your free prescriptions set up for collection, or home delivery, simply click the button below!
