Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has made the Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (SR 2026 No. 21). Signed on 19 February 2026 and commencing on 1 April 2026, the instrument-approved by the Department of Finance-updates Health and Social Care (HSC) voucher amounts used to contribute towards the cost of supplying, replacing and repairing glasses and contact lenses.
The rule amends the Health and Personal Social Services (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997. It uprates the face values attached to voucher letter codes used for the supply and replacement of optical appliances, and revises the additional amounts for prisms, tints, small and specially manufactured frames, and complex appliances. The Department confirms it has consulted organisations representing ophthalmic medical practitioners and opticians as required under Article 62(3) of the 1972 Order.
All face values for supply and replacement vouchers in Schedule 1 are increased across bands A to I. Providers should apply the updated schedule for any voucher accepted or used on or after 1 April 2026, ensuring that earlier acceptances continue to be processed at the pre‑April rates to avoid misclaims.
Two headline adjustments are made in regulation 19. The redemption value of a voucher for the replacement of a single contact lens increases from £65.08 to £67.68. The maximum contribution by way of voucher to the cost of a frame repair rises from £16.83 to £17.50.
Schedule 2 increases the additions for clinically required features. The prism addition moves from £14.35 to £14.92 for single‑vision lenses and from £17.63 to £18.34 for other lenses. Tinted lens additions increase from £5.09 to £5.29 for single‑vision and from £5.65 to £5.88 for other lenses.
Payments linked to small glasses are higher across the three sub‑heads, which move to £76.14, £67.68 and £36.55 respectively (previously £73.21, £65.08 and £35.14). For specially manufactured frames, the three sub‑heads increase to £76.20, £67.62 and £36.55 (from £73.27, £65.02 and £35.14).
Minimum complex appliance payments are also uprated. The minimum for single‑vision cases increases from £16.61 to £17.27, and the minimum for other complex appliances rises from £42.71 to £44.42.
Schedule 3, which sets voucher values for repair and replacement, is substituted in full. The new schedule applies only where a voucher is accepted under regulation 12 or used under regulation 17 on or after 1 April 2026; claims linked to earlier acceptances continue on the previous schedule to maintain consistency.
Eligibility is unchanged by this instrument. Vouchers remain available to children under 16; to those aged 16–18 in full‑time education; to patients meeting the Complex Appliance criteria; and to adults on a low income who qualify through specified benefits or Low Income Scheme certificates (HC2/HC3). Free sight‑test eligibility for older people and clinical groups sits under separate rules and is unaffected.
Universal Credit arrangements in Northern Ireland-regularised in late 2025-continue to apply alongside these upratings. In practice, most UC recipients qualify automatically for a free sight test and, where their latest assessment period meets the earnings thresholds, for an optical voucher: up to £435 of earned income where the award includes no child element, LCW or LCWRA, or up to £935 where any of these elements apply.
For ophthalmic contractors and claims teams, the operational tasks are immediate and practical. Update practice‑management systems and wall charts to the 2026 schedule, brief staff on the acceptance‑date rule for vouchers, refresh templates for repair and replacement claims, and make sure front‑of‑house teams can verify UC assessment periods and earned income figures quickly and accurately.
For patients, contributions from April will be calculated against the new voucher values. The upratings to small glasses, specially manufactured frames and complex appliance minima will be most material for children and for prescriptions that require prism or tint additions. Any private costs above the voucher value remain payable by the patient, as before.