HC2/3 and dental costs

Hi Chris

The income eligibility is much the same as means tested benefits. You will have what's known as an applicable amount. That is the minimum amount that the law states you need to live on.

This amount can be quite different from person to person due to their own personal circumstances and HC2/3 also take into account Council Tax and Housing costs.

Other things that affect the AM is receipt of DLA/PIP or any kind of pension credit or income support.

The only sure fire way of finding out is to apply and await the answer.

Hi Chris well we applied, we were on guaranteed pension credit a few years ago so we got it all paid but since i turned 60 and i got my state pension it all altered and we discovered on our next dental visit we had to pay because i now  got my state pension as well as hubby having hears we lost the guaranteed pension credit and was on only savings type which didnt count anymore. We filled in one of the forms and because we had just over £7000  we no longer qualified for hardly any help.  Your dental treatment has to come over £100 before you get any help, like mine was to be £220 but i have to pay £145 for a new crown. £18.00 for a checkup and two xrays i paid as well.  Its seems if your in your 60s and both of you are on state pension you lose the help unless you have very little in the way of savings.  We were trying to save for our funerals as well!  The mean thing is that when i hit retirement age five years ago they took it all from hubbys pension credit to give to me so no better off. We do still get free prescriptions though. 

 

Thanks both of you. I don't think I will hold my breath then! I may have too much capital at the mo and possibly too much income. The irony is I moved to a ramshsackle cottage and my savings are going on making it dry and habitable. Every penny is more than spoken for.

 

If you are on guaranteed  pension credit you are entiltled to help with dental costs either all or part.

Sarah

Hi Chris, I'm under 60 went to the Dentist in January for a check up showed my ESA benefit form and they said that I did not have to pay and my next appointment would be sent in the post. Then last Thursday I got a letter from NHS Department saying that I was not intitled and I should have paid for my dental treatment and now I have got to pay £114.00 !!!!

Oh dear. I think maybe I should give up or at least get the house fixed before applying. ... Used to work in sheltered housing. A new tenant who had sold up to move to our scheme was living it large on the capital  - nothing but the best till his money dwindled and he qualified for help. Beginning to think he had the right idea.

That doesn't seem right twiglet. If you bought a sofa from a shop and they got the price wrong (their mistake) - would they come after you for the difference?

Thanks for the reply, I rang the NHS Department, saying that when I enter the dental practice, I showed the receptionist, dentist and the receptionist again, she fill the form out and told me to sign here! But the person on the phone said it is my responsibility and to contact the Jobcentre, went down to the Jobcentre, they said i was intitled to free dental cost as my ESA had been stopped and now on JSA Benifits from mid December 2015, he signed and stamped a form for me to send to the NHS, I don't need all this stress! now waiting for them to apologise. 😠

Thanks for the replies, just received a letter from NHS Dentist Services, NHS Penalty charge

Thank you for forwarding evidence of your entitlement to help with NHS dental charges.

We have therefore withdrawn the penalty notice and we will not be seeking to recover any charges.

This matter is now closed.