to expect a student to get free dental treatment

[motheroftwoboys]

DS1 is at university on a student loan and he now has to pay for dental care. We paid for a check up - £16.50 and didn't bother/forgot to try and claim then he needed a filling so we paid for theat £45.60 and decided to fill in the form/claim it back. When we got the form back it said he earned to much!!!! to be able to get free dental treatment. He is on a full student loan/grant living in London fgs. He doesn't have a job. Our younger son is coming up 18 next week. No doubt it will be the same for him. I must be really naive as I thought that people in full time education got this sort of thing free!

[CMOTdibbler]

Students haven't had free dental treatment or prescriptions for aeons - certainly not even 20 years ago when I was a student. It's under 18's in FTE that are eligible

[MrsC2010]

Unfortunately not for dental I don't think. It's a nightmare trying to find NHS dentists too, I've only just found one after nearly 3 yrs living here, and they don't have appointments until September.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

If you are on a low income you can get a form which you send in to the DWP who can send you an exemption certificate. HTH.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

Yes they are..anyone is entitled to it if their income is low enough.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_10018978

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

oops don't know what happened there..anyway its called an HC1 form, it's about halfway down that page..the "low income" scheme.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

(I work for a dentist and we see loads of students with HC2 exemption certificates)

[SkipHopJump]

I get the minimum loan which covers my accommodation and that is it, and I am not entitled to an exemption certificate.
Spent £46.50 today on my teeth. I should take better care of them and then I would only have to pay £16.50!

Although it's annoying when you have a recurring health issue and have no money to pay for prescriptions.

And my glasses are expensive. I should just drop out and get a proper job!

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

No, anyone can apply for an HC2 form on the grounds of their income..students aged under 19 are automatically exempt and so don't need a certificate.

i am not making it up you know, have worked for dentist for 5 years and see lots of students with HC2 certificates.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

They judge your income against your minimum outgoings and if the result is low enough you get an exemption certificate.

[misdee]

haha, my 19month old doesnt even get free dental treatment.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4093331.pdf

[motheroftwoboys]

Hi SkipHopJump - you are the same as my son then. Just survives on his loan and he is not entitled to exemption certificate. Just how low is your "income" expected to be! Certificate nothing to do with our income. Was judged entirely on ours. Will no doubt end up us paying for his dental treatment NHS or having to include him on denplan cover which suddenly seems quite a bargain!!

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

it is the students income, not the parents.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

oh well, maybe i am wrong, worth checking out, was just trying to help, I just hand out the HC1 forms, i dont assess peoples income.

[motheroftwoboys]

Sorry!!! Cetificate judged intirely on HIS income not ours. Didn't mean to confuse!

[diamondsandtiaras]

I believe whether or not students are exempt depends on how much their parents earn. I had to pay for my dental treatment as a student (graduated 8 yrs ago). i should also add that it is horribly unfair because my parents never did pay for my dental treatment...the bloody "system" just assumes that they do.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

well, I wouldn't want the OP's son to miss out on a certificate so it's worth looking into.

I would look at the form for you but am off work for a week at the moment, going on holiday tomorrow.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

Have found MANY websites saying it does NOT ask for parental income, as I thought.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

ie this from NUS website:

"Did You Know?
students with a low income - in most cases this means less than £8,000 in savings or income - need only to fill out an HC1 form to claim full or partial exemption? HC1 forms are available from Post Offices, benefits agencies, some GPs? surgeries, and many students? union advice centres.

Did You Know?
the NHS does not take into account younger students? parental income when making its assessment, unlike when you apply for student support? It?s only your income (and that of any spouse or co-habiting partner should you have one) that counts."

[SkipHopJump]

Thanks for the link fanjo, I might take another look. If anything, I have friends who would be entitled and I can let them know. It seems like a ridiculous system because as a student you're living off about 3 grand a year, whereas if, for example, you received JSA you'd get about £50 a week and then Housing Benefit, and your prescriptions/dental costs . So it seems unfair to presume that parents of students will pay when often they won't, or can't!