Need help determining what my partner should tick when getting dental treatment.

MV22
MV22 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
edited September 2022 in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
Hi. I'm on full PIP and ESA and claim for myself and my partner. She needs some dental work but we're not sure what she's supposed to tick on the form when it comes to paying for the service. 

I contacted the NHS Penalty Charges website for help, and they replied

"PIP does not provide any exemptions for the Dental services and prescription charges. If you a valid Employee Service Allowance kindly send all pages of all of pages from your ESA letter."

If you can make any sense of that you're a better person than me. I don't need to show what I'm claiming, I just want to know what to select on the form.

The receptionist at the dentist couldn't help my partner, she told her that because I am the one claiming ESA and not her (again I claim for her in my name), she shouldn't tick the box saying she gets ESA and she could end up having to pay for the treatment or worse still fined for ticking the wrong box. We're also not sure which National Insurance number to put on the form, should she put mine as I'm claiming for her, or should she still use her own number?

This obviously worried my partner, so she ended up having to cancel the appointment so finding this out is fairly urgent. 

Thanks.

Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited September 2022
    What type of ESA are you receiving? If you are receiving income based ESA then she is entitled to help with dental charges.
    https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-dental-costs
    You are automatically entitled to free NHS dental treatment if you’re included in award for:
    • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
    If you’re getting one of these benefits, your partner and any dependent young people under 20 are also entitled to free treatment.

    If your ESA is contribution based ESA only or new style ESA then neither give entitlement to free dental care.


  • MV22
    MV22 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    edited September 2022
    Thanks for replying. Yes, I'm on income-based ESA. So, should she just tick the box saying she's in receipt of ESA even though it's all in my name and use her OWN NI number?
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    MV22 said:
    Thanks for replying. Yes, I'm on income-based ESA. So, should she just tick the box saying she's in receipt of ESA even though it's all in my name?
    Without seeing all the options I don't know. Is there an option along the lines of 'I am a partner of someone claiming one of the above'?
  • MV22
    MV22 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    Kind of, it says, "I or my partner are in receipt of one of these benefits" and Income-based ESA is one of the options. It seems pretty straight forward but with the receptionist throwing doubt in her mind it means we're not sure what to select and whether she used her own NI number or mine. 
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited September 2022
    MV22 said:
    Kind of, it says, "I or my partner are in receipt of one of these benefits" and Income-based ESA is one of the options. 
    Then she can tick that box.
  • MV22
    MV22 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    Thank you, you're a star! :)

  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    You are welcome @MV22. It is the very least you deserve. If we can do anything else to support you please don't hesitate to let us know. We are all here for you  :)

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