jsa dentist bill advice

carterjensy

hi can any one help?
i started dental treatment before becoming unemployed,i now need to finish treatment but have a large bill to do so. I cant afford this i want to know as i claim jobseekers now would this cover outstanding bill or as treatment started before claiming jsa is this not allowed?
dentist advised me to sign form as its my responsibility which made me uneasy help
thanks

GetRealBabe

Hi

I would have thought only part of your bill is covered. I don't think they'll pay before you claimed JSA. I'm not sure as you started treatment before you claimed JSA.

anamenottaken

carterjensy wrote: »

hi can any one help?
i started dental treatment before becoming unemployed,i now need to finish treatment but have a large bill to do so. I cant afford this i want to know as i claim jobseekers now would this cover outstanding bill or as treatment started before claiming jsa is this not allowed?
dentist advised me to sign form as its my responsibility which made me uneasy help
thanks

Do you receive contribution based JSA or income based JSA?

viktory

Is the dental treatment private or NHS? NHS treatment is capped at £204 and most surgeries allow patients to pay on a per visit basis.

brook2jack

You are liable for the cost of treatment up to now. If you are on contributions based JSA you will still have to pay for treatment. If you are on income based JSA you will qualify for free rest of your NHS dental treatment. If it is private treatment you have to pay irregardless.

t0rt0ise

I'd have thought that as you were not on JSA at the beginning of treatment that is what stands. The other way around.. if you are on JSA at the beginning but then get a job, you still don't pay. Just my guess so don't take any notice except to be warned that I may just be right.

brook2jack

You are right that if you are exempt at the start of treatment it covers the whole course. But becoming exempt part way through means you pay what you owe up to the point you become exempt.

LadyMissA

Most of the people I know do not believe me when I say this but I do find it totally wrong that if you have paid NI for two years and you are on contribution based JSA you have to be out of work SIX MONTHS before you get help but if you haven't paid 2 yrs NI and walk out on a job you get this all free. I had to borrow £50 to get a tooth fixed which I still owe someone and then waited till just the other week to get a tooth taken out.

t0rt0ise

LadyMissA wrote: »

Most of the people I know do not believe me when I say this but I do find it totally wrong that if you have paid NI for two years and you are on contribution based JSA you have to be out of work SIX MONTHS before you get help but if you haven't paid 2 yrs NI and walk out on a job you get this all free. I had to borrow £50 to get a tooth fixed which I still owe someone and then waited till just the other week to get a tooth taken out.

People on contribution based JSA can apply for free treatment under the low income scheme. It's done like that because some people on contribution JSA have savings and are therefore not entitled to free treatment whereas people on income based JSA have already had their savings level checked.

t0rt0ise

The wording here http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1786.aspx?CategoryID=74&SubCategoryID=742 for the OP is


"You can also get free NHS dental treatment if, when the treatment starts or when you’re asked to pay:

• you’re included in an award of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit guarantee credit "

.. so anything you haven't paid yet should now be written off.

brook2jack

If you are on contributions based JSA unless you apply for exemption from payment on income grounds via a hc1 form you will always have to pay for dental treatment etc. The same applies to pension credit unless it is guaranteed and ESA unless it is income based.