£90 NHS Penalty Charge for not paying an £18 treatment fee!!

tropicaltopaz

I don't know if this is in the right place, but I wanted to let people know if they've been threatened with an NHS penalty charge like I was, that it’s worth appealing, because I received an email this week to say they have removed the £90 charge from my case! :j

I went to the dentist a few months ago, and the receptionist asked if I paid for treatment. I told her that I was claiming JSA, and she told me that would qualify me for treatment. She didn’t ask if it was contributions or income based, and said she didn't need to see proof.

I received a letter in the post a few weeks later with a form to fill in to show why I qualified for free treatment. It was only then that I realised that contribution based JSA didn’t qualify, and I rang the number in the letter to pay the fee, but was told to fill in the form and wait for an invoice, and that I may have to pay the penalty charge of £90.

A few weeks later I got a Penalty Charge notice totaling £108 rising to £153 if I didn't pay within 28 days unless I could show “That I didn’t act wrongfully or with any lack of care.” So I had a look round on the internet to see how other people had fared in a similar situation and came to the conclusion that I would find it hard to prove my innocence and swayed between appealing and just paying up and getting it out of the way. (I’ve recently started working although temporarily).

In the end I thought I didn’t have anything to lose by appealing, so emailed the address on the letter as well as one I found on the net just to be sure that it got read! clearly stating the facts and mentioning that I don’t recall signing a declaration to give them the opportunity to show me a copy.

I received the following reply which was a huge relief to me, and a little unexpected! And it only took just over a week too!
“We have checked the information you have provided and can confirm we find it reasonable that you may have been misinformed by your dental practice regarding your entitlement to free NHS treatment. As a result of this information we have removed the £90 penalty charge from your case, however your treatment charge of £18 remains payable.”

I felt the penalty was so out of order because the treatment fee was so small, and that there was no warning given about extortionate penalties. I won't be making that mistake again that's for sure!

HB58

I don't feel that the penaly is out of order where someone has acted deliberately to defraud the NHS. However, I do agree that dental receptionists mislead patients regarding this because neither party understands that it is only people on IR benefit who are eligible for free treatment.

It sounds as if you were misinformed rather than attempting to defraud, so I am glad to hear that the penalty was cancelled.

tropicaltopaz

Thanks. It's an easy trap to fall into - the receptionists should be better informed!