Universal credit & free NHS dental / prescriptions

molab

I am new to uni cred & Claim has been approved. I am not working & am looking for work. My first payment will be in September & I will be told how much exactly my payment will be on September 15th.

 Based on calculations it suggests my payment will be “standard allowance as I am over 25 and single”. 

From checking my eligibility online via Gov Calculation tool, I meet the criteria for free NHS dental and prescriptions. 

Do I need to have been physically paid my first payment from UNI CRED before I can claim these free prescriptions / dental or can I do it prior since My claim is Already approved? 

Spoonie_Turtle

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/

Technically it looks like you have to have your statement for a full assessment period, and then claim a refund. (In practise, I think I claimed the exception straight away because I knew for certain I had no earnings and had taken into account all my savings which were well below any threshold.) So if you are 100% certain you might be happy to go with it, or if you have *any* doubts it would be safer to pay then claim a refund (or just wait until you have your statement next month, if that's possible). I hadn't read the details myself when I claimed, only knew about the threshold.

You qualify if, on the date you claim help with health costs:

you receive Universal Credit and either had no earnings or had net earnings of £435 or less in your last Universal Credit assessment period

...

You'll need to have met the eligibility criteria in the last completed Universal Credit assessment period before your health costs arose.

...

You need to have met the eligibility criteria either in the Universal Credit period before you paid, or in the same assessment period in which you paid, to qualify for a refund.

Make sure you ask for and keep receipts. If you pay for a prescription, you must get a receipt and refund form (FP57) at the time you pay, as you will not be able to get one later.

calcotti

I don't think you become entitled to free treatment until after your assessment period is complete because entitlement depends on your earnings in the assessment period and these cannot be known until the end of the assessment period.
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/

You'll need to have met the eligibility criteria in the last completed Universal Credit assessment period before your health costs arose. 

I think if you have treatment now, pay for it and get a receipt you may be able to claim the cost back after the AP has ended. Much simpler if you can delay treatment till after the AP.

molab

Thank you very much everybody! Every so helpful.