Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which categories of claimants of universal credit are entitled to claim free dental treatment; and whether he has plans to review that entitlement.

Claimants of Universal Credit will be entitled to free National Health Service prescriptions and free dental care if their earnings for the most recent assessment period are below prescribed thresholds. A claimant would be entitled to free NHS prescriptions and/or free NHS dental care if their earnings during that period were:

- £435 or less;

- £935 or less if their Universal Credit includes an element for either:

- a child; or

- limited capability for work.

The ‘most recent assessment period’ means the assessment period that ended immediately before the date on which a claimant claimed free NHS prescriptions or free NHS dental care. The period runs for a calendar month.

Where claimants claim Universal Credit as a couple, the earnings threshold that applies is either the earnings of the single claimant or the joint claimants’ combined income.

In addition, where claimants who are in receipt of an element for either a child or limited capacity for work, are responsible for a child, or a young person who is aged over 16 and under 19 who is receiving education or are in a traineeship, those children and young persons will be entitled to receive free NHS prescriptions and/or free NHS dental care. Individuals aged 18 who are not receiving education and are Universal Credit claimants in their own right will be entitled to these benefits.

The Department has no current plans to change these arrangements, but will keep the earnings thresholds under review on an annual basis.