NHS Dental Forms: FP17, FP57, FP64E, HC1 and the rest

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The FP17 in detail

FP17 is the workhorse of NHS dental administration. Every NHS course of treatment, from a single £27.90 examination to a £332.10 full denture set, generates one FP17. The form runs to two pages and captures: patient name, address, date of birth, and NHS number; the exemption category the patient claimed (or "patient paid in full" if none); the band of treatment provided; the start date of the course; the completion date; the treatments delivered (using national clinical codes); and signatures from the dentist and the patient.

The dentist submits the FP17 electronically through the Compass system to NHSBSA for payment under the practice's GDS contract. Compass replaced paper FP17 submission for most practices from 2009. The paper FP17 may still be signed at the chairside as the exemption declaration and the patient-consent record, even though the data is submitted electronically.

From the patient's perspective, the FP17 matters because it is the single best evidence of what happened in your course of treatment. If you later dispute the band charge, the FP17 will show whether the practice recorded Band 1, 2 or 3. If you face a Penalty Charge Notice for an exemption claim, the FP17 shows which exemption category was ticked at the time. If you complain about the quality of work, the FP17 shows which treatments were delivered and the completion date that starts the 12-month free repair clock.

Always ask for a copy of your FP17 at the appointment. Practices are obliged to give you one on request. Store it with your other health records; you may need it years later to demonstrate dental work was completed for insurance, immigration medicals, or follow-on private treatment elsewhere.

FP57 and the refund route

FP57 is the receipt that turns a paid NHS dental charge into a refundable charge. The scenario is straightforward: you attend the dentist, you believe you qualify for free treatment under one of the exempt categories, but you cannot produce evidence at the appointment. The dentist will either accept the verbal declaration (and risk a PCN later) or ask you to pay and issue an FP57 receipt.

FP57 records the date of payment, the amount paid, the dental practice details, the dentist's signature, and a reference to the FP17 number for the underlying course. Take the FP57 home, gather the evidence of your exemption (benefit award letter, UC payment statement, certificate), and submit a refund claim to NHSBSA on form HC5 (the universal NHS refund form). You have three months from the date of treatment to claim.

If approved, NHSBSA refunds the full dental charge by bank transfer or cheque, usually within four to six weeks. The refund route is much friendlier than the PCN route: paying and reclaiming costs you a few weeks of cashflow but avoids the £100 administrative penalty and the 28-day appeal pressure.

If your refund claim is rejected, you have the same review rights as for a PCN appeal: write to NHSBSA within 28 days requesting a review by a senior officer. Provide any additional evidence. Most genuine cases are eventually approved.

HC1, HC2, HC3, HC5: the Low Income Scheme suite

The Low Income Scheme suite uses HC numbers for the patient-facing artefacts and is administered by NHSBSA. HC1 is the application form: 12 pages covering household composition, income, outgoings, rent or mortgage, council tax, and child care costs. Submit it free of charge to the address on the form, with photocopied evidence of income and outgoings.

NHSBSA assesses your application against the national means-test thresholds. If your weekly income (after housing and council tax) is at or below the Income Support applicable amount, you receive an HC2 certificate giving full help. If your weekly income is above the threshold but within a defined band, you receive an HC3 certificate giving partial help. HC3 states a maximum amount you pay per NHS dental course; NHS covers the rest. The HC3 partial-help amount appears as a "patient charge" line on your FP17 and the practice deducts it from the band charge.

Certificates are typically valid for 6 to 12 months for working-age applicants, longer for pensioners and people with stable circumstances. You re-apply by submitting a fresh HC1 before the existing certificate expires. There is no formal renewal form; HC1 is the only application route.

HC5 is the universal NHS refund claim form. It is used to claim a refund of any NHS health charge paid before entitlement to free care was confirmed: dental charges paid before HC2 was issued, prescription costs paid before HC2 was issued, sight test costs, optical voucher value, NHS travel costs. The form is short (4 pages) and includes a section to attach the FP57 or other receipt evidence.

Maternity exemption: FP92A and the FW8 certificate

Pregnancy and the first 12 months after childbirth grant exemption from NHS dental charges. The mechanism: your midwife, doctor, or registered nurse completes form FP92A on your behalf. The signed FP92A is sent to NHSBSA, who issue you with the FW8 (also called MatEx, the Maternity Exemption Certificate) by post. The FW8 is valid for the remainder of pregnancy and for 12 months after the date of childbirth.

The certificate is a credit-card-sized card with your name, date of birth, expiry date, and a reference number. Take it to every NHS dental, optical and prescription transaction during its validity. Most practices photocopy the card on first visit.

Two timing pitfalls cause many PCNs. First, the FW8 takes 2 to 4 weeks to arrive after FP92A is submitted. If you visit the dentist between confirmation of pregnancy and receipt of the certificate, you either pay and reclaim (FP57 route) or risk a PCN if the practice accepts a verbal declaration that the FW8 is on its way. Second, the 12-month post-birth expiry is exact: a dentist appointment on the 366th day after birth is not exempt.

If your FW8 expires while you are in the middle of an active course of treatment, the course remains exempt for the work already planned; only a new course after expiry would be chargeable. Keep the FW8 even after expiry; it is good evidence in a PCN appeal if NHSBSA later questions the timing of a treatment.

Frequently asked questions