Thank you for your request for information about the following:

This request relates to penalties for non-payment of NHS health costs in England and Wales.

The purpose of this request is to provide training to FCA-authorised and local authority debt advisers, to ensure that advice provided to those with NHS penalties is accurate and comprehensive.

1. Please could you confirm if there is a maximum period for the payment of a penalty in instalments (e.g. 12 months)? If yes, please provide details.

2. Please could you confirm if it is possible to defer payment of a penalty? If yes, please provide details?

3. A redacted copy of the document ‘R LRS Easement document 4 10’ has previously been released (see https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whatdotheyknow.com%2Frequest%2F845030%2Fresponse%2F2041848%2Fattach%2Fhtml%2F4%2FR%2520LRS%2520Easement%2520document%25204%252010.pdf.html&data=05%7C01%7Cnhsbsa.foirequests%40nhs.net%7Ceb759134d1c94ee35e4d08db351d5a6c%7C37c354b285b047f5b22207b48d774ee3%7C0%7C1%7C638162172413395882%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CrMC4iXrpKUYgXygewcZjHeLbDEvZqs0IJREMfzKtY4%3D&reserved=0) Please could you provide a current version of this document or any successor document.

4. Please could you provide the following data for the calendar year 2022:

a. Number of penalty charges issued

b. Number of penalty charges cancelled or waived following contact from the patient

c. Number of penalty charges passed to an external debt collection agency for recovery action

d. Number of penalty charges which have resulted in County Court proceedings

You subsequently clarified your request for information relates to both Prescription and Dental services.

Your clarified request was received on 13 April 2023 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Response

Question 1

Direct Debits (DD’s) can be set up for both Prescription and Dental Penalty Charge Notices. DD’s can be set up in 3,6, or 12 months payments plans for both Prescription cases and also for Band 1 and 2 Dental cases. For Band 3 Dental cases only there is an option to set up 15 and or 18-month DD. However, if patients are still having difficulty paying they are encouraged to contact us.

Question 2

Patients are encouraged to contact NHSBSA if they are having difficulty paying.

Question 3

A copy of the information is attached.

Question 4

A – 445705

B – 134300 - this is a combination of Exemption Confirmed, Cancelled and Easement cases. Cases are closed/reduced based on providing a valid exemption or other significant evidence at the time of claiming the prescription or treatment.

C – 52895

D – 0

Data Queries

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data please contact nhsbsa.foirequests@nhs.net ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact nhsbsa.communicationsteam@nhs.net. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2023” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.