Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2014, Official Report, column 712W, on universal credit, how many claimants will be able to access free prescriptions, eye tests and dental care once universal credit has been fully rolled out.

The Government intends that broadly the same number of individuals will be entitled to free prescriptions, free eye tests and free dental care, via Universal Credit as are entitled via current qualifying benefits or tax credits. There are roughly 6 million people in England currently on these benefits, and consequently entitled to free prescriptions, free eye tests and free dental care.