Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to dental care for rough sleepers who are not eligible for full public funding due to their immigration status.

The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development and implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214

Certain groups of patients, such as rough sleepers, may be vulnerable to oral health problems and may find it difficult to access dental care. Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the needs of their population and ensuring that the relevant dental services are available. Individuals with no recourse to public funds including failed asylum seekers remain eligible to receive help with dentistry costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. Dentists are not required to ask for proof of identity, proof of address or proof of immigration status from individuals applying to become an NHS patient.

We are tackling the immediate dental crisis with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and to recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most.