NHS dental charges to rise by 5% from 1 April

The increase applies to all NHS dental work in England, across the three bands care is divided into:

• Band one covers basic care including check-ups, X-rays and moulds of your teeth. The charge for this is increasing by 90p, from £18.80 to £19.70.

• Band two includes root canals, fillings and removing teeth. These will cost £2.60 more, with the charge rising from £51.30 to £53.90.

• Band three covers more complicated treatment such as veneers, crowns and dentures. These will cost £11.20 more, with the charge rising from £222.50 to £233.70.

Costs for NHS care in Wales and Northern Ireland aren't changing. It's not yet known if there will be any changes to costs in Scotland, but if there are, they won't come into effect until later this year. See our Dental Insurance guide for more on how to cut dental costs.

NHS dental charges are also due to rise by a further 5% on 1 April 2017, bringing the cost of band one treatments to £20.60, band two treatments to £56.30 and band three treatments to £244.30.

How to avoid paying extra

While the price increase is just 10 days away, it may still be possible to beat the hike if you can book an appointment sooner – contact your dentist to see if that's possible.

Those who are under 18, in full-time education, pregnant or who have had a baby in the last 12 months, plus some on low income benefits, are exempt from dental charges.

If you're not exempt but are on a low income (there's no set limit as it depends on your circumstances) and don't have capital or investments of more than £16,000 (£23,250 if your permanent residence is a care home), you may be able to get charges for dental treatment fully or partially covered by the NHS Low Income Scheme.