Westfield Health Scheme

Getting older is an expensive luxury. Your eyesight may begin to fail, or teeth which nature designed for a lifespan of 40 years and a diet low in sugar begin to rot. If you do not qualify for free dental treatment, NHS work can cost up to £300 a time. If you go private, (and you may not have a choice in many areas) there is no limit to the cost. So, how do you deal with the various medical bills that our not so free healthcare systems dish up? Well, through my employer (although available generally too), I pay a monthly premium to the Westfield Healthcare scheme who gives me money when I get ... more

I first became aware of the Westfield Health Scheme when I moved to a job in Sheffield in the mid 90's. My employer promoted the scheme through the payroll ( and since I was planning for a second child the maternity benefit was appealing!). I joined and have been contributing and claiming ever since. Founded in 1919, the Westfield Health is a non-profit making organisation 'dedicated to providing cost effective health care schemes for the benefit of its contributors' i.e. the scheme is basically mutual insurance to pay for the more minor aspects of personal healthcare, such as dental, optical ... more

I have been a member of Westfield for over 20 years but have now decided to down grade from the 3rd option to the lowest. Until recently I only claimed the dental grant. On an average, not needing much treatment I spend £40 per year on check up, clean and polish. Having paid £285.84 over a two year period I have paid £205 for the priviledge of getting back £80. I now wear glasses and claimed £120 towards them but have still overpaid by £85. The rates have gone up from January 2006 and now visits to a NHS hospital have been dropped, which was always a popular claim by the employees I work with ... more

Been using Westfield for a few years now - really chuffed with it as have just managed to claim the full amount for my new Armani glasses. Plus all my trips for the dentist are paid for and they do a load of other stuff like physio as well - I'm paying about £14 per month - thoroughly recommended. wow just realised i need to do 60 odd more words - i think westfields prices are pretty good - my folks always used to pay for it when me and my sisters were little and i was skeptical to start paying for it myself so didn't for a few years - but now (i'm 28) i've signed up i think I'll definitely ... more