Summary
Hospitals in England will cut the cost of parking for certain groups, thanks to government guidelines. Concessions (free parking, reduced charges or capped charges) should be available for people with disabilities, people attending outpatients frequently, people visiting relatives who are seriously ill or whose stay in hospital is extended. Certain staff may benefit too.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Patients and families shouldn’t have to deal with the added stress of unfair parking charges”.
Reference
Hospital car parking guidance to reduce some charges. London: BBC News, August 23rd 2014.
This relates to:
Reference
NHS patient, visitor and staff car parking principles. London: Department of Health, August 23rd 2014.
They promised it would get better:
Reference
NHS parking charges: Hospitals made £174m in a year. London: BBC Health News, December 28th 2017.
December 2019 Update
“Last year, hospital trusts in England made more than £254 million from car parking charges, and a further £1.5 million from parking fines”. (FOI).
Concessions from April 2020 for people with greatest needs (as outlined in the Conservative and Unionist Party Manifesto of 2019):
Reference
Free NHS hospital parking for thousands in ‘greatest need’. London: BBC Health News, December 27th 2019.
