Thousands of NHS patients and staff will no longer have to pay hospital parking charges starting from April next year.
Blue badge holders and patients who must regularly attend appointments for long-term conditions will get free hospital parking under the plans being outlined earlier today.
All hospital trusts in England will also be expected to give free parking at specific times to parents with sick children staying overnight and staff on night shifts.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it would prioritise “those with the greatest need” adding: “One of the concerns mentioned regularly on the doorsteps was that vulnerable people, and staff working nights, have to pay for hospital car parking.
“So we are today delivering on our manifesto commitment and setting out our new approach to NHS hospital parking charges.”
Who qualifies for free parking?
- Blue badge holders
- Patients who must regularly attend appointments for long-term conditions
- Parents with sick children staying overnight
- Staff on night shifts
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Labour MPs have longed campaigned for hospital car parking charges to be ditched.
“But yet again patients will have to examine the small print as many will still have to pay over the odds just because they are ill.”
