Hospital car parking charges are stealth tax on the NHS and should be stopped
HOSPITAL car parking charges are a stealth tax on the NHS and the bane of people’s lives. Despite the Government making it clear in 2014 that free parking or concessions should be available, a postcode lottery on car parking charges still exists.
One hospital in Surrey charges £4 for an hour of parking
One hospital in Surrey charges £4 for an hour of parking – despite not charging anything at all before the guidance was released.
Given that Welsh NHS hospitals offer free parking, such high charges seem even more unreasonable.
The sick and the vulnerable are disproportionately hit by hospital parking fees. This injustice is backed up by several charities.
Children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent found that some families are spending £50 a week on parking when their child is having cancer treatment.
Bliss [sick baby’s charity] has shown that some parents pay over £250 if their premature baby stays in the neonatal unit for eight weeks.
During my research I was appalled to find almost half of hospitals offer no concessions for disabled drivers, even though blue badge holders have no choice but to park nearby.
Not only are charges a problem for patients and visitors but also for NHS staff, many of whom cannot rely on public transport to get to work.
Almost a third of hospitals charge them up to £80-a-week to park there.
It is time that this stealth tax on the sick was scrapped once and for all
Having campaigned since 2014, I know that there is clear public support for an end to this stealth tax.
In 2017, Fair Fuel UK found 95 per cent of people want hospital parking charges scrapped or set at a maximum of £1.
We all know being in hospital or visiting a poorly relative is stressful.
It’s also clear that NHS staff work hard every day.
Yet, hospital car parking charges mean that they are paying for the privilege to do so.
It is time that this stealth tax on the sick was scrapped once and for all.