NHS hospitals generated over £5 million per week in parking fees last year. Patients and visitors paid £192.3 million, while staff contributed £79.1 million for parking privileges. Critics argue that charging for parking near healthcare facilities effectively burdens the sick with an additional tax. Patient advocacy groups highlight that these fees disproportionately affect vulnerable individuals and may deter people from visiting loved ones in hospitals.
Unions emphasize that many hospitals are located in remote areas with limited public transportation options, especially during non-standard working hours. Some hospital trusts impose charges of up to £5 per hour for visitors and over £10 per day for staff parking throughout an eight-hour shift.
The total revenue from parking fees saw an 11% increase to £192.3 million compared to the previous year, with staff contributions rising by 13% to £79.1 million. Despite the pandemic leading to restricted hospital visits and temporary free staff parking, the income from parking fees has surged.
Among the hospitals, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire topped the list, collecting over £10 million, surpassing the London trust with the highest parking revenue, which amassed £3.7 million. While parking income has increased post-pandemic, it remains lower than pre-Covid levels when the issue sparked political discussion, with the Conservatives pledging to eliminate unfair hospital parking charges in their 2019 manifesto.
Recent price hikes at hospitals like Hull Royal Infirmary and sites in Lincoln, Boston, and Grantham have drawn criticism from patients and advocacy groups. Families with newborns in neonatal care face financial strain due to parking costs, adding to the stress of caring for a sick baby. Campaigners urge hospital trusts to reconsider the impact of parking charges on families during critical periods of medical care.
Policy analysts criticize hospital parking fees as an indirect tax on patients, visitors, and staff, emphasizing the need for fairer treatment. The Department of Health and Social Care stresses that free parking is available for those in need, including overnight NHS staff. NHS justifies parking fees as necessary to cover operational costs, with any surplus funds reinvested in healthcare services.
