Data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that a quarter of NHS trusts in England increased hospital parking fees between April 2022 and March 2024, coinciding with the ongoing cost of living crisis. Out of 147 NHS trusts contacted, 37 confirmed raising charges, while 25 failed to respond, suggesting the actual figure could be higher.
The rise in parking fees has sparked criticism from patients’ rights advocates, who argue the policy unfairly impacts vulnerable individuals seeking healthcare. Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, stated: “The ongoing cost of living crisis is already pushing many households to the brink, and these charges unfairly penalise people simply for being unwell and needing access to essential healthcare.”
Patients and Staff Bear the Brunt of Rising Parking Fees
The majority of NHS trusts that increased parking fees applied the changes to patients and visitors. Some also reinstated parking fees for staff, basing charges on salary levels, with higher earners paying more.
The GMB union, which analyzed NHS figures, found healthcare workers paid approximately £70.5 million in parking fees during the 2023-24 period. GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison criticized the charges, stating, “Health workers are on their knees – they need help and support. Charging them to park is kicking them while they are down.”
During the pandemic, the government waived parking fees for hospital staff from July 2020 to March 2022, costing the Department of Health and Social Care around £130 million. However, those exemptions ended, leaving many NHS workers grappling with financial strain amid increasing workloads and chronic understaffing.
Hospitals Defend Parking Fees as Essential Revenue
The NHS defended the decision to raise parking charges, citing financial pressures on hospital trusts. Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, explained: “NHS trusts – most of whom are under huge financial pressure – just couldn’t afford to maintain car parks without charging people to use them. The last thing trusts want to do is to have to divert money away from patient services.”
Rachel Power of the Patients Association questioned whether hospitals are receiving a fair share of the “considerable profits generated by parking schemes,” calling for more transparency in how the revenue is used.
Calls for Government Action
The GMB union and patient advocacy groups have called on the government to address the issue of hospital parking fees. Harrison urged the NHS and the government to scrap charges for healthcare workers, citing the immense pressures they continue to face post-pandemic.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care emphasized that parking fees are set by individual NHS trusts but encouraged them to ensure charges are “reasonable and in line with the local area.”
