THE CAMPAIGN to exempt upaid carers from hospital car parking charges goes on – despite failed attempts by a North West MP to get a Bill through Parliament
The Bill, put forward by Julie Cooper, Labour MP for Burnley, failed to win enough support in the House of Commons to progress to its next stage, making it almost impossible for it to become law.
But carers have been given new hope with the Department of Health updating its guidance on hospital parking charges to specifically include carers – for the very first time – as a group for which concessions, such as free or reduced charges or caps, should be available. While these are guidelines and not legal duties on hospitals, national membership charity Carers UK believes this is a step towards tackling the unfair burden hospital parking charges place on carers.
Chloe Wright, public affairs manager at Carers UK, said: “While we are disappointed that the Bill is unlikely to progress any further, we are pleased that it has highlighted the huge contribution carers make to our society and the very real issues they face each and every time they take their loved one to hospital – from the stress of having to renew a ticket to the burden that charges place on family finances.
“However, we do welcome the Department of Health’s move to explicitly include carers, for the very first time, in their guidance on which groups should receive concessions when it comes to hospital car parking charges.
“We urge MPs and carers alike to write to their local hospitals to see if, and how, they are implementing this new guidance.”
Julie Cooper added: “Hospital car parking charges place an unfair burden on carers.
“Carers have told us that the emotional and financial impact of hospital parking charges seriously undermines their ability to continue caring well for their loved ones and themselves. This could be catastrophic for the NHS which, without carers, wouldn’t survive.
“The cost of providing carers with free hospital parking in England is negligible when compared with these potential consequences.
“With the huge demographic and financial challenges facing the NHS, it has never been more important to support carers.”
721,000 people in England currently claim Carer’s Allowance and a further 408,000 people are entitled to the benefit.
Carers UK, tel 0808 808 7777
Click here to find out how the Bank Workers Charity are helping carers.
