Help with travel costs

Eligibility

You are entitled to claim for travel costs for NHS appointments or treatment if you receive any of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Guaranteed Pension Credit
• Tax Credits with an exemption certificate
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Low Income Scheme HC2 or HC3 certificates
• Universal Credit and meet the criteria

Travel costs for visiting other people in hospital cannot be paid.

How to claim

Expenses can be claimed from:

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham – Cashier’s Office along the outpatients corridor on Level 0
• Heartlands Hospital – main reception at the main entrance
• Good Hope Hospital – reception area at the Treatment Centre
• Solihull Hospital – Cashier's Office near the main reception

Payment cannot be made without the relevant documentation:

• proof of appointment
• proof you are in receipt of an eligible benefit
• bus, train or car park tickets

Patients travelling on public transport will be reimbursed for the cheapest form of public transport (including any promotional or concessionary fares). Patients travelling by private car may claim mileage allowance and car parking charges or equivalent public transport costs (whichever is lower).

Taxi fares cannot be paid unless there is no other way you can travel for all or part of the journey or if your consultant agrees in writing that you cannot travel by public transport because of your medical condition.

If your consultant considers it a medical necessity for an escort to accompany you, the escort’s travel costs will be paid on the basis of your eligibility and not that of the escort. A letter from your consultant or GP will be required.