Sick stealth tax

Outrage as hospital parking fees for 5 medical conditions revealed

A PATIENT being treated for anxiety or depression can expect to pay £40.32 in parking charges for hospital visits, research reveals.

Being pregnant would typically cost £36.85 and someone who suffers a heart attack will be out of pocket by £34.56.

The study analysed the average number and length of hospital appointments for five conditions and the parking fees charged by 50 trusts.

It showed a broken leg would bring £23.04 in fees, while a problem with type one diabetes has a parking bill of £14.40.

The figures, from car dealer Robins and Day, come after MPs branded the charges a “stealth tax on sickness”.

Tory MP Robert Halfon, who led last month’s Commons debate, said: “This is another example of why this NHS stealth tax on the vulnerable must go.

“Hospital car parking charges are a tax on the sick, hit those on lowest incomes and the Government must follow the House of Commons’ wishes and scrap the charges completely.”

The Daily Mirror is calling for an end to such charges in England, bringing it in line with the policy of Scotland and Wales. Nearly half of hospital car parks are run by private firms and two thirds of trusts raise more than £1million a year from fees.

But only a fraction of the revenue goes to healthcare.

Howard Cox, founder of the FairFuelUK campaign, said: “Our supporters are incensed that despite being the highest taxed motorists in the world, even being ill or visiting loved ones becomes a tax on our health.

“All political parties agree with over 95% of FairFuelUK supporters that scrapping parking fees or at least reducing to £1 per day is the fairest honourable option.

“This uncaring, money-grabbing Government should act on the consensus shown in support of MP Robert Halfon’s call to scrap these punishing parking charges for good.”

The most expensive areas for eight hours of hospital parking are London at £15, Glasgow, £13, Leeds, £12.90, Bristol, £12, and Manchester, £10.

More than 55,000 people have signed the Mirror’s petition calling for an end to hospital car parking charges.

Add your support for the campaign at mirror.co.uk/hospitalparking