Help with Travel Costs to Hospital
| Some patients and parents of child patients attending hospital for NHS treatment may qualify for help with travel costs to and from hospital. Check with the hospital before travelling if you are not sure whether you are eligible. |
Who can get help?
- If you (or your partner) gets one of the following:
- Income Support.
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit.
Dependent children whose parent or guardian falls into one of the above categories can usually get help with travel costs too if they need to go to hospital.
If your doctor says that you need someone to travel with you, then the accompanying person's travel costs can be included for help. (It is your income and status that counts in any assessment for help, not the travel companion's own status.)
How can people on a low income apply for help?
Some people on a low income may qualify for help with health costs such as travel costs to hospital. Your entitlement to help is based on your circumstances such as your level of income, savings, etc. Use form HC1 'Claim for help with health costs'. See below on how to get this form. You have to fill in the form giving various details of your circumstances. If your application is successful, you will receive either certificate HC2 or HC3.
- Certificate HC2 means that you will not need to pay the following health costs: prescription charges; NHS dental charges; eye tests, glasses and contact lenses; travel to hospital for NHS treatment; wigs and fabric supports.
- Certificate HC3 provides partial help with some of these health costs.
Certificates are usually valid for six months. If your circumstances remain unchanged after six months then, if necessary, make a new claim before the current certificate expires.
Can I claim a refund for a travel cost I have already paid?
If you are issued with certificate HC2 or HC3, you may be able to claim a refund if you have recently paid for a travel cost to hospital. Claims must be received within three months of your paying the charge. Keep all receipts for your travel - you will need it for your claim. Use claim form HC5.
How can I get the claim forms?
To get the forms HC1 or HC5 mentioned above:
- contact your local office of the Department of Work and Pensions (the local Jobcentre Plus or 'social security' office) for a claim form. Find your local office in the phone book under 'Jobcentre Plus', OR
- get them from an NHS hospital, OR
- your dentist or optometrist (optician) may stock them, OR
- phone the Department of Health Publications Orderline on 0300 123 1002 (minicom 0300 123 1003) and ask for a form to be sent to you.
What form of transport can I use?
You should use the cheapest available means of transport, using public transport where possible. Petrol costs equivalent to public transport costs will be reimbursed if a private car is used instead of available public transport. If public transport is unavailable full petrol costs will be reimbursed. Taxis may be used if there is no alternative or if the patient is unable to use public transport.
How can I claim the help?
The hospital fare's office should be able to reimburse you the return fare at the time of your visit. Ask for help at reception if necessary. Make sure that you keep all tickets and receipts. Evidence of benefits or exemption (certificate HC2 or HC3) should also be shown. If you are unable to pay your fare in advance, check with the hospital, as there may be other forms of assistance.
What about travel costs for visitors to hospital?
People receiving Income Support or Income-based Jobseeeker's Allowance may be able to get help with visiting someone in hospital in certain circumstances. To find out if you qualify contact you Jobcentre Plus office, hospital social services department, or other advice sources (see below).
How can I find out more?
Further information
This leaflet gives a brief summary of how to obtain help with travel costs and is for guidance only. It does not cover all situations nor is it a full statement of the law. The official booklet HC11 'Help with health costs' provides more details. Your local Jobcentre Plus office, NHS hospital, pharmacist, doctor, dentist or optician may have leaflet HC11.
The leaflet HC11 is also available on the internet. Go to the Department of Health's website - www.dh.gov.uk - and search for HC11.
Benefit Enquiry Line - BEL
England, Wales and Scotland - Tel: 0800 88 22 00 Textphone: 0800 24 33 55
Northern Ireland - Tel: 0800 220 674 Textphone: 0800 243 787
For people with disabilities, their carers and representatives. BEL offers confidential advice and information on benefits and how to claim them.
Directgov
Web: www.direct.gov.uk
Directgov brings together the widest range of public service information and services online. Includes information about benefits.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Provides independent advice on many issues including benefits. Listed in the phone book under 'Citizens Advice Bureaux'. Also, see their excellent website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
The authors and editors of this article are employed to create accurate and up to date content reflecting reliable research evidence, guidance and best clinical practice. They are free from any commercial conflicts of interest.
Find out more about updating.
Advert
Related pages in Patient UK
Your Experience (^ top of page)
Please add your experience about this condition / medicine
View Patient Experience for 'Support And Welfare' (9 there)Health Topic information leaflets related to this topic (^ top of page)
Attendance Allowance
Benefits for Bereaved People
Benefits for the Terminally Ill
Carer's Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
Free or Reduced Cost Prescriptions
Free Wigs and Fabric Supports
Healthy Start
Help With Dental Charges
Help With Health Costs
Incapacity Benefit
Income Support
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Jobseeker's Allowance
Maternity Benefits
Severe Disablement Allowance
Statutory Sick PaySupport Groups related to this topic (^ top of page)
AFTAID - Aid for the Aged in Distress
Attend
Benefit Enquiry Line
Carer's Allowance Unit
Citizens Advice Bureaux
Citizens Advice Scotland
Combat Stress
Consumer Credit Counselling Service
CrossReach
DWP - Department for Work and Pensions
Eileen Trust
Elizabeth Finn Care
Family Action
Family Fund (for severely disabled children)
Farm Crisis Network
FirstStop
Health Healthy Start Scheme
Help the Aged Care Fees Advice
Jewish Care
LawCare
Legal Services Agency Ltd
LGBP Ltd
Nacro (crime reduction charity)
National Benevolent Fund for the Aged
National Debtline
NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action)
NCVO - National Council for Voluntary Organisations
NHFA (elderly care)
NHS Business Services Authority - help with health costs
Patients Association
Quarriers
RSVP - Retired & Senior Volunteer Programme
Shaw Trust
St Vincent de Paul Society
SupportLine
Suzy Lamplugh Trust
Teacher Support Network
TOC H
Tunstall Response
Universal Beneficent Society
Veteran's Aid
Veterans UK
Victoria Convalescent Trust
WRVS
YWCA of England and WalesPatientPlus articles related to this topic (^ top of page)
Elderly Patients in Hospital
Hospitalisation PhenomenaLinks to other selected websites related to this topic (^ top of page)
Benefits
Charities
Non-UK Patient Self Help and Support Group Information
Phone AdvicePoems and stories related to this topic (^ top of page)
HospitalPatient UK Newspaper (^ top of page)
Recent related news items
Most carers 'hit breaking point'
Depression dubbed 'the new back pain' with 50,000 Scots claiming sick pay
Concern over rise in long-term sick leave
Drug users and alcholics should not expect the rest of us to fund their addictions
Families 'misled' over care feesAll news by related topic
Support And Welfare newsRelated Products (^ top of page)
Medical equipment

Books

Other - Useful resources (^ top of page)
Pictures, diagrams, photos, images, etc.Evidence based medicine
Online textbooks and journals
UK Guidelines
Online Videos
Medline
Other good health sites
Disclaimer: Patient UK has no control over the content of any external links above. Inclusion does not imply endorsement by Patient UK.
Want to advertise on this site? Find out how >>
Here you can follow a link to view existing patient experiences on this subject, or to add your own
This will offer you the usual PDF options i.e. document navigation, search, zoom and formatted print
Note: this is the best way to print the document
Note: this will open in a new window
Note: this will open in a new window






