NHS parking cost patients and visitors £146m this year - where were the most expensive locations?

Patients and visitors to NHS hospitals and doctor surgeries have had to pay almost £146 million in parking fees this year, according to research from the Liberal Democrats.

The data showed that the number has risen sharply since the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

In total, NHS trusts' gross income from patient and visitor parking was £145.8 million in 2022/23.

NHS England statistics show that this was a rise of more than 50% - as previous records show that just a year earlier, parking costs totalled £96.7 million.

It is also more than triple the £47.9 million total that the Trusts earnt from parking fees from two years ago.

Shockingly, the latest data means that over £400,000 is being spent in hospital car parks every day for patients and visitors to hospitals across England.

Daisy Cooper, health, and social care spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said: “Hospital car parking fees are becoming a tax on caring for visitors and our hard-working NHS staff.

“This Conservative Government is utterly failing to deliver on their promise to crack down on unfair hospital parking fees, and people are literally paying the price.”

In response, the Tory Party stated: “The Conservatives have fulfilled their manifesto pledge to end unfair charges for those in greatest need. The Lib Dems should come clean as to which services they would cut to subsidise parking further.”

Concerningly, car parking fees paid by hospital staff have also risen.

In fact, it increased more than eight-fold nationally compared to 2022. This rise represents a rise from £5.6 million in 2021/22 to £46.7 million in 2022/23.

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What hospitals took in the most money through parking fees?

According to the data, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust reported the largest income from patient and visitor parking fees in 2023 – totalling £5.2 million.

They were followed by University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, with £3.6 million.

Top 10:

1. University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire - £5,197,810
2. University Hospitals of Derby and Burton - £3,583,196
3. University Hospitals of Leicester - £2,968,772
4. Frimley Health - £2,791,687
5. Mid and South Essex - £2,750,208
6. University Hospitals Sussex - £2,600,042
7. University Hospital Southampton - £2,535,729
8. East Suffolk and North Essex - £2,535,138
9. Oxford University Hospitals - £2,504,412
10. Gloucestershire Hospitals - £2,435,368

^{Source: Estates Returns Information Collection}

In response to the data, Dr Matt Kneale, co-chair of Doctors Association UK, said: “The Doctors' Association UK is alarmed by escalating car parking fees, which severely impact rotating doctors in training and, indirectly, patient care.

“The existing system often mandates our colleagues to extend their already lengthy shifts to find parking.

“This not only imposes a financial strain but also jeopardises staff wellbeing and safety, notably for those on night shifts or with irregular travel times.

“Variable parking fees across NHS trusts create a postcode lottery, unfairly burdening staff working across multiple sites.

“These challenges can also affect patient access to care, as high parking costs could deter necessary hospital visits.

“We call on the Government to establish a fairer, more consistent parking policy for all NHS users, considering the broader implications on healthcare delivery.”

What do you make of the data? What can be done to help doctors, patients, and visitors to hospitals across England? Leave your comments below.