Help with hospital travel costs

If you have been referred for NHS treatment by your doctor or dentist, and you are on a low income or receive benefits, you may be eligible for help with the cost of travelling from your home address to your appointments.

This leaflet provides information regarding the support which is available.  It explains who is eligible for support and what you need to do to claim your money back.

Am I entitled to claim travel expenses? 

You are entitled to claim travel expenses if you are in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Pension Guaranteed Credit
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
• NHS Working Tax Credit Exemption Certificate 
• NHS Child Tax Credit Exemption Certificate 
• Certificate for Low Income – HC2 or HC3
• Universal Credit.

Patients must ensure that the exemption certificate is “in date” for the appointment date/s which are being claimed. The guidance is the certificate and/or award notice must be dated within a 12-month period of the appointment. 

Those patients who are in receipt of Universal Credit must present a copy of your Universal Credit award notice to prove your entitlement. You will need to have met the eligibility criteria in the last completed Universal Credit assessment period before your travel costs arose.

What documentation do I need to claim? 

To claim travelling expenses you must have the following documents:

• attendance slip, this must be collected from the ward/clinic reception area
• proof of entitlement
• proof of travel costs e.g. bus, tube, and train tickets.

All travel costs will be calculated based on the most cost-effective form of transport from your home address to the hospital.  

If you have travelled by car, petrol costs are calculated on a “pence per mile” rate and again, this is based on the distance between your home address and the hospital.

Travel costs paid by contactless payment or Oyster Card can be reimbursed where a list of journeys made is obtained from the TfL website. You can register your contactless payment card or Oyster card on the TfL website to enable you to obtain the travel details record.
Claims are accepted up to three months after the appointment date.

Can I claim for my escort? 

The travelling cost for an escort will only be reimbursed if it is required on medical grounds.  The consultant or doctor must confirm on the Attendance Slip that the escort was medically necessary for your visit.

If you have a letter from your consultant or GP stating that you are medically unfit to travel alone, please bring a copy of this letter. This letter must be produced each time you claim and is valid for six months from the date of issue.

The hospital is unable to reimburse travel expenses for visitors to patients.

How can I make my claim?

You can make a claim by visiting the Cashier’s Office in person at the following locations:

National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery 
Address:                 Ground Floor, 60 Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3HR
Opening times:       10:00 to 16:00

University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street Hospital 
Address:                 Ground Floor, 16–18 Westmoreland Street, London W1G 8PH 
Opening times:       09:30 to 16:30

The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
Address:                 Ground Floor, 60 Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3HR 
Opening times:       10:00 to 16:00
 
University College Hospital 
This office is not currently open. Completed travel claims can be left at the Reception of the Atrium where they will be collected, processed, and paid electronically directly into the bank.

Can I make a claim by post or by email? 

To make a claim by post or by email you need the following documents:

1. Proof of attendance – attendance slip 
2. Copy of your proof of entitlement 
3. Proof of travel – tickets etc. 
4. Postal claim form. 

If you are sending the claim by post, please send to the Cashier’s Office at the hospital where the appointment took place.

If you are making the claim by email, please use the following email addresses:

Appointments at National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine: uclh.private.cashier@nhs.net

Appointments at all other hospitals: uclh.enquiry.treasury@nhs.net

Claims will be checked, processed and the payment will be issued by bank transfer.
To facilitate this, we will ask for the name of the bank, account name, sort code and account number for the payee.

If I don’t receive any of these qualifying benefits, what help is available?

If you have a low income, you may be able to get help under the low-income scheme. This is a means-tested scheme where you receive help with healthcare costs depending on your household income and outgoings. 

How do I apply for help through the low-income scheme?

Send a completed HC1 form to the NHS Business Service Authority. The application will be assessed and if you qualify for help, the NHS Business Services Authority will send a certificate as confirmation. A HC2 certificate will entitle you to full help and a HC3 certificate for partial help. The HC1 form and further information is available by following this link: NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Can I apply for the low-income scheme if I have already paid my travel fares?

Yes, you have up to three months from the date you have travelled to make a claim. Complete the refund claim form HC5. Forms are available by following this link: NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
 
The advice line contact details for the NHS Business Services Authority is 0300 3301 343. An information booklet is also available (HC11), which can be downloaded from HC11 (V22) 01.2024.pdf (nhsbsa.nhs.uk). Further information is also available at: NHS Help with Health Costs | NHSBSA