help with hospital travelling costs

jackieb

My parents are in receipt of pension credit. My mum has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. The hospital is over 40 miles away. They're entitled to free bus travel but have a car. I was just wondering if they would be entitled to some help with travelling costs if they took the car to any hospital appointments? Would they get anything if they get free bus travel? Mum has a disabled parking ticket if that makes any difference.

TIA

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

i have no idea! i know people on JSA get a % towards travel costs if they have to go into the job centre when it isnt their signing day so i dont see why your parents shouldnt get something - worth asking!

cw18

depending on where you live she may be able to use patient transport -- but it's a complete nightmare !!

My DH books it for a 10am appt and has to be ready to be collected 'anytime after 8am' -- which has sometimes turned out to be 9:45am or later, with at least one more pick-up en-route to the hospital (which in clear traffic and direct takes me 20-30 mins). He has also had to wait over 2 hours for it coming home -- and that day it then went all over the place so he was in the car for over 2 hours.

And unless the patient is a minor or has certain 'problems' (reading between the lines they mean mental disabilities) they will only take the patient -- which means I can't go with him.

clairec79

Go to the reception desk in the hospital, I know if you are on certain benefits you can get fares paid - unsure if pension credit is on there and if they'd pay petrol (or even just parking) but they'd be the ones to pay it. Take proof of their award

jackieb

I thought they might not get anything as they're pensioners so they get free bus travel. On the hospital website it says this... ''Please note that reimbursement will only be at the cheapest public transport rate.''

Their cheapest public transport rate would be nil. Mum's sore just from getting a biopsy. I would imagine it will be worse once she has to go to appointments after surgery, or for any treatments (she's been told she'll need surgery and treatment, but we don't know what treatment yet). The journey takes about an hour and a half in the bus, plus she'd also has to walk from the bus stop into the hospital. When she's in the car she gets parked nearer due to having a blue badge.

jackieb

Patient transport IS a nightmare. I wouldn't dream of making her use that.

Noozan

My mum has a free bus pass and also a parking badge but when she has hospital appointments, I take her in the car as it's along walk from the bus stop to relevant department within the hospital. We take along proof of her benefits (in her case, she gets income support) and fill in a form to say how many miles we travelled and she gets about 25p (i think) per mile.

Noozan

Jackie, I'm not sure if it's the same for all hospitals but at the ones up here....when you book in for your appointment, you tell them you wish to claim travelling expenses and they fill out a form for you. You then fill in what your entitlement is and take it along to the cashier's office along with a proof of benefit and they pay your expenses.

System

i just ring up my DR surgery and ask them to arrange a medicar ,yes you have to be ready a couple of hrs before hand but its not such a big deal .

jackieb

I was going to take her in whatever. Dad's getting on and although he does drive, he's not so good as he used to be, plus winter's coming in, and I wouldn't want him driving if it's icy. I mean money's the least of our worries right now, but if she's entitled to anything I think she should claim it, as it costs about £15 in petrol for each visit.

Thanks for all your replies.

Errata

Jackie, some hospitals are changing their car park fees and allowing people who are having a course of treatment like your mum free parking. Do speak to the Breast Cancer nurse at the hospital, or the hospital social work department.
If your mum has to have a course of chemo and/or radio therapy she really isn't going to feel up to bus travel to get home afterwards.