Claiming Expenses for Hospital Outpatient Treatment

Indie_Kid

goffo wrote: »

I'll wait for a reply to this point. I can see it affecting a lot of patients as you can use buses now all over the country for free and should not be claiming for the car as it is more expensive than £0!!

We have no direct bus to one of the major hospitals. Should I not be able to claim expenses then if I go by alternative transport? Bearing in mind I have to walk about a mile or two to the nearest bus stop where I can get a bus to the hospital.

sunnyone

goffo wrote: »

That is a good point! I have a free bus pass, yet because of the changes to different buses and the time waiting around, I find that driving direct to the hospital is best for me.
I do claim mileage (15p per mile) but am now wondering if I should inform the cash office at the hospital that I do have a bus pass and as such I have obtained money illegally in the past as I could have used the bus for nothing.
I'll wait for a reply to this point. I can see it affecting a lot of patients as you can use buses now all over the country for free and should not be claiming for the car as it is more expensive than £0!!

You have been found out as andy so many times and we all know that you drink and drive/drive drugged up so this post as so many of your others are pointless, a bit like you, flo and paula.

Indie_Kid

I spoke to the cash office and got told that unless there's a reason, (letter from GP is needed) they will only pay the cheapest fare. So it looks for me, I'm going to have to get a letter stating that I struggle with public transport in the dark (there's also a main road or two to cross) - apparently, lack of public transport in the evening (they claim this doesn't exist - I do) isn't reason enough to pay for taxis.

MrsManda

sh1305 wrote: »

I spoke to the cash office and got told that unless there's a reason, (letter from GP is needed) they will only pay the cheapest fare. So it looks for me, I'm going to have to get a letter stating that I struggle with public transport in the dark (there's also a main road or two to cross) - apparently, lack of public transport in the evening (they claim this doesn't exist - I do) isn't reason enough to pay for taxis.

This is because too many people abuse the system and just say that they need a taxi. Taxis are the most expensive form of transport available and are not public transport. Usually if you require a taxi due to your health you need to get the referring doctor (in most cases your GP) to write a letter to state you are unable to use public transport. Then the hospital can make a decision as to whether to pay for a taxi for you or arrange hospital transport.

MrsManda

goffo wrote: »

And now back the the point in question, I feel that this is an important one to make. If there aren't any buses that run direct to a hospital, then fine, but I do have them and would imagine that a lot of others do as well. In which case if somebody has a free bus pass and there are buses that go to the hospital, is it fraudalent to claim mileage as obviously that is not the cheapest form of transport - the bus is - free!

This depends on a lot of things, it's the cheapest form of transport for an individual so yes, the bus is often the cheapest as for many people it's free but this is not necessarily the case. For example, in the past I could get to a hospital via bus which would have been free for me. But I need someone to travel with me who doesn't qualify for free bus travel. Given the travel times it would be more expensive to get the bus than to get someone to drive and claim a petrol allowance. I think convenience can come into the decision but has to be weighted against other things.

For example when I had my ATOS appointment I could've got a bus from my house to the centre. Even with someone with me due to the type of ticket we could get it would be cheaper than going via car. However my appointment was at 8:30am which meant I would've had to have been on a bus at 6:30am to get to my appointment on time. We took the car and explained this to the cashier who agreed and paid the allowance.

7roland8

Thanks for your responses.

The public transport issue doesn't come into it for me as we have no buses.

But I think for others if it extended their journey a lot and they're not well anyway i don't think using a car is unreasonable. Often after waiting in hosp for hrs and perhaps havign things done the last thing you'll feel like is waiting for buses!

Tigsteroonie

Interesting that some of you are only being awarded the public transport costs. On public transport, we would have to pay £2.50 ... We claim petrol (based on mileage) and car parking, which is a total of £3.78. It's never been questioned.

Indie_Kid

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Interesting that some of you are only being awarded the public transport costs. On public transport, we would have to pay £2.50 ... We claim petrol (based on mileage) and car parking, which is a total of £3.78. It's never been questioned.

On my local NHS trust website, some people (such as cancer patients, parents of children using certain services within the NHS, etc) can claim for petrol and it isn't questioned - yet, the rest of us can only claim for the cheapest transport.

paddedjohn

If you receive dla can you still claim travel expenses?

Indie_Kid

goffo wrote: »

Probably because you have not been totally honest with the hospital and told them that they are paying you MORE than what the bus fare would be?

Try it and see what the answer is.

For those that have free bus passes, I presume that no matter how you got there, you wouldn't be paid anything - that's if you are honest enough to tell them that you have such a pass!!

Sounds to me that some people are making money over and above what they should be getting. No wonder the NHS is in the state it is with these bogus claims being paid out!!!!

They know what the fare is. I was told that if I didn't have my bus pass, I would have to get a £3.30 day rider.

On the ticket, it does say what type you purchased and how much it cost - that's the amount they'll pay.

If you receive dla can you still claim travel expenses?

yes