A STAGGERING £254million was forked out for car parking charges at hospitals in 2018/19.

Latest figures show that is an increase of ten per cent on last year – but who and where charges what?

Do NHS hospitals charge for car parking?

NHS acute hospital sites in England charge for parking.

A total of 95% of inpatient admissions, 81% of inpatient bed days and 88% of outpatient attendances are at acute hospitals.

So if you’re parking at an NHS site, the chances are you’re parking at an acute hospital, which means you have to pay.

How much do hospitals charge for car parking?

The average cost to park for a week at a hospital in England is around £53.

Hourly rates can range from anywhere between £1 and £4 depending what hospital you are at.

Here is a list of the most expensive hourly rates across the NHS in England:

• North Tees and Hartlepool – £4
• The Royal Orthopaedic – £3.80
• Liverpool Women's Hospital – £3.60
• Hereford County Hospital – £3.50
• North Bristol NHS Trust – £3.50
• Ashford and St Peter's – $3.50

Where is hospital parking free?

England and Northern Ireland currently charge for parking across their hospital sites.

Hospitals in Scotland and Wales largely do not charge visitors to park at their sites although there are a few exceptions for hospitals with private car parks.

NHS staff in England and Scotland controversially charge their doctors and nurses to park at work.

Each NHS organisation currently sets its own parking fee amounts for staff and patients.

When were hospital car parking charges introduced?

NHS parking charges have been in place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the last two decades.

But last year parking at all NHS hospitals in Wales became free a decade after the Welsh Government first announced the policy.

Hospitals in Northern Ireland and England still charge for parking, although there was a bid to axe them across England in 2010.

Fees were scrapped for hospitals in Scotland in 2009 but some NHS sites still charge for privately-run car parks.

Could car parking charges be scrapped?

In short, it is unlikely to happen for everyone but the Tories have pledged to make parking free for those in greatest need, including the disabled, parents of sick children staying overnight and staff working nights.

Labour says it will scrap hospital parking charges altogether.

Campaigners have also slammed the “rip-off” fees as a tax “for being ill” and called for their axing as it emerged some visitors are paying more than £100 a time.

Overall, hospitals took £254,373,068 in 2018/19 in parking fees, up from £232,236,216 the year before.

Nearly nine in ten patients and visitors said charges added to the stress of a hospital visit.

Many often struggled to find spaces, found a lack of disabled parking and meters that did not work.

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