Low-paid NHS workers were hit with more than 70 million in car parking charges last year, new figures from NHS Digital show.
Figures released today [Thursday] show health workers in England forked out a whopping £70,510,110 just to park at work in the financial year 2023/24.
NHS staff in the North West paid out the most at almost £15 million, followed by the North East and Yorkshire with more than £14.5 million, then the Midlands with more than £11 million.
- North West - £14,962,312
- North East and Yorkshire - £14,568,314
- Midlands - £11,348,037
- South East - £10,555,676
- London - £7,563,678
- South West - £6,231,250
- East of England - £5,280,843
The trust which trousered the most was University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, which took more than £3.2 million in parking fees, followed by Birmingham NHS foundation Trust with just over £3 million
A separate survey of almost 2,000 GMB members found a massive 72 per cent of those working in hospital settings had to pay to park at work.
GMB’s NHS pay claim submitted earlier this year calls for NHS staff car parking charges to be scrapped.
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said:
"NHS workers have had their first above inflation pay rise after almost 15 years of cuts.
“They’ve suffered rocketing workloads, chronic understaffing and the fallout from a global pandemic.
“Health workers are on their knees – they need help and support.
“Charging them to park is kicking them while they are down.
“GMB calls on the Government and NHS employers to do the right thing and scrap staff car parking charges.”
