How we wish someone had told us the help that might be available for travelling back and forth from hospital every day for weeks.  Instead we spend £10 each way on a taxi (as public transport was out of the question), doubling that on the day that a nurse made a mistake and we had to return, making our travel bill that day £40.

Help is available.

Firstly, ask your hospital for advice.  As soon as a kind friend told us the hospital may have a transport service that was free, we asked, and the hospital arranged for a daily pickup and drop off.  It was as simple as that, but we didn’t know to ask!  That said, being dependent on them means lots of waiting around as your little minibus does the rounds to meet everybody’s needs.  It may not be available or suitable, but it’s definitely worth asking about.

Secondly, see if you’re qualified to claim support on the Health Transport Scheme here.  It’s likely you are if you:

1. •claim income support
   

2. •claim income-based jobseeker's allowance
   

3. •claim income-related employment/support allowance
   

4. •claim guarantee pension credit
   

5. •if your income is (at time of writing) under £15,276 and you get child tax credits, or working tax credits with a disability element