Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support with travel costs is available for teenage cancer patients accessing specialist treatment.

The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) provides financial assistance to eligible patients (patients in receipt of a qualifying benefit or through the NHS Low Income Scheme) who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with travel costs incurred in travelling to receive certain NHS services, where their journey meets certain criteria. For eligible patients, travel expenses should be calculated by reference to the cheapest means of transport that is reasonable for the patient.

In addition, the NHS Car Parking Guidance states that parking will be provided free to all outpatients who attend hospital for an appointment at least three times within a month and for an overall period of at least three months.

Help with travel costs through the HTCS is available for teenagers who get or are included in an award of someone getting one of the qualifying benefits or tax credits or are named on the notice of entitlement to the NHS Low Income Scheme (known as a HC2 or HC3 certificate).