Hospital Parking Charges Will End By May 2029

Hospital Parking Charges Bill passes into law after securing Royal Assent

The Hospital Parking Charges Bill has passed into law, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced.

The legislation defers the abolition of hospital parking charges as provided for in the Hospital Parking Charges Act 2022.

The Bill was introduced as a result of the severe financial pressures facing the health and social care system and to ensure the prioritisation of funding for frontline services.

The Bill enables the Department, by regulations, to set a new date for the 2022 Act to come into operation and for hospital parking charges to be abolished. The date specified must be no later than 12th May 2029, and potentially sooner if the financial circumstances allow.

Any such regulations would require approval by the Assembly before coming into force.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Removing hospital parking charges would have stripped £7M from our Health & Social Care system at a time of severe budgetary constraints. It would simply have been unaffordable.

“Such a loss in the current financial environment would have resulted in reductions elsewhere, directly affecting services provided to patients and families.

“This legislation therefore protects frontline services from that immediate and unmanaged loss of income.

“The Bill allows for a deferral of a maximum of three years, and no later than May 2029. Importantly, if financial sustainability is achieved sooner than expected, the legislation provides for the 2022 Act to come into operation at an earlier date.”