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Hospital and benefits - Help with the cost of travel to hospital

When you or someone in your family go into or come out of hospital, the benefits you get may change.

• Help with the cost of travel to hospital

If you have to visit hospital to go to outpatient appointments or have treatment, you may be able to get help with your travel costs. If you need to have a friend or family member come with you to appointments, you might be able to get help with their travel costs too.

You can use the NHS website’s checking service to see if you can get help with your travel costs.

If you can get help with your travel costs, you will need to apply to your hospital’s scheme.

• https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/information-for-your-situation/hospital-and-benefits/help-with-the-cost-of-travel-to-hospital

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• Universal Credit
• Universal Credit for the self-employed
• Department for Work & Pensions

Business expenses you can report to Universal Credit if you are self-employed

Updated 9 April 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-self-employment-quick-guide/business-expenses-you-can-report-to-universal-credit-if-you-are-self-employed

How to report your income and expenses to Universal Credit

Find out how to report your income and expenses to Universal Credit .

Car, van and travel expenses

Cars and minicabs.

You can claim expenses for using a car or minicab for business travel if the vehicle is not specially adapted for business use. If you do claim these expenses you must use simplified expenses (a flat rate).

You cannot claim expenses for the purchase, lease or acquisition of a car or minicab if the vehicle is not specially adapted for business use. But you can claim for costs that are not a direct result of the purchase or use of the vehicle, for example:

• minicab radio hire charges if they’re separate from vehicle hire costs
• fees for business-specific licences such as the licence to drive a minicab

You can claim these actual costs in addition to any simplified expenses.

Other vehicles like vans, motorcycles, black cabs

You can claim expenses for other vehicles like a motorbike, a scooter or a vehicle that is specially adapted for business use (such as a van, black cab or driving instructor dual-control car).

To claim expenses, you can choose to use simplified expenses or actual costs.

Using simplified expenses (a flat rate) for car, vehicle and travel expenses

Simplified expenses are a way of calculating some of your business expenses using flat rates instead of working out your actual business costs.

Use your online account to report how many miles you travelled for business that month.

We will use a flat rate to calculate your costs:

For a car, van or other motor vehicle the flat rate is:

• 45 pence per mile for the first 833 miles
• 25 pence per mile for every mile over 833 miles

For motorbikes or scooters the flat rate is 24 pence per mile.

If you use the flat rate to record your car, vehicle or travel expenses this includes all costs relating to your car, vehicle or travel for the month. You cannot claim expenses for any actual costs, for example costs such as fuel, servicing, repairs, vehicle insurance, road tax and MOT. These costs are included in the flat rate.

Other business travel

You can claim costs for business travel, including:

• public transport, for example train or bus fares
• hotel rooms
• meals during overnight stays
• parking, tolls and congestion fees
• travel between home and the site, if you’re a sub-contractor who works at 2 or more sites during a year

You cannot claim costs for:

• commuting (travel between your home and your normal place of business)
• personal or non-business travel costs
• penalties, such as parking fines

Place of business

Your ‘places of business’ are the places where you do your work.

You can claim running costs for these, including:

• rent of a business premises, such as an office or warehouse
• utility bills, for example water and electricity
• business rates or council tax
• property insurance
• security and cleaning
• repairs and maintenance
• purchase, repair and maintenance of business equipment, for example computers or printers

You cannot claim business expenses for:

• buying places of business
• any non-business use of business equipment

Using your home for business

You can claim business expenses for using part of your home for your self-employed work.

This might be for:

• providing services to a customer, for example as a hairdresser or an artist
• essential business administration, for example filing invoices, recording payments or stock taking
• other business activities, for example sales and marketing activities

You cannot claim business expenses for using your home for:

• completing tax returns for HMRC
• self-reporting your earnings for Universal Credit
• being on call
• being available to carry out work

To claim business expenses for using part of your home for your self-employed work, you can either:

• calculate your actual business costs, or
• use simplified expenses (a flat rate) if you’ve worked more than 25 hours a month from home

How to calculate your actual business costs if you work from home

You need to find a reasonable method of dividing your costs, for example by the number of rooms you use for business or the amount of time you spend working from home.

You may be able to claim a proportion of your costs as business expenses for things like:

• electricity
• internet and telephone use

If you have 4 rooms in your home, one of which you use only as an office.

Your electricity bill for the month is £100.

Assuming all the rooms in your home use equal amounts of electricity, £25 of this would be for the office (£100 divided by 4).

For each day you work from home in the month, you could claim £0.83 as an allowable expense (£25 divided by 30).

How to use simplified expenses (a flat rate) for using your home for your self-employed work

To use simplified expenses, tell us how many hours you used your home for business purposes. We will use a flat rate to calculate your expenses.

This means that you do not have to work out the proportion of personal and business use for your home. For example, how much of your utility bills are for your self-employed work.

If you use simplified expenses, you cannot also claim for actual costs.

You can only use simplified expenses if you work for 25 hours or more a month from home. If you work less than 25 hours you must work out actual costs.

If you work 40 hours from home in a month, you should report £10.

Living at your place of business

If you live in a building primarily used for your business, such as a pub or B&B, you can claim expenses for some of the running costs.

You can either:

• use simplified expenses, or
• calculate your actual business costs

To use simplified expenses, calculate your total running costs and subtract:

Tax, National Insurance and pension

You can claim business expense costs of any:

• income tax paid to HMRC on your self-employed earnings
• VAT paid to HMRC, if you report VAT-inclusive earnings
• Class 2 or Class 4 National Insurance contributions
• contributions paid into a registered pension scheme

These must be payments you actually made during the monthly reporting period, not estimates.

Legal and financial costs

You can claim business expenses for legal and financial work done for your business.

This includes:

• business loan interest (up to a maximum of £41 each month)
• accounting fees
• bank charges
• your share of the expenses, if you’re in a business partnership
• expenses from a company that you own or have control over, for example where you are a director

You cannot claim the costs for any capital repayments on a business loan.

Office and equipment costs

You can claim business expenses for office and equipment costs.

• phone, mobile and internet bills
• stationery and postage
• printing, including printer ink and cartridges
• computer software
• equipment or tools, including purchase, hire or repair
• any other office or equipment costs that are necessary and appropriate to your business

Staff expenses

You can claim business expenses for:

• staff and employee wages (including your salary if you pay yourself using PAYE)
• subcontractor costs
• employer’s pension scheme contributions
• employer’s National Insurance contributions
• bonuses and benefits
• agency fees
• training courses related to your business

You cannot claim the costs of:

• carers or domestic help, for example nannies or gardeners
• wages paid to a business partner

Goods and materials

You can claim business expenses for goods and materials.

• stock and goods for resale
• raw materials
• direct costs from producing goods
• any other goods and materials costs that are necessary and appropriate to your business

Payment in kind

You can claim business expenses for the monetary value of any work your business did as ‘payment in kind’ for goods or services. Payment in kind is when you pay using a good or service instead of cash.

Clothing costs

You can claim business expenses for work clothing.

• protective clothing needed for your work
• costumes, for example for actors or entertainers

You cannot claim the costs of normal clothing, even if you wear it for work.

Marketing and advertising

You can claim expenses for growing your business.

• advertising and marketing
• free samples
• website costs

Professional subscriptions

You can claim business expenses for professional subscriptions if they are related to your business.

• subscriptions to trade or professional journals
• trade body or professional organisation membership

Training courses

You can claim expenses for training that helps you improve the skills and knowledge you use in your business (for example, refresher courses).

The training courses must be related to your business.

You cannot claim for training courses that help you:

• start a new business
• expand into new areas of business, including anything related to your current business

Entertainment

You cannot claim business expenses for event hospitality or entertaining clients, suppliers or customers.

Reselling goods

You can claim business expenses for:

• goods for resale (stock)

You cannot claim for:

• any goods or materials bought for private use
• depreciation of equipment

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Help with travel costs and ULEZ

If you're referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).

Who can claim for help with travel costs?

To qualify for help with travel costs under the HTCS, you must meet 3 conditions:

• At the time of your appointment, you or your partner (including civil partners) must receive one of the qualifying benefits or allowances listed on this page, or meet the eligibility criteria for the  NHS Low Income Scheme .
• You must have a referral from a healthcare professional to a specialist or a hospital for further NHS treatment or tests (often referred to as secondary care).
• Your appointment must be on a separate visit to when the referral was made. This applies whether your treatment is provided at a different location (hospital or clinic) or on the same premises as where the GP or another health professional issued the referral.

What are the qualifying benefits and allowances?

You can claim help with travel costs if you or your partner (including civil partner) receive any of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Working Tax Credit (WTC) with Child Tax Credit (CTC)
• WTC with a disability element or a severe disability element
• CTC but you're not eligible for WTC
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• you receive  Universal Credit  and meet the criteria

You can also claim for help with travel costs if:

• you're named on, or entitled to, an NHS tax credit exemption certificate (if you do not have a certificate, you can show your award notice) – you qualify if you get child tax credits, working tax credits with a disability element (or both), and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less
• you have a low income and are named on certificate HC2 (full help) or HC3 (limited help) – to apply for this certificate, you should complete the  HC1 form: claim for help with health costs (PDF, 218kb) , which is available from your local hospital, Jobcentre Plus offices or the NHS print contract order line on 0300 123 0849

Patients who are not in receipt of a qualifying benefit, but are on a low income, and whose savings are £16,000 or less (or £23,250 or less if in a care home, or £24,000 or less if residents in Wales) may be eligible for assistance with their NHS travel expenses.

Find out more about the  NHS Low Income Scheme .

Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge

The Trust is within the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). This means if your vehicle does not meet the ULEZ emissions standards, you will need to pay a daily charge to drive within the ULEZ.

You can find out more, including whether your vehicle meets ULEZ standards,  on the TfL website .

As an NHS patient, you may be able to claim a reimbursement for the ULEZ charge if you are clinically assessed as unable to travel to and from an appointment on public transport  and :

• Have a compromised immune system, or
• Require regular therapy or assessments, or
• Need regular surgical intervention.

If you believe that you meet the above criteria, mention this at the reception desk when you book in for your appointment.

If you use an automated check in for your appointment, please mention it to the clinician at the start of your appointment.

They will then carry out your assessment using our ULEZ patient claim form . Printed copies of this form will also be available.

Find out more about ULEZ claims

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Help with travel costs

Eligibility.

You are entitled to claim for travel costs for NHS appointments or treatment if you receive any of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Guaranteed Pension Credit
• Tax Credits with an exemption certificate
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Low Income Scheme HC2 or HC3 certificates
• Universal Credit and meet the criteria

Travel costs for visiting other people in hospital cannot be paid.

How to claim

Expenses can be claimed from:

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham – Cashier’s Office along the outpatients corridor on Level 0
• Heartlands Hospital – main reception at the main entrance
• Good Hope Hospital – reception area at the Treatment Centre
• Solihull Hospital – Cashier's Office near the main reception

Payment cannot be made without the relevant documentation:

• proof of appointment
• proof you are in receipt of an eligible benefit
• bus, train or car park tickets

Patients travelling on public transport will be reimbursed for the cheapest form of public transport (including any promotional or concessionary fares). Patients travelling by private car may claim mileage allowance and car parking charges or equivalent public transport costs (whichever is lower).

Taxi fares cannot be paid unless there is no other way you can travel for all or part of the journey or if your consultant agrees in writing that you cannot travel by public transport because of your medical condition.

If your consultant considers it a medical necessity for an escort to accompany you, the escort’s travel costs will be paid on the basis of your eligibility and not that of the escort. A letter from your consultant or GP will be required.

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Last reviewed: 20 March 2024

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Hospital Travel Costs

You may be entitled to help with necessary travel costs to and from hospital if you receive NHS treatment under the care of a consultant and have a low income or receive certain benefits or credits. 

For more details download the NHS Scotland leaflet HCS1  – A quick guide to help with health costs. Or you can call the NHS Helpline on 0800 224488 (Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 6.00pm).

For help to plan your travel to the hospital please call Traveline on 0871 200 2233 or visit:  www.travelinescotland.com

Travel Costs

Patients can claim their travel costs if they receive, Income support, Universal Credit, Income related Employment & Support Allowance, Income based Jobseekers Allowance, Guaranteed Pension Credit, named on a valid NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate, named on a valid NHS Exemption Certificate (HC2) or Asylum Registration Card.

Claiming travel costs

• Patients must bring proof of entitlement dated within 3 months of the appointment, (or most recent appropriate letter)
• The tickets for all your journeys will be required as evidence
• We can reimburse a mileage rate for patients using their car
• In some cases the travelling costs of an escort can be claimed
• We will not reimburse taxi fares
• Only the cheapest form of transport can be paid
• All patients travelling from the Highlands & Islands are entitled to claim some or all of their travel costs.

Further information

• If you are an inpatients , please ask your nurse for further information
• If you are an outpatients , please ask staff for further information or directions to the cash office.

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Get help with NHS travel costs

Find out whether you are entitled to help with NHS travel costs to see a consultant.

• Get help with the cost of living and
• Help with health costs (Sub-topic)

Help with travel costs

If you need to travel to receive NHS treatment under the care of a consultant, you may be entitled to help with necessary travel costs.

You may be eligible for help if:

• you are getting certain benefits
• you have a low income 
• you are 16 or over but under 20 and are counted as a dependant of someone getting certain benefits
• you are 16 or over and not a dependant of a person who gets benefits or credits. In this case you can make your own claim, even if you live with your parents. Read  Low Income Scheme

If the patient is a child under 16, it is their parent's income that counts. 

If you are not sure what travel costs you can get help with, ask the hospital before you travel.

You will be expected to travel by the cheapest means of transport which is reasonable for you to use.

If in the opinion of your consultant, you need someone to travel with you, your companion's travel costs are added to your travel costs. It will be your income that counts.

Claim a refund for travel costs to and from hospital for NHS treatment

Usually, an NHS hospital will give you your refund when you go for treatment. If this is not possible complete the  HC5W(T) refund claim form . The form tells you what to do.

Get help with the cost of travelling to NHS treatment abroad

You may be able to get help with the cost of travel from home to the international rail terminal, port or airport where you leave Great Britain (GB). The arrangements are the same as if you were travelling from home to hospital treatment.

Regardless of your income, you can get help with the cost of return travel from the point where you leave GB to where you are going to be treated. Your method (e.g. air or rail) and cost of travel must be agreed  before  you travel. You should ask the person arranging your treatment about this. If a companion is medically necessary, you should ask about help with their travel costs. 

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Help with health costs for people getting Universal Credit

If you receive Universal Credit, you may also qualify for help with health costs .

Find out about Universal Credit from GOV.UK .

Eligibility criteria

You qualify for help with health costs if, on the date you claim, you either:

• receive Universal Credit and either had no earnings or had net earnings of £435 or less in your last Universal Credit assessment period
• receive Universal Credit, which includes an element for a child, or you (or your partner) had limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA), and you either had no earnings or net earnings of £935 or less in your last Universal Credit assessment period

If you're part of a couple, the net earnings threshold applies to your combined net earnings.

You should present a copy of your Universal Credit award notice to prove your entitlement. You'll need to have met the eligibility criteria in the last completed Universal Credit assessment period before your health costs arose. The NHS Business Services Authority provides an online eligibility checker .

Visit the GOV.UK website for more information about the Universal Credit assessment period .

Not all help with health costs claim forms have a tick box for Universal Credit. If that's the case, you should tick the box for income-based Jobseeker's Allowance instead.

Find out more about what you should do before making a health claim

Unsure if you meet the eligibility criteria?

You should pay for any health costs if you're unsure whether you meet the eligibility criteria. You can claim a refund once you're able to confirm your entitlement.

This might be the case because:

• your Universal Credit claim is still being assessed
• you're waiting for a decision about your Universal Credit claim that might change the threshold that applies to you
• you're uncertain whether your earnings are within the threshold

You need to have met the eligibility criteria either in the Universal Credit period before you paid, or in the same assessment period in which you paid, to qualify for a refund.

Make sure you ask for and keep receipts. If you pay for a prescription, you must get a receipt and refund form (FP57) at the time you pay, as you will not be able to get one later.

Follow the NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) on Facebook or Twitter for the latest NHS BSA updates and answers to your questions about help with health costs.

Important numbers

Dental services helpline – 0300 330 1348

NHS Low Income Scheme helpline – 0300 330 1343

Prescription services helpline – 0300 330 1349

Queries about medical exemption certificates – 0300 330 1341

Queries about prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) – 0300 330 1341

Queries about tax credit exemption certificates – 0300 330 1347

Call 0300 330 1343 for all other queries

Page last reviewed: 6 June 2023 Next review due: 6 June 2026

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If you want to claim Universal Credit with a limited capability for work element, you will need to go for a Work Capability Assessment. We explain how to prepare for your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) use the Work Capability Assessment to decide if you can claim Universal Credit with a limited capability for work element. Find out more about applying for Universal Credit with a mental health condition .

After you have completed your UC50 form - the health questionnaire - most people will have to go to a medical assessment. The service will send you a letter telling you the date, time and location of your assessment.

The Work Capability Assessment is held at an assessment centre and run by the Health Assessment Advisory Service. A healthcare professional, usually a doctor or a nurse, will conduct your assessment by asking you questions about your day-to-day life and anything they want you to explain further.

You must attend your assessment. If you don't go, the DWP will assume you're fit for work. If you need to rearrange your assessment because you're unwell, make sure you call the Health Assessment Advisory Service before your appointment.

Limited capability for work-related activity assessment

As part of your Work Capability assessment, the DWP will assess if you have limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA).

If the DWP, agree that you meet one or more of the criteria below you will be placed in the limited capability for work-related activity group for Universal Credit.

Making arrangements for your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment

Before you attend your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment, you should check with the Health Assessment Advisory Service that the centre you're going to has got everything you require to feel comfortable. If it hasn't, you can ask them to make adjustments. For example:

• The healthcare professional to be a specialist in mental health.
• Ask for any adjustments that would make the assessment less stressful. For example:
• You can request an open room if you struggle in confined spaces.
• You can ask for an interpreter or signer if you need one.
• You can ask for the assessor to be the same gender as you.
• You can ask if you can make an audio recording of the assessment.

To ask for an adjustment, phone the Health Assessment Advisory Service in advance using the number on your appointment letter.

Can I have my Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment at home if I find it difficult to travel?

If your mental health condition makes it difficult or impossible for you to travel to your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment, you can request for the assessment to take place at your home.

You must contact the Health Assessment Advisory Service before your appointment, and you should mention on your health questionnaire that you would need a home assessment.

You will need to provide evidence from your healthcare professional such as a Doctor, or Community Psychiatric Nurse to explain why you are unable to travel to an Assessment Centre.

A healthcare professional will consider this information, and they will decide if you need a home visit.

Can I take someone with me to the assessment?

If you would feel more comfortable, you can take someone with you to support you at your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment - this could be a friend, relative, carer or Social Worker.

This can also help as they might be able to give further information to the assessor about how your condition affects your day-to-day.

Can I record my Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment?

You do not have a legal right to record your assessment, and the DWP does not have to provide recording equipment.

If you want to record your interview, you must request an audio recording before the assessment takes place and as soon as possible after you have received your appointment.

You can take your recording equipment as long as it meets certain conditions:

• The recording must be on CD or tape only, so you cannot use laptops, smartphones, tablets or MP3 players.
• The equipment must be able to provide two copies of the recording at the end of the assessment.
• One copy must be given to the healthcare professional at the end of the assessment.
• You must complete a consent form.

Making notes about what you want to say to the advisor will help you prepare for your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment and reduce your stress on the day. You should make notes on the following:

• Think about how your mental health condition affects you - particularly on bad days. For example, on a bad day, you can't get out of bed because you are depressed.
• Make a note of the tasks you have difficulty with, or can't do at all - for example, socialising, or visiting crowded places, or being in confined spaces.

You can use the answers you put on the health questionnaire as a starting point as this way, if you feel that the assessor does not ask you relevant questions, you can make sure you tell them how your illness affects you.

When you have a mental health condition, there isn't always a 'normal day' so you will need to explain how your condition can change day-to-day.

You should keep a diary a week before the assessment to show this and write down your mood, motivation level, or which everyday tasks you have done that week. You can also write down how difficult it was to do those tasks.

Gathering supporting evidence for your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment

You should take copies of any supporting evidence you have provided previously to the DWP, as the assessor may not always have a copy of the supporting evidence that you sent with your health questionnaire. You can ask them to make a copy of the supporting evidence, as this will help them to write their medical report.

What to take with you for your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment

When attending your assessment, you will need to take your passport as a form of personal identification. If you don't have a passport, you will need to take three of the following forms of identification:

• Your birth certificate.
• Your full driving licence.
• A recent bank statement that shows your name and address.
• A gas or electricity bill.

You should take the following to your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment:

• Any pills or medication you take.
• Any aids and appliances that you use.
• A copy of your Work Capability Assessment questionnaire.
• Any supporting evidence you have.
• A day-to-day diary of your life to highlight your condition.
• Any notes you have made before the assessment that you would like to mention.

Claiming back travel expenses for a Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment?

You can receive travel expenses back after you attend your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment.

To receive travel expenses back into your bank account you will need to bring all details with you to the assessment (tickets, receipts, your bank details etc.), and the receptionist will help you fill in the claim form.

If you plan to travel by taxi, you must get the assessment centre to agree to this before your assessment.

If you plan to travel by car, you can claim back the cost of parking and a price per mile (e.g. 25p per mile) to help towards fuel.

You can also claim back the fares of anyone who needs to come with you for support by letting the Health Assessment Advisory Service know.

What happens at your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment?

When you go to your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment, an independent healthcare professional will assess how your mental illness or disability affects your ability to work.

They will use the information provided in your Work Capability Assessment questionnaire, any supporting evidence you have provided and make opinions based on what you have said or done on the assessment day.

The assessor will ask you some questions about your health, what you have put in your questionnaire but they might also ask you some general questions such as:

• How did you get here today?
• What do you do on a typical day?
• When was your last job?
• What conditions do you have and what treatment do you get?
• How do you sleep?
• Do you have any hobbies or interests?
• What do you do to socialise?
• Do you have a mobile or smart device? e.g. mobile phone, smartphone, tablet

They may also ask you to do some physical tasks during the assessment. The assessor might also similarly examine you like a doctor would.

Tips for attending your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment with a mental health condition

Attending a Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment can be a scary prospect. However, we have listed several tips so you can prepare the best way you can:

• Take your time when answering the assessor's questions as it's essential to tell them how your mental health affects you.
• Try to give detailed examples rather than yes and no to any questions. For instance, they might ask you if you can use a telephone – at first, you may think you can use a phone easily, but maybe your anxiety stops you from using it some days, or you are paranoid about who is calling.
• Make sure you explain everything you can that's relevant to your mental health condition or disability, even if it's already on your questionnaire.

There are also several things you shouldn't do at your assessment:

• Lie about your condition.
• Feel you have to do anything you usually can't do.
• Expect the assessor to help you get the result you want - they're there to ask questions and give an independent assessment to the DWP.

After your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment

If you haven't requested to record your assessment, you should make some notes - this can be helpful if you disagree with the decision the DWP makes - once the assessment has finished:

• How long was your assessment?
• What questions did they ask you?
• What were your answers?

Remember the assessor doesn't decide if you can claim Universal Credit with a limited capability for work - they make a recommendation to the DWP.

You should ask for a copy of your assessment from the DWP office that is assessing your claim - the phone number to contact will be on any of the forms for your Universal Credit claim.

After your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment, a DWP decision-maker will look at your claim, and make a decision based on your:

• Universal Credit application.
• Work Capability Assessment questionnaire.
• Work Capability Assessment report.
• Any supporting evidence.

The DWP will then send you a letter once they've made their decision, explaining why you will or won't get a Universal Credit limited capability for work element.

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Supporting patients, carers and relatives with travel costs

Information about travel costs as for some patients, carers and relatives travel is essential in order to receive care and treatment and support a patient’s care plan. We are a large organisation, spread across a wide geographical area and travel may be lengthy, costly or there may be poor access to public transport. This can widen health inequalities and potentially have serious consequences for the health of patients. Therefore, the Trust is committed to supporting patients, carers and relatives travel as part of an overall package of care.

This leaflet may not be reproduced in whole or in part, without the permission of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Supporting patients, carers and relative with travel costs (16kB)

Supporting patients, carers and relatives with travelling including payment of expenses

For some patients, carers and relatives travel is essential in order to receive care and treatment and support a patient’s care plan.

We are a large organisation, spread across a wide geographical area and travel may be lengthy, costly or there may be poor access to public transport. This can widen health inequalities and potentially have serious consequences for the health of patients. Therefore, the Trust is committed to supporting patients, carers and relatives travel as part of an overall package of care.

* A carer is someone who looks after another person, usually a family member or friend, who could not manage without their support due to illness, disability, mental health problems or an addiction.

Who can claim?

To qualify for help with travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, you must meet the following conditions:

At the time of your appointment, you or your partner (including civil partners) must be receiving one of the qualifying benefits, or named on a NHS Low Income Scheme Certificate HC2 or HC3 eligibility criteria of the NHS Low Income Scheme. You can apply for the scheme as long as your savings, investments or property (not counting the place where you live) don’t exceed the capital limit. In England, the limit is: • £23,550 for people who live permanently in a care home • £16,000 for everyone else

Your journey must be undertaken to receive services under the NHS Act 2006 eg a hospital or clinic visit, this does not include a visit to see a GP or dentist.

Where deemed necessary by your Consultant, GP or other health care professional, the travelling expenses of someone to escort you may also be claimed as part of your travelling expenses.

Additionally, if you are a child under 16 attending an appointment the travel costs of your parent or guardian escorting you may be paid. In both cases payments are made on the basis of your eligibility for the scheme irrespective of the eligibility of the person coming with you.

Before we can process your claim we need to see the following: • Proof of eligible benefit e.g. letter from DWP stating benefit entitlement. If you contact your local Jobcentre Plus they will provide this letter for you • NHS Low Income Scheme Certificate HC2 or HC3 • Appointment card/letter • Receipts (as applicable)

If you do not have the necessary proof with you, a postal claim may be made using an HC5 claim form. These are available from the Cashiers Office or from your local Jobcentre Plus.

Where appropriate and reasonable advance payments can be paid to patients who may not have access to the monies to travel to their healthcare appointment. Retrospective claims will be paid up to three months after the date of treatment.

Qualifying benefits

• Income Support (IS) • Income Based Employment and support allowance (ESA (IB)) • Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA (IB)) • Working Tax Credit (WTC) • Child Tax Credit (CTC) • Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit • Universal Credit (UC) – Net earnings less than £435

Patients may be able to claim a refund under the ‘Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme’ (HTCS) of the cost of travelling to hospital or other NHS premises for NHS-funded treatment or NHS appointments arranged by a doctor.

Carers and relatives

The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme does not include carers or relatives travel costs to visit patients in hospital. However, the Trust recognises that carers and relatives support is an important part of a patient’s care plan.

You should be asked about your travel needs as part of the ‘Getting to know you’ process within 72 hours of an individual’s admission and travel solutions may be agreed and supported where necessary.

Travel solutions should always be offered to carers and relatives in any of the following circumstances: • When a carer or relative is not able to use a car to visit.

• When the public transport journey is longer than 45 minutes (door to door) or the complexity of the travel arrangements mean that the time spent on travelling is longer than 45 minutes.

• When a carer or relative have individual access requirements which make their journey more difficult (e.g. elderly carers/ relatives, young carers/relative, those with disabilities or health difficulties, those with young children).

• Where the patient is located in comparison to carer’s or relative’s home address.

How you travel

By car: We pay fixed rates of reimbursement by mileage. A refund on the car parking receipt is given. Please note that if you are not eligible for reimbursement of travel costs you may still be eligible for discounted car parking. By public transport: The costs of fares associated with travelling to hospital will be refunded (you will need to keep your travel receipts). By taxi: The cost of taxis will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Claiming your travelling expenses

Claims can be made from: • The service you are attending – this may be by cash or cheque, or directly into your bank account. • The Cashiers or General Offices – staff will tell you where these are located.

Information about content, other formats and version control

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre 2023 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Ref, PIC/743/0623 June 2023 V5 www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288 Review date 2024

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Help with health costs (HCS1): information booklet - August 2021

Information booklet (HCS1) providing advice on what help a person may be entitled to for NHS charges.

Travel Costs (to hospital for NHS treatment)

You can get help with necessary travel costs (including travel costs for your dependent children) if you:

• Income Support;
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) paid on its own or with contribution-based ESA :
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance ( JSA ) paid on its own or with contribution-based JSA ;
• Universal Credit;
• and had no earnings or net earnings (take-home pay) of £435 or less during the most recent assessment period; or
• which includes an element for a child and/or limited capability for work or limited capability for work related activity, and had no earnings (take-home pay) or net earnings of £935 or less during the most recent assessment period;
• are entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate;
• are named on a valid HC2 certificate for full help under the NHS Low Income Scheme;
• are a war pensioner and the hospital treatment is for your pensionable disablement.

Note: contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance or contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance on their own do not entitle you to help with travel costs.

• For children under 16 and those aged 16 to 18.

Partial help:

• if you are named on a valid HC3 certificate you might get some help with travel costs.

Email: [email protected]

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Going to your Universal Credit interview

This advice applies to England. See advice for See advice for Northern Ireland , See advice for Scotland , See advice for Wales

The last step of applying for Universal Credit is to have an interview with your 'work coach' - the person you'll meet regularly as part of your claim. Before then you’ll need to set up a Universal Credit account .

After you’ve set up your Universal Credit account, you’ll need to fill in the application form .

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)  will tell you if your interview will be at the Jobcentre or over the phone - check your online account for messages. Your work coach will check your details and ask you to agree your ‘claimant commitment’ - this sets out what tasks you'll do regularly to get Universal Credit.

If you couldn’t use the government's online system to prove your identity, you’ll have to answer more questions at your interview to prove your identity.

Book your interview

After you’ve applied online, you’ll need to book an interview at your local Jobcentre. You’ll need to book it within a month. If you don’t arrange the interview within a month you might have to start your application for Universal Credit again.

To book your interview, you'll first need to check the ‘to-do list’ section of your Universal Credit account. There will be an item on there called ‘prepare for your appointment.’  

You’ll need to choose which documents you’ll bring to your interview. Select ‘I do not have any of these’ if you don’t have anything. This will mean you’ll need to answer some more questions at your interview. 

The DWP might phone you to book your interview. If they don’t phone you, you’ll need to phone them within a month. You’ll see the phone number you need to book your interview after you’ve chosen which evidence you’ll take with you.

If you can’t find a phone number or you can't go to your interview, call the Universal Credit helpline. You’ll need your National Insurance number when you call. You can find your National Insurance number on a:

letter from HMRC

letter from the DWP

Universal Credit helpline

Telephone: 0800 328 5644

Telephone (Welsh language): 0800 328 1744

Textphone: 0800 328 1344

Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 328 5644

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it.  Find out how to use Relay UK  on the Relay UK website.

Video relay  - if you use British Sign Language (BSL).

You can  find out how to use video relay  on YouTube.

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

Tell the person you speak to if you’ve had problems proving your identity online. They’ll tell you what you’ll need to take with you.

Getting a call about your claim

When you apply for Universal Credit, the DWP might call you about your application - they’ll use a withheld, 0800 or private number. If they're planning to call you, they'll send you a message on your online account.

The DWP will let you know it’s them by mentioning your postcode and part of your Universal Credit account number during the call. Ask for these things if they’re not mentioned and hang up if you don’t get them - it might be a scam call.

Check your online account

Log in to your account to check the details of your interview. They’ll be under the section called your ‘to-do list’.

Whenever you complete something on your to-do list, you’ll be able to find it under the section called ‘journal’. This is so you have a record of what you’ve done.

You can use your journal to:

contact the DWP and your work coach

add and upload evidence such as information on your health or childcare costs

You should check your journal regularly so you don’t miss any messages from the DWP or your work coach. Try to answer any messages from your work coach as soon as possible.

If you'll find it difficult to go to your interview because you're ill or disabled

You should call the Universal Credit helpline.

You can ask the Jobcentre to change things to make it easier for you - this is called a ‘reasonable adjustment’. For example, you can ask them:

to move your interview to a place you can get to more easily

for a British Sign Language interpreter 

to have a phone interview 

If the Jobcentre won’t make changes for your illness or disability, check if they’ve failed to make a ‘reasonable adjustment’.

If they still won’t do anything, you might be able to take action about discrimination .

If you need to cancel your interview

Call the Universal Credit helpline straight away if you can't get to your interview.

You should be able to rearrange your interview if you have a good reason. For example - you're ill on the day, you need to do an urgent repair in your home or your children are ill. You usually won’t have to wait more than a week for another interview - you can arrange this when you call. 

If you miss your interview without telling the Jobcentre, they might close your claim. This means you'll have to start your application again and your first payment might be delayed. 

It’s best to call from the phone number you gave the DWP when you set up your Universal Credit account. You'll have a shorter wait and might be put through to the same person who handled previous calls you've made.

Try to give as much notice as possible, but it’s OK if you have to call on the day of your interview.

Make a note online in your journal after you’ve called the helpline. Write down what you agreed so you can refer to it later.

If you miss your interview without telling the Jobcentre, your claim might be closed. This means you'll have to start your application again and your first payment might be delayed. 

If you want to take a friend or relative with you

You can take a friend or relative with you to your interview if you need support.

Tell the DWP before your interview and explain your reasons. They have to let you take someone with you.

You can contact the DWP on your Universal Credit journal. If you have problems doing this, call the Universal Credit helpline:

Gather everything you need for your interview

You'll have to take documents that prove you gave the right details in your online application. Take any documents which you said you'd take with you as well as anything else that helps prove your identity.

You won't get your first Universal Credit payment until you've brought all the documents with you.

Check what you need to take with you

It’s important to have the right evidence when you meet your work coach. You can use a checklist to remind you what you need to take with you to your interview 70.4 KB .

Don’t worry if you don’t have all the documents you need - you’ll need to answer some more questions at the Jobcentre.

If you don't take all your documents, you'll need to take them to your Jobcentre within 1 month of your interview. 

You can also post the extra documents to the Jobcentre if you can't take them on the day - ask for the address at your interview.

If you don’t have the extra documents, tell your work coach - they might be able to ask you extra questions instead. Your Universal Credit payments won’t start until you’ve submitted everything you can.

If you live with your partner they'll have their own interview. They'll also need to take documents proving their details - even if you've already proved some things, like your address.

If you need help preparing for your interview, you can  talk to an adviser .

Take a photo ID

You’ll need to take at least one photo ID to the Jobcentre. Photo IDs include your:

driving licence

national identity card if you're an EU citizen 

If you don't have any photo ID, the Jobcentre might ask you some extra questions instead. You won’t need to prepare for these but your interview will take longer than normal, so it's better to take ID if you have it.

If you need to buy new ID, you can ask your work coach about using money from the Flexible Support Fund.

Take your housing details

If you rent privately, you’ll need to prove how much rent you pay and what your landlord’s address is - take your rental agreement or a recent rent statement. Your rental agreement might be called a 'tenancy agreement', 'licence agreement' or 'written statement of your occupation contract'.

If you don't have any of these, ask your landlord for a copy of the agreement or for a letter with details of your agreement.

If you rent from your local council or housing association, you don’t need to take evidence of your housing costs to your interview. You’ll have entered details of your housing costs in your online application - the DWP will get in touch with your landlord to check those details are correct.

If you have your own home, you’ll need to provide evidence of your mortgage or loan. This could be a mortgage agreement or bank statements showing the payment of a mortgage.

Take your bank details

You'll need to give details of your bank, building society or credit union account. This could be your bank card or a bank statement. If you don't have any bank statements you can ask your bank for one - you might have to pay a small fee.

If you’ve used a friend or family member’s bank account for your first payment, it’s best to ask your work coach what to do at your appointment.

If you have internet banking you can print a statement from your online account.

Take information about your income and savings

You'll need details of how much you earn from work. You could take recent payslips, or accounts if you're self-employed. If you've left work, take your P45. You should also take evidence of:

any income that’s owed to you, such as pay from working overtime

any details of work you’re going to start

any income that's not from work, like from a pension or insurance plan

any other benefits you're getting, such as benefits letters or a bank statement

any savings you have - and a bank statement to show the details

any other 'capital' you have, like shares or property

If you're self-employed

The DWP need to work out if being self-employed is your main job. You'll need to show:

how much regular work you get from self-employment

how much profit you make

that your work is organised - for example, you have invoices and receipts or accounts

Coronavirus - showing you’re self-employed

You don’t currently have to prove you’re in gainful-self employment - but you might have to prove this from 1 August 2021.

Find out more about getting Universal Credit if you’re self-employed.

To prove being self-employed is your main job, take documents to your interview such as:

your business plan - you can find out how to write a business plan on GOV.UK

proof that you're registered as self-employed with HMRC

Call HMRC to check if you’re registered as self-employed.

Telephone: 0300 123 2326

Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm

Calls to this number can cost up to 9p a minute from a landline, or between 3p and 55p a minute from a mobile - (your phone supplier can tell you how much you’ll pay).

Take as many documents as you can so that the person interviewing you can see that you’re self-employed. If you don’t, you might have to look for other work while you get Universal Credit.

If you have children

You'll need to take:

birth certificates for your children - if you've lost one, you can order a new birth certificate  on GOV.UK, but you'll have to pay a fee for this

evidence of any childcare costs - such as an invoice or a receipt from a nursery or registered childminder

your Child Benefit reference number

You can find your reference number on any letters you have about Child Benefit. The reference number starts with 'CHB' and is made up of 8 numbers and 2 letters - for example: 'CHB12345678 AB'.

Call the Child Benefit Office if you don’t know the reference number.

Child Benefit helpline

Telephone: 0300 200 3100

Telephone (Welsh language): 0300 200 1900

Textphone: 0300 200 3103

Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0300 200 3100

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Outside UK: +44 161 210 3086

Your call is likely to be free of charge if you have a phone deal that includes free calls to landlines - find out more about calling 030 numbers .

If you don't have the right documents

Don’t worry if you don’t have all the documents you need - take as many as you can.

You’ll still be able to claim Universal Credit, but you’ll need to answer a few more questions when you go to the Jobcentre for your interview.

Call the Universal Credit helpline before your interview and explain why you won't be able to bring the right evidence. You might be able to get more time, for example if you need to order new copies of any documents.

Think about what you'll say at the interview

You’ll need to agree what work tasks you need to do in return for Universal Credit - this is called your ‘claimant commitment’. You’ll agree this with your work coach at your interview and sign if you agree.

It’s important to be as open and honest as possible about your situation so your work coach understands what you can and can’t do.

Explain what work you can do

Your work coach will ask you about your skills and the type of job you're looking for. If you have a job, you might be expected to look for a better paid job or work more hours. They might ask you:

what qualifications and experience you have - take your CV or any training or qualification certificates to the interview

how much you want to earn - tell them what you've earned in previous jobs

how many hours you can work each week - give your work coach a good reason if you can't work full-time, like if you've got health problems or caring responsibilities

where you could work - explain anything that limits where you can travel, for example if you don't have a car

You can get careers advice and help looking for work on the National Careers Service website .

Tell your work coach about your situation

Tell your work coach about anything that affects your ability to work or look for work. Some of these things might be hard to talk about, but it's worth discussing them as they affect what you'll have to do to get Universal Credit.

Tell your work coach if you:

have children

have a disability or a health condition

look after someone with a disability

had a partner, child or young person who’s died in the last 6 months

are being treated for a drug or alcohol problem

find it difficult to read or write

are homeless

have to do jury service

will struggle to pay for travel - your work coach might be able to give you money to help

Tell your work coach if you’ve experienced domestic abuse in the last 6 months - you might not have to take on any work-related requirements for 13 weeks.

Agree your claimant commitment

After you’ve told your work coach about your situation, they’ll tell you what ‘work related activity group’ you’ll be in. Each group has different tasks to get ready for work - they could be applying for jobs or updating your CV.

Your work coach will write your tasks on your claimant commitment.

Make sure your claimant commitment is right for you

If you feel like you can’t do any of the tasks on it your claimant commitment, tell your work coach.

Explain to them why you’ll struggle to complete the tasks. Ask them to consider changing the tasks you have to do or how often you have to do them. If you have a health condition or caring responsibilities, you could ask your work coach to reduce the number of hours you’re expected to look for work.

Your work coach has to consider your requests and be reasonable. If they don’t change your claimant commitment, you can ask for a different member of staff to review the decision.

When you get the final claimant commitment, you need to accept it within a week. If you don't accept it in time, they'll close your claim.

If you’ll struggle to complete the work-related activities in your claimant commitment, you might be able to change them. Find out how to change your claimant commitment .

Ask about the Flexible Support Fund

The Flexible Support Fund is money you might get to help you pay for things like:

travel costs

training courses

childcare costs

a mobile phone

interview clothes

identity documents

You won’t need to pay the money back. Make sure you tell your work coach why it would help as they don’t have to give it to you.

You’ll need to have signed your claimant commitment and can only use the money for something agreed with your work coach.

After your interview

You’ll usually get your first payment 5 weeks after you submitted your claim online.

If you haven't sent all your evidence or agreed your claimant commitment, do this as soon as possible - if you don't, you might have to make a new claim.  

If you don't think you'll have enough money to live on while you wait for your first payment, you can ask for an advance payment of Universal Credit . The advance payment is a loan - you’ll have to pay it back, but you won’t need to pay any interest.

You’ll usually get a single Universal Credit payment every month. This will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account.  Find out how Universal Credit is paid .

If you're struggling with money, find out what help you can get with debt or rent arrears when you've applied for Universal Credit .

If you're struggling to pay for food, find out how to get help from a food bank .

Tell the DWP if anything changes between your interview and your first payment, for example you get a new job or you move house. Check which changes you need to report.

If you have pre-settled status or settled status

The DWP might ask for proof of your pre-settled status or settled status by adding a message to your journal.

If the DWP ask for proof, they’ll tell you how to give it to them - you might need to upload it to your journal. 

You must give the DWP proof within 1 month. Your payments might be stopped if you miss the 1 month deadline.

You can give the DWP a share code so they can check your status online. You can  get a share code on GOV.UK .

Check what other benefits you can get

If you pay council tax, the council might reduce how much you have to pay - check if you can get Council Tax Reduction . Most people who get Universal Credit can claim this too.

You might also be able to get other benefits too - for example, if you’re a carer or have a long-term health condition.

You can use the free  Turn2us  or  Entitledto  benefit calculators to check which benefits you can get. You’ll need to be a British or Irish citizen to use the calculator.

If you have children, check if they can get free school meals .

If you're struggling with living costs, there are things you can do to save money. You can check how to get help with the cost of living .

If you're finding it hard to pay your bills, there's help you can get. You can find out more about getting help with your bills .

If your application is unsuccessful

The DWP will send a message to your online account if your application is unsuccessful. If you think the decision is wrong, you can  ask the DWP to reconsider your application .

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Page last reviewed on 25 March 2022