North East NHS staff face £5m workplace parking bill

NHS workers across the North East paid more than £5 million to park at work in a single year, according to official figures analysed by the GMB union.

The findings form part of a wider national picture in which NHS staff in England paid approximately £87 million in hospital parking charges. The union argues that charging healthcare workers simply to attend their shifts places an unfair burden on staff already facing pressure from rising living costs and demanding workloads.

Parking arrangements are decided locally, meaning the amount employees pay can vary considerably between NHS trusts. Some staff pay through monthly salary deductions or permits, while others face daily charges and may not be guaranteed a space.

GMB is calling for staff parking charges to be abolished across the NHS. Government guidance says charges should be reasonable and concessions should be considered when employees must remain at work beyond their scheduled shift, although it does not require trusts to provide free parking.

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