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Wheelchair transport and getting to hospital in Teesside

For many families the hardest part of a hospital appointment is getting there. In Teesside and Darlington there is free NHS transport for people who can’t travel safely any other way, money back on travel costs for people on certain benefits, free Blue Badge parking at every main hospital, and wheelchair accessible taxis that must not charge you extra. Here’s how each one works and who to ring.

Written by registered care managers in Stockton-on-Tees · Checked 30 October 2026

Free NHS patient transport

The North East Ambulance Service runs non-emergency Patient Transport for hospital appointments across Teesside and Darlington. It is free, but it is meant for people whose health or mobility means they can’t get there safely another way. The patient is likely to qualify if they:

• need medical help or monitoring on the journey
• need someone to supervise them because of dementia, confusion, a learning disability or severe sight or hearing loss
• have serious mobility needs, for example they need a stretcher, can’t walk, or use a wheelchair and have no suitable way to travel
• are going for kidney dialysis at a hospital unit

It covers NHS hospital appointments the patient has been referred to, and going home after a stay. Book on 01642 263122, the Transport Information Service, at least two working days before; North Tees and Hartlepool hospitals suggest two to three weeks if you can. The call handler will ask questions to check eligibility. A carer or relative can sometimes travel too, if the patient needs their support on the journey. To cancel a booking, ring 0300 111 0247.

Getting your travel costs back

If the patient, or their partner, gets one of these, the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme pays back the cost of getting to hospital appointments that a doctor or other health professional referred them to:

• Pension Credit guarantee credit
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support
• Universal Credit, if take-home pay in the last assessment period was £435 or less (£935 or less if the award includes a child element or limited capability for work)
• an HC2 (full help) or HC3 (partial help) certificate from the NHS Low Income Scheme

It pays the cheapest suitable way of travelling: bus or train fares, or mileage and unavoidable parking if you drive. A taxi only counts if it is agreed in advance, and an escort’s costs are paid if a health professional says the escort is medically necessary. Claim within three months at the hospital cashier, taking your tickets or receipts, the appointment letter and proof of benefit; if there’s no cashier, post form HC5(T). At North Tees and Hartlepool, reach the cashiers through the switchboard on 01642 617617. Visiting someone in hospital isn’t covered.

Pension Credit is the key that unlocks this and a lot more, so if you’re over State Pension age and money is tight, it is worth checking. Our rights & benefits page explains it.

Hospitals and Blue Badge parking

From each hospital trust’s parking pages, October 2026. If you have frequent appointments, ask the hospital about free parking for frequent outpatients.

Volunteer drivers and community transport

• North Tees and Hartlepool volunteer drivers take patients of those two hospitals who can’t use public transport: 01429 522550 (Monday to Friday 11am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm). Ask about wheelchair access when you book.
• Stockton-on-Tees Volunteer Driver Service, funded by the council and run by the charity Volunteering Matters, helps older people get to appointments. You apply with an online referral form.
• Tees Flex has ended. The on-demand bus stopped at the end of March 2026. The Tees Valley Combined Authority’s travel updates list the fixed bus routes that replaced parts of it.

Bus passes and Blue Badges

Everyone over State Pension age, and disabled people who meet the national rules, can get a free bus pass from their own council. It gives free travel on local buses anywhere in England from 9.30am to 11pm on weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays; in the Tees Valley, pass holders pay 30p before 9.30am. If you can’t travel alone, ask about a companion pass, which Middlesbrough, Darlington and Redcar & Cleveland offer. Contacts: Stockton-on-Tees 01642 528499, Middlesbrough 01642 726053, Redcar & Cleveland 01642 774774; Hartlepool and Darlington take applications online.

A Blue Badge is applied for on GOV.UK and decided by your council, usually within 12 weeks, for a fee of up to £10.

Wheelchair accessible taxis: your rights

Since June 2022 the law has been clear. When a taxi or private hire car is booked by or for a disabled person, the driver must:

• carry the passenger and their wheelchair or mobility aids
• give reasonable help getting in and out, and with luggage
• make sure the passenger travels safely and comfortably
• not charge anything extra

Drivers of wheelchair accessible vehicles must carry a passenger who stays in their wheelchair, booking companies must not refuse a booking because someone is disabled, and assistance dogs must be carried at no extra charge. A driver can only be excused with a medical exemption notice from the council on display. Breaking these rules is a criminal offence with a fine of up to £1,000, and councils can take away a driver’s licence.

When getting out is getting harder

If appointments are becoming a struggle, it can be a sign that more help at home is needed. A council needs assessment is free, and care at home can include help getting ready for appointments. See what care might cost with our care cost calculator, or read your rights & benefits.

Common questions