Getting the right care when you need it shouldn’t feel like a struggle. But for many people in Mashamshire, it still does.
Whether you have just been invited to a NHS appointment that you are struggling to get to, or you are a regular flyer – it is worth knowing what financial and logistical support is available to areas in North Yorkshire that are transport deprived like Mashamshire.
Non emergency patient transport is planned transport to and from appointments and is for people who cannot travel safely to appointments due to medical or mobility needs.
Eligibility rules are set nationally by NHS England and updated in 2022. Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust adopted the changes across Yorkshire from 1 April 2025, with the revised criteria introduced in NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board on 27 May 2025.
Since the changeover, many have been struggling to get to hospital appointments because they no longer qualify for non emergency patient transport. Whilst others have declared that the support available is unclear, inconsistent, or not realistic for where they live and the help they have around them.
Unfortunately, the current solutions are both means tested and relatively complex to navigate – which means that it is not as accessible to those who really need it.
Our own Research back in 2024 identified access to healthcare appointments as a key concern for Masham residents and we have been beavering away to develop a local solution at a fair price to those who need it – which will be trialled in April this year. We will let you know when this is up and running.
In the meantime, here is a simple guide to the current process that is available to those who qualify and how to make a claim if you do.
How to Access Non Emergency Health Patient Transport
To access non-emergency health patient transport in North Yorkshire, you should follow these 3 steps:
Assess Eligibility
Determine if you are eligible for NHS-funded transport by checking out the criteria below or contacting the MNET team at 0300 330 2000. If eligible for free transport, request transport through them.
If not eligible for free transport you may still be able to get support for costs
You may be able to claim help with travel costs through the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme if you are on a low income or receive certain benefits.
Alternative Services:
If you are not eligible for Free transport, or support with funding, then explore these community transport schemes or other voluntary sector solutions.
See below for a brief overview of the likely eligibility criteria for each of the above.
Who can claim for help with travel costs?
To qualify for help with travel costs under the HTCS, you must meet 3 criteria:
1. 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.
2. You must have a referral for specialist care from a healthcare professional to a specialist or a hospital for further NHS treatment or tests (often referred to as secondary care).
3. 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.
Children and other dependents
You can claim travel costs for your children if you’re eligible for any of the benefits described under condition 1 and your child has been referred for treatment as outlined in condition 2 and condition 3 above.
If your child is aged 16 or over, they may make their own claim under the Low Income Scheme.
Carers and escorts
You can claim travel costs for an escort if your healthcare professional says it’s medically necessary for someone to travel with you.
Some integrated care boards (ICBs) may accept claims for help with travel costs if you’re the parent or guardian of a child under the age of 16 who you have to bring with you to your appointment.
These payments are made on the basis of the patient’s eligibility for the scheme, irrespective of the escort’s eligibility.
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
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- you receive Universal Credit and meet the criteria
You can also claim for help with travel costs if you have a low income and are named on certificate HC2 (full help) or HC3 (limited help) – you can apply for these certificates through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
Find out more about the NHS Low Income Scheme.
Who cannot claim help with travel costs?
You cannot claim help with travel costs if you’re visiting someone in hospital.
You also cannot claim if you’re visiting a GP, dentist or another primary care service provider for routine check-ups or other services, such as vaccinations or cervical cancer screening, as these are excluded from the scheme.
Urgent primary care services during out-of-hours periods (between 6.30pm and 8pm on weekdays, weekends or bank holidays) are also excluded.
What form of transport can I use?
The NHS organisation handling your claim will normally base any refund on what would have been the cheapest suitable mode of transport for your circumstances.
This can include your age, medical condition or any other relevant factors, such as the availability of public transport.
This means you should use the cheapest, most appropriate means of transport, which in most cases will be public transport.
If you travelled by car and your claim was approved, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost of fuel at the mileage rate used by your local integrated care board (ICB).
You may also be able to claim for unavoidable car parking and toll charges.
If you need to use a taxi, you should agree this in advance with the hospital or ICB before you travel.
Help with travel costs before your appointment
You’re expected to pay for your travel and claim back the costs within 3 months.
In some cases, you may be able to get an advanced payment to help you attend your appointment.
The NHS service providing your treatment should be able to tell you how to apply.
Alternatively, contact your local ICB for advice.
How do I claim a refund?
To claim your travel costs, take your travel receipts, appointment letter or card, plus proof that you’re receiving one of the qualifying benefits, to a nominated cashiers’ office.
Nominated cashiers’ offices are located in the hospital or clinic that treated you. They’ll assess your claim and make the payment directly to you.
In some hospitals, the name of the office you need to go to may be different (for example, the General Office or the Patient Affairs Office).
If you’re not sure, ask reception or call Harrogate: 01423 555499, OR The Friarage: 0800 052 0219 PALS team to find out where you should go.
Some hospitals and clinics do not have cashier facilities. In this case, you can complete an HC5(T) travel refund form and post it to the address stated on the form.
You can make a postal claim up to 3 months after your appointment took place.
Download an HC5(T) form to claim necessary costs of travel for NHS treatment from NHSBSA website.
Important numbers
• Call 0300 330 1348 for the dental services helpline
• Call 0300 330 1343 for the Low Income Scheme helpline
• Call 0300 330 1341 for queries about medical exemption certificates
• Call 0300 330 1341 for queries about prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs)
• Call 0300 330 1349 for the prescription services helpline
• Call 0300 123 0849 to order a paper copy of the HC12, HC5 and HC1 (SC) forms
• Call 0300 330 1343 for all other queries
