Guidance

COVID-19: parking concessions for health, care and volunteer workers

Update on the end of the government’s free council car parking scheme for health, care and volunteer workers.

Applies to England

During the COVID-19 emergency response period, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government reached an agreement with the Local Government Association that local councils in England would voluntarily offer free car parking to all NHS workers, social care staff and NHS volunteer responders.     

The national pass guidance was always intended to be temporary and, 14 months after its introduction, was withdrawn on 21 June 2021 and most local authorities no longer accept the paper parking passes. This brings the temporary national parking pass scheme to an end.    NHS staff continue to be eligible for free parking in hospital car parks.   

Individual councils are responsible for setting their own local policy on parking and many offer their own local concessions for health workers and other groups. Therefore, healthcare workers and others interested in local parking concessions are advised to check their local councils’ website for details of any local schemes.   

You can find contact details for your local council using this search tool.

Published 2 August 2021