Volunteer transport to hospital fills a gap the NHS does not cover. NHS patient transport is only for people with a medical need, so many patients who cannot drive, cannot manage buses and have no family nearby rely on volunteer drivers instead. For them, a lift is the difference between getting treatment and missing it.
This guide explains how volunteer drivers for hospital appointments work, who uses them, what they cost and how to find or start a scheme. It is written for patients and carers, for volunteers, and for the coordinators, NHS teams and councils who plan and pay for local transport.
Key Takeaways
- Volunteer transport to hospital takes people to planned appointments when they cannot drive, use public transport or rely on family.
- NHS patient transport (NEPTS) is only for people with a medical need. NHS England's criteria exclude social or financial need and GP journeys (NHS England).
- Volunteer drivers for hospital appointments are usually arranged through a local car scheme, and passengers normally pay a modest mileage based fare.
- Drivers can be reimbursed up to 55p a mile tax free for the first 10,000 miles from 6 April 2026 (HMRC).
- Patients on some benefits or low incomes can claim travel costs back through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (NHS).
What is volunteer transport to hospital?
Volunteer transport to hospital is a door to door service where trained volunteer drivers take passengers to and from medical appointments. Most use their own cars through a community car scheme. Some schemes also use an accessible minibus. It exists for people with no practical alternative who do not qualify for NHS funded patient transport.
These schemes are usually run by charities, community transport operators and voluntary groups. The driver collects the passenger from home, helps them into the building if needed, waits or comes back later, and brings them safely home. For many older or isolated passengers, the driver is also the only friendly face they see that day.
Why does volunteer transport to hospital matter more than ever?
NHS England's national eligibility criteria for non emergency patient transport (NEPTS) focus on medical, mobility, cognitive and safeguarding needs. They state that "most people should travel to and from hospital independently by private or public transport, with the help of relatives or friends if necessary" (NHS England).
Financial or social need alone does not qualify, and NEPTS does not take people to primary care services such as GP surgeries. The criteria are being brought in through local contracts. Yorkshire Ambulance Service, for example, began applying them across three integrated care board areas from 1 April 2025 (Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS).
That leaves a growing group with nowhere else to turn. An ageing population and thin rural bus networks mean more people who cannot drive, cannot manage two buses while unwell and have no family free during the working day. Volunteer schemes are often the only thing standing between them and a missed appointment.
Missed appointments carry a real cost in wasted clinic time and delayed treatment. Yet the Community Transport Association found only 11% of operators in England receive health authority funding, even though 68% carry people to health destinations (CTA). That gap is one NHS teams and integrated care boards can help close.
Who uses volunteer drivers for hospital appointments?
The typical passenger is someone for whom every other option has failed. That includes older people who no longer drive, people with limited mobility or sight loss, those recovering from treatment, and anyone living where buses are rare or absent. Many also lack nearby family who can help during working hours.
It also includes patients who no longer qualify for NHS transport. Someone attending a routine outpatient review may be well enough to sit in a car, yet unable to manage two buses and a long walk while unwell. Volunteer drivers for hospital appointments meet exactly this need, with patience and a helping hand.
For coordinators, understanding this group matters. Passengers are often anxious about their appointment and need punctuality, patience and a driver who understands mobility aids and safeguarding. It is a very different service from a taxi, and the trust it builds between drivers and regular passengers is a large part of its value.
How do volunteer drivers for hospital appointments work?
Most schemes follow a similar pattern, whether they carry ten patients a week or several hundred. The main difference is how much of the coordination is done by hand. A typical journey runs like this:
- The passenger or a referrer books, giving the appointment date, time, hospital and any access needs.
- A coordinator matches a driver based on location, availability, vehicle and the passenger's needs.
- The driver confirms and collects the passenger from home, allowing time to reach the right department.
- The driver waits or returns when the appointment ends, then takes the passenger home.
- Mileage is recorded so the driver can be reimbursed and the passenger's fare worked out.
Good schemes plan for the realities of hospital visits. Clinics run late, appointments overrun and passengers tire quickly. Flexible waiting arrangements, clear contact details and a backup driver keep the service dependable. Matching nearby drivers also cuts empty miles, which keeps costs down for both the scheme and the passenger.
Volunteer car scheme, community bus or NEPTS: which is which?
These three services are often confused, yet they meet different needs. Knowing the difference helps coordinators place each passenger with the right service and avoid promising more than a volunteer scheme can deliver. The table below sets out how they compare for hospital journeys.
| Volunteer car scheme | Community bus or Dial-a-Ride | NEPTS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Volunteer's own car | Accessible minibus | Ambulance or specialist vehicle |
| Who can use it | People the scheme exists to help | Members or registered passengers | Patients meeting NHS medical criteria |
| Best for | Single appointments at varied times | Grouped trips and shared routes | Patients needing clinical support in transit |
| Cost to passenger | Usually a mileage based fare | Set fare or membership | Free if eligible |
Dial-a-Ride and demand responsive services work well for shopping and day centres, but a volunteer car usually suits a single early hospital slot better. Our community transport guide explains each type of service in more detail.
How much does volunteer transport to hospital cost?
Volunteer drivers are not paid a wage. Passengers usually pay a fare based on the mileage, which covers the driver's reimbursement and sometimes a small admin charge. Prices vary by scheme and distance, but a volunteer lift is normally far cheaper than a taxi, especially for longer trips to regional hospitals.
Most schemes reimburse drivers at HMRC's approved mileage rate. From 6 April 2026 that rose from 45p to 55p a mile for the first 10,000 miles in a tax year, and stays at 25p after that (HMRC). HMRC confirms volunteers receiving 55p a mile or less on those first miles have no tax to pay (HMRC).
The rise is welcome for drivers but means fares may go up. Schemes should update their policies, tell passengers clearly and keep accurate mileage records. Our article on the HMRC mileage rate increase looks at what the change means for budgets and funding bids.
Help with costs is available for some patients. The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme refunds travel to hospital or specialist NHS appointments after a referral, for people on qualifying benefits or with an HC2 or HC3 certificate. It does not cover routine GP visits, and claims must be made within three months.
How do you find or start a volunteer hospital transport scheme?
If you need a lift, start with the Community Transport Association map of local operators. Your council, GP surgery, hospital patient advice team, local Age UK or a Good Neighbours scheme can also point you in the right direction. Register before you need a lift, because most schemes ask for a few days' notice.
If you want to drive, our guide to volunteer drivers explains how to become one, the checks you need and what you can claim. Most schemes welcome people who can spare a few hours a week or even a month, and many pair new drivers with experienced ones at first.
If there is no scheme in your area, you can start one. Our guide on how to set up a community car scheme covers the early decisions, from governance and insurance to booking, safeguarding and recruiting your first drivers.
What rules and safeguarding should schemes get right?
Volunteer hospital transport carries vulnerable people, so the basics are not optional. Every scheme should be able to show, at any time, that each driver is properly licensed, insured and checked. Funders and NHS partners increasingly ask for this evidence before they will support a service.
- DBS checks. Standard and enhanced checks are free for eligible volunteers (DBS). Recheck drivers regularly.
- Insurance. Most insurers cover volunteer driving at no extra cost if payments stay within HMRC rates, but drivers may need to tell them (ABI).
- Licences and vehicles. Check licences, MOTs and road tax, and record when each one expires.
- Permits. Minibus services charging fares usually need a Section 19 or Section 22 permit under the Transport Act 1985 (DfT).
- Safeguarding. Give drivers clear steps for raising concerns, and train them before their first journey.
Data protection is the other frequent gap. Schemes hold passenger health and mobility details, which are special category data under UK GDPR. Paper diaries and printed run sheets are easily lost, as our article on why paper run sheets are a data breach risk explains.
What volunteer hospital transport means for each role
Volunteer hospital transport touches patients, families, volunteers and the NHS alike. Here is what matters most to each group.
Patients, carers and families
Book as early as you can and give the full appointment details, including the department. Tell the scheme about wheelchairs, walking aids or a carer travelling with you. Ask about the fare in advance, and check whether you can claim it back through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.
Volunteer drivers
Allow extra time for parking and finding the right department, and agree in advance whether you will wait or return. Keep your licence, insurance and MOT details up to date with the scheme. If a passenger seems unwell or at risk, follow your safeguarding process and tell your coordinator.
Coordinators and trustees
Record every journey, including unmet requests, by destination and trip purpose. That evidence is what persuades NHS partners to contribute. Trustees are responsible for driver checks, insurance and data protection, so our guide to trustee liability is worth reading alongside this one.
NHS transport teams and integrated care boards
Volunteer schemes already carry many of your patients, often with no health funding. A fair contribution towards coordination and mileage protects capacity you depend on and reduces missed appointments. Our guide to securing NHS ICB funding explains how operators and ICBs can work together.
Councils
Hospital journeys are among the most common trips community transport makes. Including volunteer schemes in Local Transport Plans, and offering multi year grants, helps them plan, recruit drivers and keep people independent for longer. That in turn eases pressure on adult social care.
How can schemes coordinate volunteer transport at scale?
Small schemes often start on paper diaries and spreadsheets, and they cope until demand grows. Once journeys, drivers and passenger needs multiply, manual coordination becomes fragile. A single coordinator off sick can stall the whole service, and the risk of a missed pickup for an anxious patient rises with every new booking.
Road XS community car scheme software finds the nearest available driver with up to date checks, stores passenger needs once, and works out mileage and fares automatically. Drivers see their jobs in a simple app, and coordinators get the journey reports NHS partners and funders ask for. See our patient transport software for more.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find volunteer drivers for hospital appointments?
Start with the Community Transport Association's map of local operators, or ask your council, GP surgery, hospital patient advice team or local Age UK. Many areas run a car scheme that matches trained volunteer drivers to appointment journeys. Register early, because most schemes need a few days' notice.
Who is eligible for volunteer transport to hospital?
Each scheme sets its own rules. Most help people who cannot use public transport, drive themselves or rely on family, including older people, those with limited mobility and people in rural areas. Many also help patients who do not qualify for NHS non emergency patient transport.
Does the NHS provide free transport to hospital?
Only for patients who meet NHS medical eligibility criteria for non emergency patient transport. Social or financial need alone does not qualify. Patients on some benefits or low incomes can claim travel costs back through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme instead.
How much does volunteer transport to hospital cost?
Most schemes charge a fare based on mileage, which covers the driver's reimbursement. It is usually far cheaper than a taxi. Prices vary by scheme and distance, so ask for a quote when you book, and check whether you can claim it back.
How much are volunteer drivers paid to take patients to hospital?
Volunteer drivers are not paid a wage. They are reimbursed for mileage, usually at HMRC's approved rate, which rose to 55p a mile for the first 10,000 miles from 6 April 2026. Payments at or below that rate are tax free.
Is there a free taxi for disabled people near me?
Fully free taxis are rare, but low cost options often exist. Volunteer car schemes, Dial-a-Ride and community transport operators offer affordable door to door travel for disabled and older people. Your council, local Age UK or the Community Transport Association can point you to local schemes.
What is the difference between a community bus and a volunteer car scheme?
A community bus or Dial-a-Ride uses a minibus to carry several passengers on shared trips. A volunteer car scheme uses individual drivers in their own cars for door to door journeys. Hospital visits usually suit a car scheme better, because times and destinations vary so much.
Run a volunteer hospital transport scheme and want to spend less time matching drivers by phone? Book a Road XS demo or talk to our team.
