Help with travel costs

Dial a ride

Who is eligible?

You are automatically eligible for membership if you are:

  • A Taxi card member
  • Getting the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance
  • Getting the Standard or Enhanced Mobility Rate of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Registered blind or partially sighted
  • Aged 85 or over
  • Getting a Higher Rate Attendance Allowance
  • Getting a War Pension Mobility Supplement 

If none of the above apply to you, you may still be able to join Dial-a-Ride but you will have to undergo a paper-based mobility assessment to establish your eligibility for the service.  

How to apply

You can apply for Dial-a-Ride membership if you are a permanent or temporary resident of the London borough. If you are applying for temporary membership, you will need to provide evidence of your membership of a similar door-to-door service for disabled travellers at your place of residence in order to qualify for the London Dial-a-Ride service.

Post the completed form to:
Dial-a-Ride
Passenger Services
PO Box 68799
London
SE1P 4RD

You can also phone Dial a ride on 0343 222 7777 https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/dial-a-ride/

Taxicard

Who is eligible?

You may be eligible for Taxicard if you:

  • Receive the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance or the higher rate Attendance Allowance
  • Are registered blind
  • Receive the War Pension Mobility Component

If none of these apply to you, you may still be eligible if your GP endorses your application. You may have to have a mobility assessment.

What does it cost?

You generally pay a flat fare of £1.50 per trip, plus anything above the subsidised amount. In most boroughs, Taxicard trips are subsidised up to:

  • £10.30 for trips during the day
  • £11.30 for trips at weekends
  • £12.80 for trips at night

For example if you make a journey on a weekday that costs £14.00 on the meter, £10.30 of it would be subsidised.

More information and how to apply

Telephone 020 7934 9791 or visit the Taxi card website  http://www.taxicard.org.uk/

TFL

Transport for London offer assistance during journeys. Visit https://tfl.gov.uk/

If you need assistance for your journey, please contact TFL Customer Services Team by phone on 0343 222 1234 or email overgroundinfo@tfl.gov.uk giving where possible at least 24 hours’ notice, especially when your journey continues beyond London Over ground. For customers who are deaf or hard of hearing, booking assistance is possible by Mincom text phone on 020 3031 9331 http://content.tfl.gov.uk/uploads/forms/making-rail-accessible-large-print.pdf.

NHS in England - help with health costs

Who is eligible?

You can get help with necessary cost of travel to receive NHS treatment if you are referred by a doctor or dentist and you get or are included in an award of someone getting:

  • Income Support;
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance;
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance; or
  • Pension Credit Guarantee Credit.
  • are entitled to or named on a valid NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate;
  • are named on a valid HC2 certificate (includes travel by your dependent children); or
  • are a war pensioner and the treatment is for a disability that the Service Personnel and Veterans agency accepts for treatment.

Partial help: if you are named on a valid HC3 certificate you might get some help towards the cost of your travel. The HC3 certificate will tell you how much help you are entitled to
The form required in order to reclaim is HC5(T) for travel costs to receive NHS treatment if you have been referred by a doctor or dentist visit website  www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/healthcosts or by calling 0845 850 1166.

You may be able to get an HC5 form from:

  • your local Jobcentre Plus office;
  • your local hospital;
  • some dentists and opticians.

Ask for the HC5(T) form

Source: A quick guide to help with health costs including charges and optical voucher values Effective from 1 April 2012

Making a claim

If you are able to make a claim, you will need to go to the cashier’s office to collect your money. You will need proof of your income or benefits, your attendance at the hospital, receipts or tickets for your journey, and you will need to complete a travel expenses claim form.