NHS staff in the North East paid more than £5 million to park at work during the 2025/26 financial year, according to official data analysed by the GMB trade union. The union, which represents thousands of NHS employees, said the charges amounted to having "pounds pinched out of their pockets," while hospital bosses insisted that "no profit" is made from the fees.
Trust-by-trust parking totals
At the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust and the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust, staff each paid out £1.1 million over the year. The Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust recorded a figure above £900,000. County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust and Gateshead Health saw staff spend between £400,000 and £500,000 each.
On Teesside, the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust accounted for £1.3 million, while the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust recorded £911,766. Full totals for 2025/26 include £1,112,197 at Newcastle Hospitals, £1,114,051 at South Tyneside and Sunderland, £992,707 at Northumbria Healthcare, £478,917 at County Durham and Darlington, £407,713 at Gateshead Health, £1,333,413 at South Tees, and £911,766 at North Tees and Hartlepool.
Union reaction and hospital response
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said: "It's utterly obscene we are still having this debate in 2026. On what planet is it a good idea to charge health workers just for going to work? Despite finally getting a pay rise under the Labour Government, NHS workers are underpaid and massively overstretched. They're trying to save lives on a shoe string budget inside a creaking system. They need our help and support, not having pounds pinched out of their pocket just for trying to do their job."
A spokesperson for Newcastle Hospitals said: "Any income generated from parking charges is used to fund the costs of maintaining our car parks, to ensure they are safe, clean, accessible and well-lit. If there is any surplus remaining, this is reinvested back into patient care. Staff parking, and parking for some groups of patients, is concessioned to support access."
National guidance on parking
On behalf of all North East and North Cumbria's NHS provider organisations, a spokesperson added: "We understand that car parking is always a contentious issue. All our NHS Foundation Trusts follow the national NHS parking principles when determining local arrangements for patients and staff. Charges help to cover the cost of maintaining car parks, making sure they are safe and secure and other things that our Trusts provide like free staff shuttle bus services. Any surplus after this is then used to invest in patient care. There is no 'profit' made from car park charges. In an ideal world, we would not charge for car parking at all, but the reality is that without this income, NHS providers would need to find equivalent funds from somewhere else to support everyday service delivery."
The Department of Health and Social Care said: "NHS trusts are responsible for car parking charges. We expect rates to be reasonable and in line with the local area. Free parking is available for those in greatest need - including NHS staff working night shifts. Where charges do apply, the money made is used to maintain facilities, with surplus income put back into the NHS to benefit both staff and patients."
The department has stated that any trust charging for parking must provide free facilities for those "most in need," including Blue Badge holders, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight, and NHS staff working night shifts. Guidance on implementing this policy has been issued to trusts.
