Hospital Parking Charges Bill passes into law after securing Royal Assent
Date published:
The Hospital Parking Charges Bill has passed into law, the Health Minister has announced.
The legislation defers the abolition of hospital parking charges as provided for in the Hospital Parking Charges Act 2022.
The Bill was introduced as a result of the severe financial pressures facing the health and social care system and to ensure the prioritisation of funding for frontline services.
The Bill enables the Department, by regulations, to set a new date for the 2022 Act to come into operation and for hospital parking charges to be abolished. The date specified must be no later than 12 May 2029, and potentially sooner if the financial circumstances allow. Any such regulations would require approval by the Assembly before coming into force.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said:
Removing hospital parking charges would have stripped £7m from our Health & Social Care system at a time of severe budgetary constraints. It would simply have been unaffordable.
Such a loss in the current financial environment would have resulted in reductions elsewhere, directly affecting services provided to patients and families.
This legislation therefore protects frontline services from that immediate and unmanaged loss of income.
The Bill allows for a deferral of a maximum of three years, and no later than May 2029. Importantly, if financial sustainability is achieved sooner than expected, the legislation provides for the 2022 Act to come into operation at an earlier date.
Notes to editors:
- The Hospital Parking Charges Bill was introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2026 under accelerated passage to minimise the risk of charges being abolished temporarily and then reintroduced. The Bill has now received Royal Assent.
- For media enquiries please contact DoH Press Office by e-mail pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk
- Follow us on: Facebook Department of Health NI, Instagram departmentofhealthni , X @healthdpt, LinkedIn Department of Health NI
- The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for Media Enquiries Only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The Duty Press Officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.