payments to friend for fuel to go to hospital etc

[Ladylinnet]

Does anyone have someone drive them to hospital appointments etc & you then pay toward the fuel they use? Just wondering as I have a friend who takes me & my child & I give her £20.00 but she expects this each time. My little one needs numerous hospital visits during week. Is this reasonable? If I were to pay 50p per mile it would work out £10.00 each journey.

Are you being very unreasonable expecting her to spend so much time driving you around? Why can you not arrange alternatives?

This is a useful thread! Thanks!
I'm looking for volunteer opportunities so have looked up Good Neighbours and Age UK.

If you genuinely can’t get there any other way, hospital transport is free but unfortunately there can be long waits to be picked up for the return journey which may be difficult for your DD.

have a look into your local community hospital transport. there may be a much cheaper option available, a local service. Sometimes you pay per mile but it works out much cheaper.

I think you’re getting an absolute bargain and they’re doing you a massive favour. If you want to reduce costs look into volunteer hospital drivers or buses usually service hospitals

She can ask for what she wants, she's still taking time out of her day to do something that's purely for your benefit so she deserves to be compensated for that over and above petrol.

If you don't like it get a taxi. You're frankly bordering on CF territory to even be questioning it.

Does she wait for you or goes back home and then has to drive back? Both options are eating up her time.

See how much a taxi would be and use that instead if it’s cheaper - or the bus .

Can't your DDs dad do some of the driving?

Too late this time but obviously would benefit you if you could drive - can you look into having lessons?

You're calling on your friend to give up their time to take you and your DC to multiple appointments each week, and you think the friend is being a CF?

In my area there is a volunteer car drivers scheme for hospital appointments that just charge a small amount (someone I knew paid £5). Try Googling or ring Age UK who should be able to let you know of any local similar schemes.

If you’re on benefits you may be able to get help with the cost of travel to hospital. www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/

The problem is you can't tell someone what you will pay them for driving you places.

That's not how it works.

If it's too expensive then talk to her but if £20 is what she wants then you can't make her drive you round for less. You'd have to look for an alternative. Maybe FB ? "Can anyone help me out with hospital appts, £10 for each appt?"

Or see if you can get patient transport.

As a one off I would do it for free.
For a good friend I'd do it once a week assuming that the time of the appointment was a time I didn't normally have to make alternative arrangements myself.

Multiple times a week, 20 miles a go (and you've forgotten that either she has to hang around waiting for you, or go back and come out again, in which case it's 40 miles) I wouldn't get into that arrangement for any amount of money. It's basically taking over your week.

DD used to have regular hospital arrangements at her specialist. It took me 4 buses, 6 trains there and back and over a 2 hour journey each time. Cost around £20-dd was free at that point on the train. I only once had a lift-just after the tube bombings and I mentioned in a group that I was feeling a bit nervous about the train and one of them offered to take me.
Once I could drive it takes around 40 minutes and no hanging about, cost petrol plus £4 car parking.

I suspect if she refuses you'll be worse off in pocket and it will be far more hassle. £20 sounds to me like a bargain.

• I would explain to her that you can’t afford the £20 but based on 50p a mile you can pay £10 if you are happy it’s that.

Personally though I think she’s taking the piss and I’d try and find someone else.*

If you are not happy with anything, absolutely it's fine to find an alternative.

If you can find one which costs less, have at it.

Absolute bargain. Round trip would cost me £56 in a cab minimum. Would also mean I’d have to lug around car seat/booster.

That's a bargin. It's a lot to ask of a friend and if you don't like it gat a cab.

Do you claim DLA?

Ask at your GP surgery. Ours has drivers who are private volunteers and will do it for fuel cost.

For those saying the friend is grabby, would you do similar regular length trips for free, bearing in mind you would probably have to hospital parking charges on top of petrol?

Chin my DH has just retired and signed up to drive for the RVS - he is thoroughly enjoying it so far and does get petrol reimbursed (not sure how much).

OP - as others have suggested- check out what is available locally, many communities will have some sort of volunteer driver service.

If you don’t want to pay that, then how much would you pay for taxis there and back each time? Do that.

If you're on means tested benefits you can claim back the cost of transport

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/

£20 for a round trip is a bargain and your friend is doing you a huge favour. I can see that it will work out very expensive for you, but it’s not like your friend is profiting from you.

Get a taxi if you think it will be cheaper, or the bus.

It sounds like she is doing you a big favour if she is taking you to multiple appts a week. Is there a bus as a cheaper alternative?

How long do the appointments last? Where is this person while you are at the appointment? Does she go home and come back? Does she have to pay for parking and maybe get a drink to kill time?