Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing increased financial support for child cancer patients and their families.

The Department has not made an assessment as it is the responsibility of National Health Service providers to ensure that the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) is appropriately utilised.

If a patient, including a child cancer patient, is referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a primary care professional, they may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the HTCS. Information regarding who is eligible for a refund as part of this scheme is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/

Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and are on low incomes may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through the Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment schemes.