Introduction

There can be many hidden costs to supporting your child when they need Tier 4 (highly specialised) CAMHS care.  One of these is for travel.

For some families, financial support for travel to certain appointments is available via the NHS. Often, when you visit your child in Tier 4 CAMHS care there is an appointment element to that visit.

This leaflet explains more about this, and how you may be eligible for financial support.

Financial support for visits is supported via social care.  Information about this can be sought from your child’s or the Tier 4 CAMHS service social worker.

Please also see our leaflet on the non-means tested benefits that your child is entitled to be assessed for.

Some visits to your child may be classed as an appointment

Often when parents visit their child in a CAMHS unit, there is an informal meeting to discuss their child’s care needs, a family therapy appointment or more formal meetings such as a ‘CPA’ (care programme approach) meeting.

Sometimes their visit to the child supports their care plan in other ways, such as a supported meal or trip out of the unit.

In these situations, some visits per week may also be considered an appointment.

This makes a difference as there are different routes for financial support for visits than for appointments.

If your child is attending a day service, then every day they attend would be considered travel to and from a hospital appointment.

What you may be entitled to

Very low income

If you are on qualifying benefits (more information below) or a very low income, you may be eligible for full reimbursement when travelling for appointments.

How this is arranged varies depending on the service your child is supported by.

Some manage this directly with the Trust’s cashier’s office, and others need to complete and send off an ‘HC5’ form.

Please ask your ward team or Family Ambassador for more information about claiming this.

Qualifying benefits

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• You receive Universal Credit and meet the criteria
• NHS tax credit exemption certificate (conditions apply)

If travelling for visits is placing you in financial hardship, please talk to the unit social worker or your Family Ambassador.

If you are in employment (or have previously been in the armed forces) and are experiencing financial hardship you may want to explore your employer’s financial hardship fund.

Other situations

If you have savings of less than £16,000 and a small difference between your income and your outgoings, you may be eligible for part or all your travel costs (for appointments) to be reimbursed.

Government guidance, in their Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme document, states “Patients who might not consider themselves to be on a low income should be encouraged to make a claim if their savings are below the current limits.”

If this applies to you, please ask at reception for an ‘HC1 form’.

You will need to complete this form, and a calculation will be made to determine if travel support can be offered.

Please ask your ward team or Family Ambassador for more information.

In hospital over 3 months?

When a child has been in hospital for more than 3 months, the Local Authority must consider providing financial support to enable visiting.

This is to promote contact between children and their families.

It is for families on a lower income but is based on individual judgment rather than entitlement to other benefits.

The ward or unit social worker would be able to support you with more information about this.

For more help

Visit the Family Ambassador website for more information and support: Family Ambassador service | Oxford Health CAMHSOxford Health CAMHS

You can contact the Family Ambassadors via this email: familyambassadorsTVPC@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk