Cash-strapped ambulance services left with almost £70 million in spiralling fuel costs
Ambulance services are set to face a huge £70m fuel bill this year, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from the Liberal Democrats has revealed.
The FOI asked ambulance services for their spending on fuel in the last 3 financial years and their projected spending for the 2022/23 year.
All nine of the ten ambulance services in mainland England that responded have said that they are expecting to pay more than a million pounds or more in fuel over the next year.
The hardest hit is the Yorkshire Ambulance service which is set to pay an extra £2.3million by the end of the financial year. Meanwhile, the service with the highest projected amount was the West Midlands at a staggering £9.5 million in projected spending.
Overall ambulance services across the country are set to pay an extra £14 million over the next year compared to 2021/22, up to £69 million from £54 million in the year prior.
In light of the news, the Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP is now calling for all ambulance services to have universally discounted rates on fuel costs paid for by oil and gas giants.
Commenting Liberal Democrats Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:
“Right across the country, our ambulance services are on the brink. And now, every ambulance service is being hit by a hugely inflated fuel bill, stretching vital funds even further.
“The Conservative Government is to blame: on their watch, fuel bills have sky-rocketed. But the public shouldn't have to saddle the bill for their failure.
“Our ambulance service is in dire need of any kind of support it can get, reducing these soaring fuel bills by properly taxing the big oil and gas companies should be a priority.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
The Freedom of Information Request sent to all ambulance services was as follows:
Please could I request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act on fuel costs for Ambulance services?
What is the trust’s annual spend on all fuel to fill up ambulance service vehicles for the following years: i) 2021/22 ii) 2020/21 and iii) 2019/20? Currently, what is the trust’s projected spending on fuel costs for the financial year 2022/23? Concurrently what is the trust’s total spend on fuel so far in the financial year 2022/23?
Table of results:
Name of Ambulance Service | Spend on fuel in 2019/20 | Spend on fuel in 2020/21 | Spend on fuel in 2021/22 | Projected Spend on fuel in 2022/23 | Change from 2021/22 |
South East Coast | £5,383,286 | £4,564,493 | £5,696,046 | £7,493,031 | £1,796,985 |
Yorkshire | £5,591,061 | £4,440,845 | £5,496,297 | £7,841,578 | £2,345,281 |
South Central | £5,880,203 | £4,354,795 | £6,216,206 | £7,485,998 | £1,269,792 |
North East | £3,984,089 | £2,727,712 | £3,923,906 | £5,165,696 | £1,241,790 |
East Midlands | £5,099,000 | £4,368,000 | £5,040,000 | £6,235,000 | £1,195,000 |
North West | £7,084,612 | £5,329,142 | £6,952,518 | £8,964,000 | £2,011,482 |
East of England | £7,700,000 | £5,300,000 | £7,000,000 | £8,000,000 | £1,000,000 |
West Midlands | £7,599,953 | £5,936,743 | £7,696,319 | £9,551,964 | £1,855,645 |
South Western | £6,742,973 | £5,823,386 | £6,850,908 | £8,761,257 | £1,910,349 |
London | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
TOTAL* | £55,065,177 | £42,845,116 | £54,872,200 | £69,498,524 | £14,626,324 |
