Apply for the new community support permit and vouchers

We’re replacing the existing health and social care permit and vouchers with a community support permit and vouchers as part of our Parking and Enforcement Plan for 2022 to 2027.

If you have a health and social care permit, you do not need to take any action. When your permit expires, you can apply for this permit.

Community support permits

The community support permit is similar to the health and social care permit. You are still required to show that you spend more than 30% of your time on the road visiting the community, work in medical, healthcare or social care.

However, the eligibility criteria has increased to support a wider range of community-based workers. This acknowledges the diverse needs of Hackney residents and the various forms of essential services provided to them. This includes:

Homerton University Hospital
City and Hackney Clinical Commissioning Group
East London Foundation NHS Trust
registered charities
non-profit organisations
council external contractors
third-sector organisations on a case-by-case basis

Up to 3 vehicles can be added to a community support permit, but only one vehicle can be exempt from enforcement at any given time.

When applying for extra permits for your organisation, we will consider the number of vehicles already registered to existing permits.

Community support permit vouchers

Each voucher is valid for up to 3 hours. They can be used by external staff and volunteers working for healthcare providers and third-sector organisations that provide essential care services to Hackney residents in their homes.

The vouchers can only be purchased by the organisations the volunteers are working for, and will not be sold to volunteers or staff directly.

Existing health and social care vouchers can continue to be used until 21 November 2026 as we transition to the new voucher type.

You will need to provide the following documents with your application:

a job description that demonstrates your eligibility
a letter from your organisation that explains why a vehicle is essential for your work
the vehicle log book (V5C)
proof of vehicle insurance for business purposes (if you are using your own vehicle)

Apply for permits and vouchers

You can apply for new permits and vouchers both online or by post. For a new application, include your supporting documents for proof of address.

Allow at least 10 working days for us to process your vouchers or new permit.

Existing health and social care permit holders do not need to do anything. When your permit expires you will be able to apply for a community support permit. There will not be a transfer from one permit to another.