Uber gives free rides to NHS staff over Christmas period

Uber has announced it will provide NHS staff in England who are working over the Christmas period with free transport this festive season.

Uber is giving free rides to NHS staff in England. Picture: Angelo Merendino/AFP

The ride sharing firm is offering two journeys costing up to £10 each in a bid to help workers get to and from work amid limited public transport options on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Last year, around 150,000 nurses and nursing assistants worked on Christmas Day, while 12,000 ambulance staff and 176,000 care workers were also on duty.

“Everyone wants to be home with their families for Christmas Day, but so many of our selfless NHS staff give up their holidays to care for those who need it most,” health secretary Matt Hancock said.

“It’s great that Uber have agreed to step in and offer a free ride home this Christmas and I hope this makes life a little easier for our dedicated NHS workers.”

Uber is providing free journey codes for any NHS England employee with an NHS email address, who signs up on a dedicated website, uber.com/NHS, before 9am on 24 December.

“NHS staff will have enough to worry about this Christmas, so we’d like to at least try to take care of their travel,” said Jamie Heywood, Uber’s general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe.

“During a time when it isn’t always easy to get from A to B, we hope that this offer will help them get home to their families sooner.”