How to travel for free to your Covid vaccine appointment

A ride-hailing app is giving away free minicab trips for Londoners travelling to get their Covid-19 jabs.

People can claim a £10 journey to and from the hospital or vaccination centre with Free Now, just by showing proof of their appointment.

Overall the minicab company is offering £1million worth of free trips, as part of an NHS scheme to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Free Now, which is similar to Uber and Gett, initially offered the free lifts to the elderly and vulnerable.

But now as most elderly people have been inoculated, it has expanded the offer to all those over 18.

The initiative is part of the Government’s Grab A Jab campaign, which is looking to make Covid-19 vaccinations more accessible to young people.

Other events included pop-up clinics at London nightclub Heaven and free stadium tours for those being vaccinated at Arsenal’s stadium the Emirates in Islington.

Free Now had previously offered a service in January 2021, which saw its taxi drivers volunteering to transport vaccine nurses to care centres for free.

“We therefore thought it was the right thing for us to also support the UK's vaccination programme with our offer of up to £1m in free trips to vaccination centres,” general manager Mariusz Zabrocki said.

Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, added: “Over 70 per cent of young people aged 18 to 29 have now had their first jab – another superb milestone in our historic vaccination programme.

“A big thank you to all the companies who are helping us to protect the country.”

The scheme is open in London, and all other cities where the company operates.

Customers can claim their free firde via the Free Now website or app, offering proof of their vaccination appointment.

The free rides will cover a trip up to £20 per customer - £10 each way.