We provide travel support for children with Special Educational Needs who meet certain eligibility criteria.
Most parents are responsible for supporting their child to get to and from school. However, some children and young people may require more help with their travel.
Travel support can include:
- independent travel training, helping children to develop skills and confidence to travel on their own
- free travel passes
- money back for travel costs to and from school
- minibus or taxi transport, usually shared with other children or young people
Who can apply
The Department for Education sets the national eligibility criteria for free travel to school. We assess applications based on national criteria and our Home to School Travel and Transport Policy.
We look at:
- each child’s needs
- whether a child cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school, or use public transport accompanied by their parent or carer, because of their special educational needs or disabilities
- whether the route to school can be walked in reasonable safety
Having an Education, Health and Care Plan does not guarantee travel support. Your child can qualify for travel support without one.
When you are not eligible
You are not usually eligible for home to school travel support when:
- your child would be able to walk to school in reasonable safety if they were accompanied (the general expectation is that you will accompany them, or make other suitable arrangements)
- your work commitments or caring responsibilities mean you are unable to accompany your child yourself
- you choose a school other than the one classed as the nearest qualifying school
- your application is for travel to and from more than one address, for example if parents don’t live together; we usually only arrange travel to and from a child's main place of residence
- your application is for travel support to alternative provision, work experience or work placements; your child's school or college would normally arrange travel support
We may choose to provide travel support in exceptional circumstances.
Children and young people transitioning from primary to secondary and secondary to Post 16 settings
If your child is already receiving travel support and is transitioning from primary to secondary school or secondary school to Post 16 settings, you will need to complete a new application. We will send you a reminder for this. The application deadlines will be published every Spring for applications for travel support for the next academic year.
How to apply
You can apply online.
Please provide clear and sufficient information about your child’s special educational needs, disability and health needs when completing the form. You should also provide information about why you are unable to transport your child to school.
Your application will be discussed at a Travel Panel, where we will make a decision.