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Home to school travel assistance 

Free support for travel between home and school 

How it works 

Most children can make use of free public transport and are not eligible for free travel assistance from the council. You need to apply to receive travel assistance for your child. 

Support for children aged 5-16 

A child is eligible for travel assistance if they are 5 to 16 years old, attend their nearest school and: 

  • live more than 2 miles walk from their school if they are under 8 

  • live more than 3 miles walk if they are aged 8 or over, or 

  • could not reasonably be expected to walk to school because of their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, even if accompanied by a parent or carer, or 

  • would not be able to travel to school in reasonable safety, even if they were accompanied by a parent or carer 

Your child may also be eligible for free travel assistance to school if you’re from a low-income household. You can read more about this in our travel assistance policy 

Support for young people aged 16-25 

Young people aged between 16 and 25 may be eligible for travel assistance if they are unable to travel to and from school or college by themselves. This will usually be because they cannot get public transport that meets their SEND or mobility needs. 

Young people aged 19 and over must also have an education, health and care (EHC) plan to be eligible. 

What assistance is provided 

For children who are eligible, we typically provide help by: 

  • making payments to families (sometimes known as personal travel assistance budgets) 

  • arranging a bus or taxi 

Sometimes we provide training to support children and young people to travel independently.  

How to apply 

You will need to provide the following information: 

  • Your child’s personal details, including information about their school or college 

  • Your personal details, including emergency contact information 

  • Details about your child’s journey to school 

  • Information about any special educational needs or medical condition your child has 

  • Information about any household income support you receive 

We‘ll usually tell you whether you’re eligible, and what kind of help you’ll get, within 3 weeks of you submitting your application. It may take longer if we need more information from you.  

If your application is successful, travel assistance will usually start within one month of receiving your decision letter. 

If your child is not eligible 

You are responsible for arranging their travel to school and meeting the costs.  

Children aged 16 and under are eligible for free travel on all Transport for London buses.