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Free home to school transport - does your child qualify?

Local authorities (LAs) must provide free home to school transport for children if they:

• are between 5 and 16 years old
  
• are attending their nearest suitable school
  
• live further away from the school than the statutory walking distances (2 miles for pupils under 8, and 3 miles for those aged 8 plus)

Children also qualify for free transport - no matter what distance they live from the school - if they are unable to walk for any of the following reasons:

• they have SEN
• they have a disability or mobility problems
  
• there is no safe walking route

Local authorities have to make travel arrangements where a child cannot reasonably be expected to walk, accompanied as necessary, in reasonable safety.

• Search for safe routes to school near you Opens new window

Apply for home to school travel support

You can find out more and apply for school travel support online. Follow the link below and enter details of where you live, and you will be taken to the relevant page on your LA's website.

• Apply for home to school travel support Opens new window

Children from low income families

A 'low income' family is one whose children are entitled to free school meals or whose parents receive the maximum Working Tax Credit.

Primary school children from low income families qualify for free school transport if they:

• are aged 8 to 11
• go to their nearest suitable school, and live more than 2 miles away

Secondary school pupils (11 to 16 years old) from low income families are entitled to free school transport if they go to:

• a suitable school between 2 and 6 miles away from their home address, as long as there aren't 3 or more suitable schools nearer to home
  
• the nearest school chosen on the grounds of religion or belief, and the school is between 2 and 15 miles away from their home address
  

• Working Tax Credit - the basics (money, tax and benefits section)

Children with SEN or disabilities

If your child has a statement of SEN and has transport requirements written into it, your LA must provide them. The link below takes you to the page on your LA’s website with more about school transport for children with SEN or disabilities.

• Apply for school transport for a child with special educational needs Opens new window

Help with transport costs for over-16s

If your child is over 16 and in further education or sixth form, your LA may be able to help with transport costs. Each LA has its own policy on help with transport for the over-16s.

• Financial help for young people in education or training

• More about the help available for transport costs for over-16s (education and learning section)

More useful links

• Get information on Walk to School Week Opens new window