If your child has a special educational, disability or mobility need that prevents them walking to school, they may be able to get travel assistance.
Travel assistance may be provided in a number of ways including:
- independent travel training
- personal travel budget
- mileage reimbursement
- school minibus or taxi
For more details, please read section 3 of our Home to School Travel Assistance Policy.
Find out more below about how we decide what help you can get, depending on the age of your child.
If your child doesn't have a special educational, disability or mobility need there are different options available. Please see our travel to school page.
Under 4 years old
- Travel assistance may be provided in exceptional circumstances if the parent/carer can't get to the nearest suitable school or educational setting themselves.
4 to 7 years
- Travel assistance is provided if the distance between home and the school agreed in the EHCP is more than 2 miles. Where the distance is less than this, or when the student has no EHCP, travel assistance will be considered - taking into account the individual circumstances and the travel needs of children with significant sensory, physical, medical or behavioural difficulties.
8 to 16 years
- Travel assistance is provided if the distance between home and the school agreed in the EHCP is more than 3 miles. Where the distance is less than this, or when the student has no EHCP, travel assistance will be considered - taking into account the individual circumstances and the travel needs of children with significant sensory, physical, medical or behavioural difficulties.
16 to 25 years
- Travel assistance is provided if the distance between home and school, college or place of training is more than 3 miles. Where the distance is less than this, or when the student has no EHCP, travel assistance will be considered - taking into account the individual circumstances and the travel needs of children with significant sensory, physical, medical or behavioural difficulties.
Please see our post-16 travel policy statement for more details. You can also find out more about support for post-16s on GOV.UK.
If you live closer than the eligible distance, or don't have an EHCP
Travel assistance will be considered, depending on individual circumstance and travel needs. These may include significant sensory, medical or behavioural difficulties that prevent the child from getting to school or college even when accompanied by a parent or carer.
We will use a range of written evidence from the preceding 12 months to make our decision. This may include evidence from education or health care professionals, parents, carers and school.
How to apply for travel assistance
You can apply for travel assistance by filling in our application form below.
The deadline for applications for September 2024 is 12 June 2024. Applications received after this date are not guaranteed to be processed for the start of the new academic year.
For pupils placed by the authority after the 12 June please apply as soon as possible. We'll then consider these on a case by case basis under exceptional circumstances.
If your travel assistance application is refused
If your application is refused you can ask us to review the decision by filling in our appeal form below.
You can find more information in our Home to School Travel Assistance Policy.
