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We provide free home to school transport for some children who live further away from school. Find out if you can apply.
Usually we can provide free public transport from home to school if your child is:
Most children in Brighton & Hove live within walking distance of the school and won't be able to get free transport.
If you get maximum Working Tax Credit or free school meals for your child, we can provide free public transport for your child if they are:
We may ask you to email us copies of documents that prove you have a low income.
Your child may get help with transport if they can't walk to school because of special educational needs and disabilities or mobility problems. We may ask you to email us copies of documents that prove this.
If your child goes to a special school, please get in touch with the school to ask about help with transport.
If your child is eligible for home to school transport we can offer assistance. We base this on an assessment of your child’s needs. Assistance could include:
We also offer Independent Travel Training (ITT). ITT supports young people in preparing for adulthood as part of independent living and skills for life. The training is voluntary and provides tailored and practical help for children and young people with SEND. It helps them to travel independently and without fear to school by public transport or on foot.
If your child or young person is eligible for free home to school transport you can still choose to take them to school in your family car. We understand that the travel times may better suit the needs of your family. In this case, the council will provide a mileage payment to contribute towards the cost of travel. This is a payment of 52 pence per mile for 4 journeys a day over the academic year. We will pay it once each term (3 times a year).
You may also wish to discuss the option of a Personal Travel Budget (PTB) with us. If your child or young person is eligible for travel assistance, we can provide PTBs as a voluntary alternative to hired transport. You can spend them in many different ways, so long as your child:
If you would like to have home to school transport from September 2023, you need to apply by:
Apply for Home to School Transport online.
Learn how Home to School Transport process applications.
If you think the council has made a mistake about a decision on your child or young person’s eligibility for transport, you can appeal. Learn more about our appeals process.
If your child is under 16 and you already receive free hired home to school transport from us, there's no need to re-apply each year.
You do need to re-apply if:
We consider all applications at a weekly Transport Panel. We will tell you of the Panel’s decision within:
We will contact you if we need you more information to support your application.
Read our Home to School Transport policy
Read our post 16 Transport Policy Statement for students in education or training.
The Home to School Transport service co-produces all new policy and practice with Amaze Sussex and the Parent and Carers Council (PACC). Learn more about our Working Agreement.
Read our PACC co-produced service standards.
Read our Home To School Transport guidelines.
Learn more about how we keep your child safe, including our safeguarding measures and code of conduct.
Brighton & Hove City Council has a legal responsibility to renew its Home to School Transport contract every four years. The current contract started in 2019, so must be renewed by August 2023. Read the letters we have sent out about re-procurement.
Go to the Brighton & Hove Buses website for information about traveling to school by bus.
Send an email to hometoschooltransport@brighton-hove.gov.uk for advice or to make a complaint about school transport.
If you are experiencing any difficulties, or have concerns or questions about your home to school transport arrangements please contact us on 01273 293 501.