Help with school transport for low income families – how to apply

Primary age pupils

If your child currently qualifies for help because they are under eight years old and their designated school is more than two miles but less than three miles from their home, they will continue to receive their transport.

A designated school can be the school suitable to your child’s age and ability that serves the area your child lives. If there is more than one school, the designated school is the one nearest to your child's home that is suitable and has a place available. This might be a school in another county or a denominational school.

The School Admissions and Transport team will review the help you receive every year and will contact you to renew your application.

Primary church aided schools

Please instead see our page on help with school transport for children at church aided schools.

Secondary age pupils

As of September 2008, qualifying children can receive free transport to one of the three schools nearest to where they live. This is dependent on the school being more than two miles but less than six miles away.

Distances up to two miles are determined by using the shortest available walking route. The six mile upper limit is measured using roads only.

The School Admissions and Transport team will review the help you receive every year and will contact you to renew your application.

Apply for assistance

Download an application form below – you will find detailed guidance notes at the end of the form.

This form is available in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and Rich Text format. If these don't work for you, we can help you with viewing files.