Learning disability (Category F)

Latest

• £2 Bus fares until end of 2024 and lower fares on East Sussex bus services
• See our renewal information for bus passes which expire March 2024:
• • Older person's renewals
  • Disabled person's renewals

• Who is eligible for a disabled person's bus pass?
• What do I need to apply?
• Blind or partially sighted (Category A)
• Profoundly or severely deaf (Category B)
• Without speech (Category C)
• Substantial walking disability (Category D)
• Does not have arms or has long term loss of the use of both arms (Category E)
• Learning disability (Category F)
• Refusal of driving licence/unable to drive due to medical reasons (Category G)
• Companion bus pass addition
• Prove you are eligible and apply

The bus pass allows free off-peak travel on local buses throughout England for applicants with an eligible disability.

You will be eligible if

You have a learning disability, this may now be referred to as an intellectual disability. This is not the same as a learning difficulty.

The Transport Act 2000 defines a learning disability as:

• A state of arrested or incomplete development of mind
• which includes a significant impairment of:
  • intelligence
  • and social functioning.

Proving you are eligible

Detailed information which confirms the applicant has:

1. a significant impairment of intelligence i.e. IQ less than 70 or very low cognitive scores
   
   
2. a significant impairment of social functioning.

Evidence we can accept

• A formal intellectual disability diagnosis will have the code F70, F71, F72 or F73 on medical reports.

Other evidence we may accept 

•  a fully completed Category F evidence form
• an Education, Health and Care Plan or Educational Psychologist report that indicates complex intellectual and social needs.  For an EHCP to be assessed it should show a diagnosis of:
  • mild, moderate, severe or profound intellectual disability (this is not the same a mild/moderate learning difficulty)
  • or a severe learning difficulty
  • and a significant impairment of social functioning.
• an Adult Social Care Support Plan showing learning disability team involvement or a detailed letter from a learning disability team.

Any document provided as evidence should fully describe your disability so
that it is possible to see whether the criteria apply to you. 

Applications with this evidence may still be referred for a further assessment if required.

Please call our information centre for help 0300 33 09 471 (local rate – lines are open Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm).

You may not be eligible under this category

• if you have mild or moderate learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyspraxia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• if you have Autism and Asperger's syndrome as they do not prove that you have a learning disability as defined
• if your intelligence is not impaired (i.e. your IQ is more than 70), even if your disability affects your social functioning
• if you are applying because of mental health problems
• if your condition started after you became an adult (e.g. brain injury)
• if you hold a driving licence
• if you don’t have a learning disability as defined, you are over 16 and you cannot drive due to your specific needs, you may consider an application under Category G instead.

Please also see our full guidance below before applying.

Full guidance and evidence form

Learning disability guidance and evidence form (Category F) [292.1 KB] [pdf]

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Related content

• Applying for a disabled person's bus pass
• Renewals and replacements
• Using your bus pass
• Travelling by bus
• How we look after your personal information
• Privacy notice

Registering a disability

• Register a disability in adulthood
• Join the children and young people’s additional needs register until age 25

What is a learning disability?

• Learning disabilities (Mencap)

Other disabilities that may not be a learning disability

• Autism and Asperger's Syndrome (Mencap)
• Learning difficulties (Mencap)