1 Overview
Extended rights are designed to help families on a low-income exercise school choice.
A child is eligible for free travel to school if they meet the criteria detailed in the eligibility section on this page and are from a qualifying low-income household. Low-income is defined by eligibility for benefits-based free school meals (FSM).
There are now 2 categories of benefits-based free school meals:
- Targeted FSM - for pupils who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of no more than £7,400
- Expanded FSM - for pupils who do not qualify for Targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credits
Extended rights to free travel assistance will continue to apply to children eligible for Targeted FSM.
Parents who qualify for Expanded FSM will not be eligible for free travel assistance under the extended rights scheme.
2 Eligibility
As well as qualifying under extended rights, there are distance criteria to meet.
Primary school children
Help is available when all of the following apply:
- your child is aged 8 and over
- the school attended is the catchment or nearest primary school to your child's home address
- the home-to-school walking distance is 2 miles or more, measured by the shortest available walking route
Secondary school children
Help is available when all of the following apply:
- your child is of secondary school age
- the secondary school attended is one of the 3 suitable secondary schools nearest to your child's home
- the home-to-school walking distance is 2 miles or more, measured by the shortest available walking route
- the school attended is less than 6 miles from your child's home, measured by the shortest road route
Additionally, help is available for secondary school children from families on extended rights, as specified above, when all of the following apply:
- your child attends a school for reasons of religion or belief
- the school is 2 miles or more from your child's home, measured by the shortest available walking route
- the school is not more than 15 miles from your child's home, measured by the shortest road route
- there is no suitable alternative school nearer to your child's home
Evidence to support grounds of religion or belief will be required and we will be guided by the Equality Act 2006 with regard to definitions.
3 Apply
If you believe you meet the extended rights and distance criteria, you must complete the online application form below.
Apply for help with school transport (external link)If your child qualified for extended rights transport (known as low income) on or before 31 March 2025, you will not need to reapply each academic year unless your address changes or your child moves school. Should there be a change of circumstances, contact us so a new eligibility assessment can be undertaken.
If your child already receives free school transport and you are in receipt of Targeted free school meals (FSM), an application for extended rights transport needs to be made each academic year. We will write to you to remind you to apply.
4 When you'll hear
It can take up to 4 weeks for us to respond to your application.
If your application is successful, we'll write to you with more information about your child's free travel. Help is agreed until the end of the school year and you will need to reapply in the summer holidays for the next school year.
If your application is unsuccessful, we'll write to you explaining why.
5 Collecting and using the pass
If your child is eligible for travel assistance, then the bus or train pass will be sent to your home address.
The pass can only be used:
- by the child named on the pass
- to travel to and from the address and school named on the pass
- on school days
- at the beginning and end of normal school hours, including after school activities
- for the school session times
The leaflet below provides further guidance about travelling.