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Apply for free school transport

Personal Transport Budget (PTB)

A Personal Transport Budget (PTB) is money paid to parents and carers with children who have special educational needs and disabilities transport their child to and from school.

A PTB lets you decide how your child travels to school. You can make transport arrangements that suit your child's needs.

Eligibility

  1. Your child has additional support needs.
  2. They live within the City of ΎΕΙ« Council Local Authority area.
  3. They are eligible for school transport under our Assisted Home to School Transport policy.

Foster carers

You can apply for a PTB if you are a foster carer and your foster child is in the care of the City of ΎΕΙ« Council. They must also meet the criteria for free home to school transport.

If your foster child is in the care of another local authority, contact that authority. You will not be eligible for a PTB from the City of ΎΕΙ« Council

What you can use PTB for

You can use your PTB to pay for

  • A travel pass for yourself or a trusted adult to go with your child.
  • A passenger assistant to walk with your child or travel on public transport.
  • The cost of driving your child.
  • The cost of cycling with your child.
  • Childcare for a sibling so you can take your child to school.
  • Shared travel with other parents, such as walking buses or joint taxi bookings.

Benefits of PTB

  • A PTB gives you more freedom and control over transport. You decide how to spend the money.
  • Your child can become more independent. They might feel more relaxed at school when dropped off by someone familiar.
  • A PTB makes it easier for your child to attend activities outside school hours. This includes breakfast clubs, after school clubs and medical appointments.

Payments and spending your budget

Your PTB payment includes 2 parts

  1. A fixed payment of £500 per year.
  2. Plus a mileage rate of 45p per mile.

We calculate mileage based on 4 trips per day. The total amount depends on how many days your child travels per week. It also depends on the distance from home to school.

Working out your payment amount

For examplie, if your child's school is 5 miles from home

  • 5 miles × 4 trips per day = 20 miles per day
  • 20 miles × 190 school days = 3,800 miles per year
  • 3,800 miles × 45p = £1,710
  • £1,710 + £500 fixed payment = £2,210 total

For a child attending 190 days per year, your total PTB would be

  • 1 mile from school: £842
  • 5 miles from school: £2,210
  • 10 miles from school: £3,920
  • 15 miles from school: £5,350
  • 20 miles from school: £6,300
  • 25 miles from school: £7,250
  • 30 miles from school: £8,200

If you receive other benefits

Your PTB payments are not taxed. They will not affect other benefits you receive. This is because the PTB is a payment for your child, not for you. It is a grant that you can use in different ways. It is not just a mileage allowance.

Multiple children

You can claim 1 PTB per child in your main household. If 2 children attend different schools, we will consider the extra mileage between schools.

How we pay PTB

We will transfer your PTB to your bank account in monthly payments. You can then arrange and manage your child's travel in the way that suits your family best.

If your circumstances change, we may need to recalculate your PTB. This includes if your family moves to a new house.

How you spend your budget

You do not need to collect receipts for petrol. You do not need to show how you spend the PTB.

You can use the payments however you wish to get your child to and from school. We keep the right to check payments are spent correctly and lawfully.

We may reduce funding if your child is absent without reason for a period of time. We will discuss this with you and the school first.

Apply for a Personal Transport Budget

Submit our online form to apply.

Apply for a Personal Transport Budget

You can download our guidance documents and leaflet for more information. 

Making changes to a Personal Transport Budget

If you apply for a PTB, you become responsible for transport arrangements. Your child cannot continue to travel on a Council arranged vehicle. You could use your PTB to make your own arrangement with a taxi contractor. However, this would be separate from the Council's arrangement.

Changing back to Council transport

  • You can change back to Council-arranged transport if the PTB does not work for you.
  • You must give us at least 28 days' notice. This allows us time to rearrange transport for your child. You may need to give longer notice at peak periods.
  • The new arrangement may not be the same taxi company or vehicle. We cannot guarantee the arrangements will stay the same.

Emergency cover

We will not arrange short term transport cover. This includes times when you are unwell and cannot transport your child. You are responsible for ensuring your child attends school. You should have a backup plan in place using your PTB.

Future of the Personal Travel Budget

We are committed to providing appropriate travel assistance for families.

As children reach secondary school age, they may benefit from independent travel training. We are developing this service across the city. Independent travel is an important life skill. It helps children access social and employment opportunities as young adults.