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Some 5-16 year olds in Norfolk will qualify for free travel. This depends on how old your child is, which school they go to and where they live, and whether they have any special educational needs or mobility issues.
All applications are assessed against the criteria set in our home to school transport policy.
Your child will be entitled to free school transport, if they:
- Are of compulsory school age (5 to 16 years old) on 1 September or
- Will be 5 before 1 September 2023 when applying for school year 2022-23 or
- Will be 5 before 1 September 2024 when applying for school year 2023-24 and
- Attend the nearest catchment school or the nearest appropriate school with a place as designated by Children’s Services and
- Live more than 2 miles, measured by the nearest walking route to school, when under the age of 8
- Live more than 3 miles walking distance from school, when aged 8 or over
We will also provide transport for children who are unable to walk to school due to mobility problems or a severe medical condition. This is unless they live close enough to school to be able to make their own way, using a wheelchair or suitable alternative.
We do not provide midday journeys for children attending school part-time.
Families in receipt of a qualifying low income benefit
Free school transport may also be available for families receiving certain benefits.
Children of primary school age from low income families
For children aged eight years and over, who attend their nearest catchment or appropriate school, the qualifying distance will remain two miles if either:
- They are entitled to free school meals due to their family receiving a qualifying low income benefit
- Their parents are receiving the maximum level of Working Tax Credit (when reduction due to income is £0.00)
Children of secondary school age from low income families
Children of secondary school age will be entitled to free transport if they:
- Go to one of three appropriate schools closest to home, between two and six miles away or
- Go to a school, preferred on grounds of religion or belief that is the nearest of its kind to their home, between 2 and 15 miles away and
- Are entitled to free school meals or
- Have parents who are receiving the maximum level of Working Tax Credit (when reduction due to income is £0.00)
Evidence to submit with your application
When you apply, you must include a scan, photocopy or screenshot of a recent letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showing that you are entitled to one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
- Guaranteed Pension Credit
- Universal Credit (where earnings element is less than £7,400 annually)
- The maximum level of Working Tax Credit (when reduction due to income is £0.00)
- Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and your annual income, assessed by HM Revenue and Customs, (does not exceed £16,190)
Download an example of a qualifying/non qualifying Working Tax Credit
If you only have a Tax Credit Annual Review Notice for the current financial year, because you notified the DWP that your circumstances haven’t changed since your last full Tax Credit Award, you must send a photocopy or scan of all the following information:
- Your original Tax Credit Award
- Your Annual Review notice
- Your written or emailed confirmation that you have informed the DWP that your circumstances have not changed since your last full Tax Credit Award
We cannot return original documents. Anything you send us is scanned and/or securely destroyed.
Apply for school transport
Raising the participation age to 18
In 2015, the Government increased the age at which young people must continue in education or training to 18.
Although young people must now remain in education or training until they are 18, the government has not increased the age range of free transport available to eligible young people in line with this. Free transport is still only available to eligible children and young people up to age 16.
For further information on raising the participation age please see the Department for Education website.