Concessionary bus travel

Concessionary travel policy is devolved, and arrangements differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Arrangements are also slightly different between London and the rest of England.

There are two types of concessionary bus fares:

• statutory concessions which local authorities must provide in accordance with national legislation
• non-statutory, discretionary concessions which local authorities can provide from their own funds if they choose to.

England outside London

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides for free bus travel for people over state pension age, and people with an eligible disability. ENCTS bus passes can be used on all eligible local bus services anywhere in England from 0930 until 2300 on weekdays, and all day at weekends and on Bank Holidays. Local authorities must fund this provision under Section 146 of the Transport Act 2000.

Local authorities can – and often do – also offer non-statutory, discretionary concessions. These apply only within the local authority area borders, unless a cross-border agreement has been reached with a neighbouring authority. For example some authorities extend concessionary travel to other modes of transport, to travel during peak hours, or to companions of disabled passengers.

In the year ending March 2023 there were 8.7 million concessionary travel passes in England. 90% of these were for older people and 10% for disabled people. An average of 65 bus journeys were made per pass in England, a figure which rose to 173 in London. £877 million was spent on concessionary travel in England in the year ending March 2023.

London

In London the ENCTS is folded into a more generous concession known as the Freedom Pass, legislated by the Greater London Authority Act 1999. The Older Person’s Freedom Pass permits free travel on Transport for London (TfL) services between 0900 and 0430 on weekdays and all day weekends and bank holidays. The Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass permits free travel at all times.

The Freedom Pass is funded by London borough councils who reimburse TfL, who administer the scheme. Since 2012 the Mayor of London has directly funded an additional discretionary pass, the 60+ London Oyster photocard. This bridges the gap between the age of 60 and pensionable age (currently 66), when someone would become eligible for the Freedom Pass instead.

There is also a range of discretionary fare schemes for younger people, apprentices, veterans and job seekers in London.

Reimbursement

Local authorities are responsible for reimbursing bus operators for journeys made by passengers with a bus pass. The UK Government funds English local authorities for the reimbursement of journeys made under the ENCTS, as part of the main revenue support grant to local authorities.

In June 2023 the Local Government Association said central government funding of the ENCTS did not cover the amount local authorities had to pay to bus operators, meaning that councils were having to plug the financial gap from their “own stretched budgets”, which was “completely unsustainable”.  

Scotland

The Scottish National Concessionary Travel Schemes (NCTS) provide free bus travel for those aged under 22, over 60, and eligible disabled people. It is administered and funded by Transport Scotland, although responsibility for the issue of National Entitlement Cards (NECs) lies with individual local authorities and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). Residents of some Scottish islands can use their NECs for free ferry vouchers travel too.

Wales

Concessionary travel for older people in Wales was introduced under the same legislation as in England. The main difference is that people can access it at the age of 60, unlike in England where eligibility was changed in 2010 to be tied to the state pension age, currently 66. The 16-21 mytravelpass gives younger people a 30% discount on buses.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, free Translink bus and rail travel is available to people aged 60 and over, those who are registered blind, and war disablement pensioners. Half-price travel is available to people with eligible disabilities.

Reciprocal arrangements between devolved parts of the UK

Bus pass use is limited to within the geographical area of the relevant devolved administration, meaning that English passes can only be used in England, Scottish passes can only be used in Scotland, and so on. There are limited exceptions to this rule on cross-border bus routes.

Powers exist in UK and Welsh legislation, and in Scottish legislation, to create Great Britain-wide bus pass recognition. However, in 2008, the UK Government said UK-wide recognition of passes would be “a highly complex undertaking and not without cost”, and in February 2024 said it had “no plans at present to introduce such an arrangement”.

Further information

Information on other aspects of bus policy can be found in the Library briefing Buses and Taxis FAQs.