Children and families

Apply for SEND home to school transport

Parents and carers of pupils up to the age of 18 with a SEND (special education need or disability) can apply for help with transport to and from school or college. 

Parents and carers of students with a SEND who are aged 19-25 will need to request an adult social care assessment to discuss their transport needs.

From September 2025, parents and carers must contribute to the cost of post-16 transport.

Who can apply?

The application form on this page is for parents and carers to apply on behalf of a:

  • pupil with a special educational need up to the age of 16 on the 1st of September in the academic year they apply
  • student with a special educational need aged 16-18 years old who is in education and has an EHCP (education, health and care plan)
  • pupil or student with a long or short-term disability (medical evidence required) 

Eligibility criteria checklist

  • The pupil must have an EHCP
  • The school or college named in the EHCP is the nearest suitable school, as determined by the local authority
  • The pupil must attend their nearest suitable school, and have a long or short-term disability which means they cannot reasonably be expected to walk
  • Either you or your partner are disabled and are unable to accompany your child to school

If the answer to any of the above is no, then you may not be eligible for travel support.

How much is the post-16 contribution?

The contribution to the cost of transport for post-16 students is a flat fee. It is not linked to the number of days a student travels.

The cost is £680 a year, reduced by 50% to £340 for families who meet the low income criteria. We offer the option to pay in instalments.
 
To help with the cost, you can ask your school, college or training provider to help you apply for the government’s 16-19 Bursary Fund. Find out more about the 16-19 Bursary Fund on GOV.UK.

Payment will be requested once your application has been processed.

Before you apply

Before you apply please:

How to apply

Apply online for help with home to school transport (SEND children up to 18)

Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data.

What happens next?

We will review your initial application within 5 working days. If a further assessment or additional evidence is needed this may take an additional 15 working days. Where medical evidence is required the assessment process may take longer.

Parents and carers are responsible for making sure your child gets to their educational setting safely and on time, until we have completed the assessment and determined the most appropriate type of travel support.

If your application is successful, we may offer one of the following options:

If none of the above is appropriate then we may consider a minibus, dedicated school transport or taxi. Payment of the post-16 contribution will be requested if you are assigned transport as a result of your application.

Passenger assistants are allocated to vehicles where it has been identified that pupils require supervision during the journeys to and from school. Passengers assistants and drivers working on the home to school transport contract are required to have a satisfactory disclosure check at enhanced level.

Standards and conduct

We have produced a guide which outlines a code of conduct and expected standards from all involved in the transport service.

  • SEND transport handbook

    Download this document: SEND transport handbook (PDF: 351 KB)

    This guide is for eligible pupils, parents and carers, schools, passenger assistants, transport contractors and drivers. It outlines the code of conduct and expected standards from all involved in the transport service.

    First published: 26/07/2024

 Can I appeal a decision?

Details of how to appeal a decision will be on the email we send to you when we respond to your application. Decisions are based on the criteria set out in the documents below.

The following updated policies will take effect from September 2025.

Contact us

For more information about home to school transport please email sen.transport@liverpool.gov.uk.