Transport to sixth form or college

The cost for new starters and renewals is £792.00.

For families on low income, the cost for new starters and renewals is £396.00

Definition of low income

Low income relates to students who are on free school meals or where a family is in receipt of the qualifying benefits for free school meals or who received the maximum level of working tax credits.

You will need to provide your direct debit details when applying online. Once we have determined that you meet the low income criteria we will reduce the fee and direct debits accordingly. If we are unable to confirm your low income entitlement we will contact you for evidence. It is important that this is returned promptly in order for us to reduce the charge. 

The qualifying benefits for free school meals are: 

• Universal Credit - provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods
• Income-based Jobseekers' allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Child tax credit, provided you are not entitled to working tax credit, and have an annual household income as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs that does not exceed £16,190
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Guarantee element of state Pension Credit

It also applies to those students who are young parents on low income, who are on a means-tested benefit from the list above.

Working tax credits

You can also qualify for a reduction in the fee if your family receive the maximum level of working tax credits.

HM Revenue and Customs issue a 'Tax Credit Awards Notice' detailing the breakdown and amount of the award. If on Part 2 of the notice (How we work out your tax credits) under the "Working Tax Credits elements" there is any award amount (other than £0) on the 'Reduction due to your income' section, then you are not in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit. To be on the maximum level of Working Tax Credit your annual earned income must be less than £7,455, once this threshold is reached then reductions are made to the amount of Working Tax Credit you receive.

In order for us to be able to confirm this, please provide us with your latest proof of benefit or the full copy of the current tax year final (not provisional) award notice as soon as possible. It is important that we have a copy of all of the pages of the award notice.

If a sixth form or college have said they will pay for transport, you still need to apply for transport assistance and set up the direct debit. If you are eligible for assistance you will need to ask the school or college to confirm to us that they will cover the cost before we can cancel the direct debit. If this is after the first payment has been made then any monies you paid need to be refunded by the college.  

If you are not entitled to transport assistance from us you may receive help directly from the college or sixth form, with transport costs, through the 16-19 Discretionary Bursary Fund.

Students do not have to pay the contribution towards their bus pass if they meet the exemption criteria.

Payment details will be taken when applying online. Once we have determined that you meet the exemption criteria, the fee will be waived.

Exemption criteria

Students do not have to pay the contribution towards their bus pass if one of the following applies:

You should attach copies of your evidence to your application.

Our preferred method for receiving applications is online, but if you are unable to apply online, you can apply by post.

Apply by post

To apply by post, you will need to complete the  post-16 travel assistance application form. Contact us for a form.

You will be required to state your payment preference (Direct Debit, cheque or credit / debit card payment) on the application form and provide payment. Postal applications can take an extra five working days longer to process than online applications.

Please note, terms and conditions apply when applying for travel assistance to sixth form or college. See below for further details. By applying, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.

We encourage learners aged 16 and over to travel independently on education transport services or public transport where applicable to enable them to develop the skills for successful transition into adulthood.

For post-16 SEND students with an education health and care plan who may need additional support with transport, a further assessment of their individual needs and abilities will be required. On receipt of a completed post-16 application form additional information will be requested and considered by the SEND transport manager. If approved, transport assistance will be arranged by Integrated Passenger Transport who will contact the student with details of the arrangements.

Where specialist transport is approved this maybe short term and is subject to review.

View more information about transport support for young people aged 16-19 with education health and care plans or young people aged 19-25 with an education health and care plan. 

Claiming travel expenses for the use of your own transport is only available if there is no transport service in the area you live or if it is withdrawn.

In this case, we will only be able to offer you a mileage allowance and you would be expected to make your own travel arrangements. Our standard rate for a mileage allowance is 20p per mile and we will reimburse you for one return journey per day.

Students who qualify for assistance under the post-16 transport policy will normally be issued with a bus pass, from the nearest available pick up point, allowing them to make journeys from home to sixth form or college and back at the beginning and end of the sixth form or college day.

Transport support will only be arranged to the main college / sixth form site. If your course is taught at different sites, you will need to discuss travel arrangements between sites with the college / sixth form. 

We allocate transport using the most cost-effective service available. This will often be one of our contracted school bus services. Such buses normally arrive and leave at the start and end of the designated school or college day in order to cater for all students. If your timetable ends early or late on a particular day you will not be provided with an alternative travel permit and it will be your responsibility to make arrangements for getting from sixth form or college on these occasions.

We are unable to allow passengers to specify their preferred route.

Pick up location

We expect students to make their own way to the nearest pick up point. If you live over one mile from the nearest pick up point, we may be able to offer you a mileage allowance to the pick up point.

The transport we provide is subject to change. If the bus service you access is no longer required for entitled students of statutory school age, the service will be withdrawn.

Two year courses

If you are on a two year course, you will need to re-apply next year in order to renew your bus pass. Please be aware that transport arrangements may change from the previous year's.

Changing courses after completing year one

If you are doing a different course, it will be classed as a new application and you may not qualify for assistance. This includes moving to the next level, for example if you have completed a Level 2 qualification and wish to go onto Level 3.

By law, young people must continue in education or training until their 18th birthday.

This does not mean that young people have to stay on at school. It means that they will need to continue to study or train in one of several ways:

• study full time in school, college or with a training provider
• full time work or volunteering combined with part time study or training
• an apprenticeship

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.

The 16-19 bursary fund is available to assist students who may need extra support to continue in education. Sixth forms and colleges manage this and you should contact them direct if you would like more information. Further information about the bursary fund is also available on the Government website.

If we are unable to approve your application for transport assistance we will write to you and let you know the reasons.

Where you believe that the decision made with respect to your eligibility for travel assistance is incorrect or you disagree with the type of travel assistance arrangements that have been put in place, you can appeal. They should be made in writing in the first instance. This is not a statutory right of appeal.

Stage 1:

A stage 1 review must be made in writing within 20 working days of the letter refusing assistance:

• your letter must provide reasons for your challenge and include any new documentary evidence
• this will be reviewed by two senior officers from children and young people’s services and in the case of post-19 students with an education health and care plan, one of the senior officers will be from health and adult services, the original decision may be upheld, overturned or alternative solutions maybe suggested
• where transport assistance is agreed the authority will make the necessary arrangements
• where transport is not agreed, you will be told in writing of the decision and if you remain unsatisfied you will be informed of the next and final stage of the appeal process

Stage 2:

A stage 2 appeal must be made in writing by completion of a post-16 transport appeal form within 20 working days of receipt of the stage 1 response

• the form must clearly state the reasons why you challenge the stage 1 response and provide any new documentary evidence
• stage 2 appeals are heard by the appeals committee which consists of a small group of elected members of the council.
• you can attend the appeal in person
• when a decision is made you will be notified in writing of the final decision and the reasoning behind the decision
• where you are unhappy with the outcome you will be advised how escalate it to the Local Government Ombudsman or complain to the Secretary of State

For further information please contact us.

You can request a replacement bus pass online if your school or college bus pass has been damaged, lost or stolen. Find out how to request a replacement bus pass here.

If you no longer require your bus pass you must return it to us as soon as possible.

To cancel a paid bus pass, the pass or passes must be returned to us at the address below. We recommend that you use a recorded delivery service as proof of postage may be requested in the event that the pass is not received. You will remain responsible for the cost of the permit until the date we receive it.

Please note, you are unable to cancel transport assistance to sixth form or college after 1 April and you will be liable for the remaining direct debit payments.

The address for returns and refund consideration is:

North Yorkshire Council
FAO Integrated Passenger Transport
County Hall
Northallerton
DL7 8AH

We will only offer support with transport to an alternative establishment if your nearest sixth form or college does not offer a similar or comparable course.

Many courses are very similar, but not identical, in content. If your nearest sixth form or college offers a qualification that allows you to gain entry to a chosen university degree or chosen career you will not be given assistance with transport to an alternative school or college.

For example there are very similar courses in media, computing, sports or performing arts that might offer slightly different modules but which award a  BTEC Level 2 or BTEC Level 3 qualification at the end. In the same way as we do for A levels we look at information from UCAS on the entry level requirements for a university degree or job profiles for your chosen career.

We will consider providing transport assistance to sixth forms and colleges outside North Yorkshire if it is the nearest to your home address offering an appropriate course.

Please note, we are unable to assess your application for assistance with transport over the phone.

Contact us.