Help with the cost of transport if you're disabled

You can apply for a disabled person’s bus pass or railcard if you have a condition that makes it hard to get around. You don’t need to have a physical health problem - people with learning disabilities can apply too. 

Someone else can apply on your behalf, if you need help with the application.

You’ll be able to travel for free by bus, or get 30% off your train tickets.

Your nearest Citizens Advice can help you with the application if you need it. 

Getting a disabled person’s railcard

Find out if you're eligible and how to apply on the National Rail website. If you don’t qualify, you’ll have to pay the full price for your train tickets. You won’t be able to appeal if your application is rejected.

Getting a disabled person’s bus pass 

You’ll be able to get a bus pass if:

• you’re blind or partially sighted, deaf or unable to speak
• you can’t walk very far because of a disability, illness or injury
• you don’t have arms or can’t use your arms
• you have a severe learning disability
• you’ve been refused a driving licence because of your health (but not because of problems with drugs or alcohol)

Follow the steps on GOV.UK to find out what evidence you’ll need to show you’re eligible, and apply for a bus pass from your local council.

If you live in London

You’ll need to apply for a ‘Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass’ instead. The eligibility criteria is the same as for the rest of England.

Follow the steps on GOV.UK to apply.

If you don’t qualify for a Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass, you can ask your council for a ‘discretionary bus pass’. Some London councils give these to people who aren’t eligible for a Freedom Pass but have problems getting around. You can find your council’s contact details through GOV.UK.

You might be able to use Dial-a-ride - a free door-to-door bus service run by Transport for London (TfL). You can become a member if you have a long-term disability or if you’re over 85 years old.

You can find out more about Dial-a-ride on the TfL website.

If you can’t get a bus pass

You can appeal to your council if your bus pass application was refused. Check your council’s website to find out how to appeal.

You can also visit your nearest Citizens Advice - an adviser will talk to you about your options.

Other help you can get

If you’re eligible for a bus or rail pass, you might also be able to get:

• a car, scooter or powered wheelchair from a charity called Motability
• a Blue Badge - to help you or someone who drives you around park more conveniently

It’s also worth checking you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to - you can use our benefits checker to easily find out.