Travel pass for disabled people

Do you qualify?

If you are disabled, you could be eligible for a pass that gives you free and low-cost travel in Greater Manchester and the rest of England under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

If one of the below applies to you, you could qualify for either a travel pass for disabled people or a travel plus pass for disabled people:

You are without natural speech, the use of both arms (including profoundly deaf and without speech, or profoundly deaf with speech that cannot be readily understood by a person who can hear normally)

Eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of any of the following:

• you are a member of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association (BLESMA) and can provide receipt of membership
• you have been awarded a lump sum payment under tariff levels 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and have a letter from the Service Personal and Veterans Agency (SPVA) proving receipt of this
• If you are persons who is profoundly deaf and either without speech or without speech which can be readily understood by an untrained person and who are so certified by the Appropriate District Authority, your application will need to be authorised by the Sensory Team at your Local Authority

You are unable to walk 100m (110 yards) without stopping, severe discomfort or help from another person.

Eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of any of the following:

• the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living allowance
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) where the award is for at least 8 points in the “moving around” activity
• War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement

You are a partially sighted person or have a profound or severe hearing loss

Eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of any of the following:

• Your application will need to be authorised by the Sensory Team at your Local Authority
• you can provide a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) which shows your registration
• can provide audiogram evidence of a hearing level being reached of 70+ dB HL across the normal hearing spectrum
• Local authorities may, where a person is not on the local authority register, require evidence from an eye specialist, for example an optometrist, that the applicant would qualify to be registered as severely sight impaired (blind) or sight impaired (partially sighted).

You would qualify to be registered as severely sight impaired (blind)

Eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of any of the following:

• Your application will need to be authorised by the Sensory Team at your Local Authority
• you can provide a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) which shows your registration
• can provide audiogram evidence of a hearing level being reached of 70+ dB HL across the normal hearing spectrum
• Local authorities may, where a person is not on the local authority register, require evidence from an eye specialist, for example an optometrist, that the applicant would qualify to be registered as severely sight impaired (blind) or sight impaired (partially sighted).

You have a learning disability that must have started before adulthood and have a lasting effect on development. The person should be able to qualify for specialist services and he or she may have had special educational provision.

Eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of any of the following:

• (not in education) You are known to the Adult Learning Disability Team at your Local Authority.
• (If you are still in education) you can provide the front page of your Education, Health and Care Plan [EHCP] issued through your local authority education department. This qualification criteria only applies to the child learning application process.

You have severe enduring mental health issues which are likely to cause the driving of vehicles by them to be a source of danger to the public

Eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of any of the following:

• Evidence from the DVLA that you are currently barred from holding a licence due to a severe mental disorder

You suffer from epilepsy, dizziness or fainting, sight impairment or any other disability which are likely to cause the driving of vehicles by them to be a source of danger to the public

Eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of any of the following:

• Evidence from the DVLA that you are currently barred from holding a licence due to one of the listed reasons

Costs and benefits

Travel pass for disabled people

The pass is free, and lasts between one and five years depending on your disability.

Within Greater Manchester:

• travel for free on all buses and Metrolink trams within Greater Manchester between 9.30am and midnight, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• You can travel for free on trains within Greater Manchester on journeys scheduled to run at or after 9.30am, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• if you travel outside of these times you must pay for a concessionary fare where available or otherwise the full adult fare. Find information on concessionary fares.

Throughout England:

• travel for free on all local buses between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• if you travel outside of these times you must pay the full adult fare.

Travel plus pass for disabled people

The pass is free and lasts between one and five years depending on your disability.

This pass is for use by the person named on the pass only. Any carers or other people accompanying the card holder will be required to pay the normal fare.

Within Greater Manchester:

• travel for free on all local buses, on Metrolink trams and on trains within Greater Manchester at any time.

Throughout England:

• travel for free on all local buses between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• if you travel outside of these times you must pay the full adult fare.

How to use the pass

You must always remember to:

• touch in at the card reader when boarding buses
• touch in and touch out at a yellow smart reader on tram stops, for Metrolink

For concessionary fares, you will be asked to show your pass when buying a ticket on a bus and when inspected during your journey on trams.

The smart readers on tram stops now accept contactless cards and devices for travel. Please move your concessionary pass away from your payment cards, when you use a smart reader.

For example, if you keep your pass in a wallet or purse, remove it before you touch-in and touch-out. This will make sure you’re not charged on a contactless card you didn’t intend to use.

Apply for a pass

It can take up to 6 weeks from the date we receive your application form to get your pass.

Walking difficulties

To apply for a travel pass for disabled people:

1) Download and complete an application form.

2) If you receive one of the following:

• the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living allowance
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) where the award is for at least 8 points in the “moving around” activity
• War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement

Please send a copy of the original document confirming that you’re in receipt of any of the benefits listed above. This must be dated within the last 12 months and have the same name and address as you’ve stated on your application form. We will not send any original documents back, so it is important that you only send copies with your application

3) If you do not receive any of the above benefits, please download and complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire will be assessed by one of TfGM's medical advisors and you may be asked to attend a brief assessment.

4) Send the completed application form and benefits letter or completed questionnaire to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.

Sensory impairment

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

EITHER apply by email - download and complete the application form for people with sensory impairmen and email to concessionary.travel@tfgm.com

OR apply by post - download, print and complete the application form for people with sensory impairment and send the completed application form to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

Before returning, please ensure that your application form has been authorised by your local authority.

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.

Adults with learning disabilities

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

EITHER apply by email - download and complete the application form for adults with learning disabilities and email to concessionary.travel@tfgm.com

OR apply by post - download, print and complete the application form for adults with learning disabilities and send the completed application form to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

Before returning, please ensure that your application form has been authorised by your local authority.

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.

Children with learning disabilities

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

EITHER apply by email - download and complete the application form for children with learning disabilities and email to concessionary.travel@tfgm.com

OR apply by post - download, print and complete the application form for children with learning disabilities and send the completed application form to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.

Without speech, use of both arms or have BLESMA membership

To apply for a travel plus pass for disabled people:

1) Download and complete an application form.

2) If you are without natural speech or the use of both arms you must also send a letter from a medical professional confirming this.

3) If you are a member of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association (BLESMA) you must also send a copy of your BLESMA membership.

4) Send the completed application form and letter or membership to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.

Refused driving licence

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

1) Download and complete an application form.

2) You must also download and complete the applicable questionnaire:

• severe and enduring mental health problems questionnaire
• epilepsy, dizziness, fainting, sight problems or other disabilities questionnaire

The questionnaire will be assessed by one of TfGM's medical advisors and you may be asked to attend a brief assessment.

3) Send the completed application form and questionnaire to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.

Renewing your pass

We’ll let you know that your pass is due to expire eight weeks in advance.

You will need to complete a renewal application and send back to us. Please be aware it can take up to six weeks for us to process your application from the date we receive it back.

If you have changed your appearance since your last pass was issued, then please include an up-to-date passport sized photograph.

If you change address, then please let us know. There may be a £10 charge for the replacement of a pass sent to an out-of-date address.

Replace your pass

There is a £10 administration cost for the replacement of a lost, damaged or stolen concessionary pass.

To order a replacement pass you can:

• Call TfGM on 0161 244 1000 to make a card payment (7am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm at weekends and public holidays).
• Visit an Information and Ticket office (Travelshop) to order and pay for a replacement pass.