The free bus travel scheme for children in England will end on Monday, August 31, as confirmed by the Department for Transport (DfT). From September 1, a family with two children making a weekly return trip at a £1.50 child fare will need to spend an additional £27 a month.
Scheme details and launch
Earlier this year, the Labour Government announced it would provide free bus travel for children throughout August, enabling families across England to get out and about over the summer. The initiative was designed to help alleviate pressure on household budgets.
Throughout this month, every child aged five to 15 in England has been able to travel for free on participating local buses, with no limit on the number of journeys that can be made, and no registration required.
Government statements
When it was launched, then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "We know many hard-working families are still feeling the squeeze and too often think they have to hold back. By giving every child free bus travel throughout August and cutting tariffs on everyday food items, we're putting money back into people's pockets and making life that bit easier."
The DfT confirmed the scheme will end on August 31, following a question from Independent MP James McMurdock about a possible extension. Mr McMurdock asked: "With reference to the press release entitled Cost of living boost with free bus travel for children and targeted food tariff cuts, published on 20 May 2026, what criteria will determine whether the free bus travel scheme for children is extended beyond August 2026?"
Simon Lightwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, replied: "The free bus travel scheme for children is a time-limited measure running from August 1 to August 31, 2026."
Existing free travel rights
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education Paul Waugh said: "Children aged 5 to 16 are eligible for free travel if they attend their nearest suitable school and cannot walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or route safety."
"Statutory walking distances are set at 2 miles for children under 8 and 3 miles for those aged 8 and over. There are extended rights to free travel for children currently eligible for free school meals, to support low-income families to exercise school choice."
"For these pupils, 11 to 16 year-olds may receive free travel to one of their three nearest schools between 2 to 6 miles from home, or to a school 2 to 15 miles away chosen on grounds of religion or belief; and the statutory walking distance is set at 2 miles for those aged 8 and over but under 11."
