Disabled bus pass holders will be able to travel free of charge at any time of day from April 2027, as restrictions on concessionary passes are lifted nationwide. The change, announced by the Government, aims to alleviate cost-of-living pressures and provide greater flexibility for work and appointments.
Currently, disabled travel cards are generally restricted to weekday journeys between 9.30am and 11pm, though local councils can choose to cover extra hours. This happened in Greater Manchester when Andy Burnham served as mayor. Ministers are now expanding these rules across the whole country from next year.
Funding and support for the scheme
Funding worth £60m is being redirected from current Government spending to pay for the scheme. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is contributing £40m, alongside £20m provided by the Department for Transport, according to Neil Shaw for Devon Live.
The Prime Minister has introduced multiple policies to assist households with everyday costs since taking office. His wider measures include lowering business rates for pub venues, capping standard bus fares at £2, and removing VAT charges from electricity bills.
Andy Burnham's statement and praise from MPs
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, said: "Buses are a lifeline for so many people – making it easier to get to work, education and healthcare. It's simply not right that many disabled people cannot travel using their pass during certain times of the day. So we're fixing that. Disabled people will now have unlimited free bus travel 24/7."
Burnham added: "I did it before in Greater Manchester, and I'm proud to do it now for the whole country. This is part of our ongoing action to bring back hope and give people some much-needed breathing space on the cost of living."
Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon praised the update after spending nearly two years pushing for reform. The representative for Harrogate and Knaresborough had planned a second parliamentary vote for September following a defeated attempt the prior year.
Political reaction and criticism
Tom Gordon said: "Disabilities don't start at 9 o'clock, neither should disabled bus passes, and soon enough they won't. This is a huge win for the disabled community."
However, opposition politicians criticised the funding arrangement used to deliver the updated travel policy. They argued that the policy relies entirely on moving money between existing departmental accounts.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: "This is simply the shuffling around of existing departmental budgets. Andy Burnham needs to come clean about how he is going to fund this growing list of policies."
The change will take effect from April 2027, providing disabled pass holders with unlimited free travel on buses across England, removing time-based restrictions and offering greater independence.
