England Expands Free Bus Travel for Disabled Pass Holders

From April, England will lift the weekday time restriction that limits free bus travel for eligible disabled people to the 9:30 a.m.–11 p.m. window. Under the new rule, bus travel will be free all day, every day, matching the existing weekend provision. The change applies nationwide, though some local authorities—such as those in London and Greater Manchester—already fund all-day free travel. The government says the measure will improve access to workplaces and ease cost-of-living pressures for disabled commuters.

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The policy is financed by a £60 million package: £40 million from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and £20 million from the Department for Transport (DfT). Officials claim no new funding is required, but the source of the money within existing departmental budgets has not been detailed. The announcement came during Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander’s cost-of-living tour, alongside other initiatives aimed at reducing living expenses for families.

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Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander framed the change as an end to a “postcode lottery,” emphasizing that unrestricted bus travel will unlock job and education opportunities for disabled people. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the rules demonstrate the government’s seriousness about removing long-standing barriers for disabled commuters. The move aligns with Labour’s broader focus on youth joblessness, as highlighted in Alan Milburn’s interim report on NEETs.

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Charity leaders welcomed the policy.

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• “We’re putting an end to this postcode lottery, so disabled people can travel on buses for free whenever they need, wherever they live – unlocking opportunities and access to jobs, learning, and more,” — Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, said transport secretary

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• “Most importantly, though, it removes the inference that disabled people can’t or shouldn’t work,” — Jon Sparkes

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