Concessionary fare schemes
For more information, visit the Parkinson’s UK website (last updated September 2022).
A concessionary fare scheme allows some people to travel on public transport for a reduced fare, or sometimes for free.
Your local authority or council may have a concessionary fare scheme for older and disabled people.
Each nation in the UK sets the minimum that should be available to help pay for travel. Who qualifies as a disabled person for this help also varies between each country in the UK:
- in England, if you’ve reached state pension age or you’re disabled, you can get free off-peak local bus travel
- in Northern Ireland, you can travel free on the bus or by rail if you’re aged 60 or over, are registered blind or are a War Disablement pensioner. If you’re under 60, you can travel for half price if you receive the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), have had a driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds, have a recognised learning disability or are partially-sighted. To see if you qualify, visit the Translink website at the link below.
- in Scotland, if you’re 60 or over, or are disabled, a National Entitlement Card allows you to use national and local buses for free at any time of day and also may entitle you to discounted rail travel in some areas of Scotland. The card also allows companions to travel for free where required by the cardholder. To find out if you qualify, visit the National Entitlement Card website at the link below
- in Wales, if you’re 60 or over, or are disabled, you can travel for free on local buses across Wales, at any time of day. You can also travel for free or at a discounted rate on many Transport for Wales trains. Visit the Transport for Wales website at the link below for more information on discounted travel
Some local authorities and councils may offer more than the minimum to residents. For instance, in London, the Freedom Pass lets older and disabled people travel across London and local bus journeys nationally. Visit the link below to find out more, or contact your local authority or council to find out what they offer.
If you’re over 60 or disabled, you may be able to get discounted coach travel. For example, National Express offers both a Senior Coachcard and a Disability Coachcard that offers discounts on fares. You can get more details from the individual coach companies.