Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder can in itself qualify a person for a concessionary bus pass under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme; and what guidance her Department issues to local authorities on eligibility for neurodivergent people whose autism substantially affects their ability to travel independently but who do not qualify for Personal Independence Payment.

The disabled eligibility criteria are set out in Section 146 of the Transport Act 2000. While autism is not included in this list, individuals with autism may be eligible for a concessionary bus pass if they meet certain criteria related to their condition or its functional impact.

The Department recognises that sometimes this can be hard to determine, especially for non-visible disabilities. To support local authorities in determining eligibility, the Department maintains guidance on assessing the eligibility of disabled applicants. This includes examples of where entitlement may be considered automatic based on receipt of state benefits and related documentary evidence, to help make the process more straightforward for both applicants and local authorities.