Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on taking into account the provision of Motability Scheme transport to parents when considering requests for the provision of home to school transport for a SEND child.

The department issues statutory guidance for local authorities on travel to school for children of compulsory school age, 5 to 16. This explains that a child’s eligibility for free travel is not affected by any further benefits or allowances a parent may receive, including the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance which may (but need not) be used to lease a vehicle through the Motability Scheme.

For young people in post-16 education, it is for local authorities to make decisions about whether to take into account the provision of Motability Scheme transport when considering requests for transport to education or training for a young person with special educational needs and disabilities.