Most Hampshire families organise their own school journeys. However, in certain circumstances, there are exceptional reasons why families may need support with this. In these cases, the County Council may be able to provide funded transport assistance. This is available for eligible children from the term after their fifth birthday up to and including Year 11.
You can visit the Hampshire County Council website to check whether your child is eligible for free transport assistance. If you believe your child meets the eligibility criteria, and you need help getting them to school, you can apply now for transport assistance for the 2025/26 school year.
If your child already receives School Transport, you don’t need to do anything unless your circumstances have changed. If you have moved home or school location, you will need to reapply for transport.
Application Deadlines
Applications for School Transport for 2025/26 must be submitted by the following applicable dates.
Type | Application Deadline |
| Mainstream primary and secondary schools | 31 May 2025 |
| Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) | 30 June 2025 |
Late applications
Applications received after the applicable date will be treated as late applications, and will only be reviewed after all on-time applications have been processed. For eligible families who apply late, this means that transport will not be in place for September 2025 and may not be available before December 2025.
Information for parents of Year 11 children
For most young people, transport assistance stops at the end of Year 11, even if they continue to attend the same setting for their post-16 education.
A discretionary Post-16 Transport service is available in certain circumstances, for young people with SEND who are unable to access their further education or training without transport assistance from the County Council. Applications are only approved where there is clear evidence that nobody else in the young person’s household is able to transport them.
As a discretionary service, parents are required to pay a partial financial contribution towards the costs of transport. To be considered for this service, you must apply by 30 June 2025.
For eligible families who apply after this deadline, transport will not be in place for September 2025 and may not be available before January 2026.
Visit the County Council website for full details, including how to apply.
What next?
Providing your application is submitted on time, you can expect to hear back from us with the outcome of your application within 10 working days. For on-time Post-16 Transport applications, this can take up to six weeks. Timings may vary during busier periods.
For approved on-time applications, you will then receive a second communication detailing your child’s transport arrangements, and this will be sent to you no later than the end of August.
For more information about travel to school, visit the County Council’s website.
