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A person is eligible for a concessionary bus pass if they are blind (severely sight impaired) or partially sighted (sight impaired). 

You will be eligible if: 

• you are registered with us, or entitled to be registered, as blind, or severely sight impaired

Evidence required:

• Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) completed by an ophthalmologist
• evidence of registration with 91��Ƭ��County Council as being severely sight impaired (blind) or sight impaired (partially sighted)
• for a veteran, the ‘Reasons for Decision’ letter under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) 

You may still qualify if you are not blind or partially sighted, but your vision is so impaired that you would be refused a driving licence due to unable to read a registration plate in good light at 20.5 metres with lenses if worn.

Guidance from the Department for Transport states that hearing loss is measured in decibels across the normal hearing spectrum, as dBHL (Hearing Level). Hearing loss is usually graded as follows: 

• 25 to 39 dB HL: mild, cannot hear whispers
• 0 to 69 dB HL: moderate, cannot hear conversational speech
• 70 to 94 dB HL: severe, cannot hear shouting
• >95 dB HL: profound, cannot hear sounds that would be painful for a hearing person to listen to. 

You will be eligible if: 

• your hearing loss is severe or profound, i.e. greater than 70 dBHL and not temporary (less than 12 months)

Proving that you are eligible

Evidence required:

• confirmation that you are registered as profoundly or severely deaf with us
• letter from audiologist or audiological report
• documents which demonstrate that you have hearing loss of more than 70 dBHL in both ears
• for a veteran, the ‘Reasons for Decision’ letter under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)

A person is eligible for a concessionary bus pass if they are without speech. 

You will be eligible if: 

• you are unable to communicate orally in any language, for example you are unable to make clear basic oral requests, or you are unable to ask specific questions to clarify instructions 

You will not be eligible if: 

• you have speech bit it is slow or difficult to understand, for example if you have a severe stammer, or
• you cannot speak English, but you do speak another language

Proving that you are eligible

Evidence required:

• evidence that you have been awarded 8 points or more for the 'Communicating Verbally' activity of Personal Independence Payment' (PIP)
• letter from social services, or another appropriate organisation providing support services, stating that you are without speech
• for a child, a statement of Special Educational Needs Or Education Health Care Plan
• documents which demonstrate that you are without speech (these may include letters from your consultant or GP which you may already have in your possession)

A person is eligible if they have a long term and substantial disability that means they cannot walk or which makes walking very difficult. 

You will be eligible if:

• you are unable to walk at all
• you can only get about by swinging through crutches (long term)
• you are unable to walk a short distance (over 64 meters) without severe discomfort
• it takes an excessive amount of time to walk a short distance (100 meters within 5 minutes)
• or the exertion required to walk would constitute a danger to your life or would be likely to lead to serious deterioration in your health

Proving that you are eligible 

Evidence required:

• Personal Independent Payment (PIP) Statement of Entitlement which:
  • shows your name clearly
  • shows 8 or more points for the ‘Moving Around’ activity
  • has the same reference number at the bottom of each page
• recent (less than 1 year old) DLA letter - must show Higher Rate Mobility Component
• letter from a medical practitioner who is treating you, for example a physiotherapist or consultant who can confirm your mobility meets the listed criteria
• for a veteran, proof of receiving War Pensioners Mobility Supplement, or ‘Reasons for Decision’ letter under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)

A person is eligible for a concessionary bus pass if they do not have arms or if they have long term loss of use of both arms. 

You will be eligible if:

• you have both arms but are unable to use them to carry out day to day task
• you have a limb reduction deficiency of both arms
• you have an amputation of both arms
• you have a medical condition (muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, motor neurone disease or condition of comparable severity) which affects the use of your arms

You will not be eligible if:

• you have one arm and can carry out day to day tasks

Proving that you are eligible

Evidence required:

• documents which demonstrate that you have lost the use of your arms over the long term (12 months or more) (these may include letters from your consultant or GP which you may already have in your possession)
• for a veteran, the Reasons for Decision letter under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)
• letter from a medical practitioner who is treating you, for example a physiotherapist or consultant

The Transport Act 2000 defines learning disability as “a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning.” 

You will be eligible if, you have a learning disability which includes: 

• your disability started before adulthood and has had a lasting effect on your development
• you have reduced ability to understand new or complex information
• you have difficulty learning new skills
• you are unable cope independently
• have Down's syndrome and other learning disabilities which mean that someone who cannot cope independently may be able to live on their own but may need help with some aspects, for example managing household bills

You will not be eligible if: 

• you have dyslexia, dyspraxia or attention deficit disorder - these would not qualify as 'significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning'
• your intelligence is not impaired, even if your disability affects your social functioning
• you are applying because of mental health problems
• your condition started after you became an adult (for example a brain injury) 

Please note, you may still qualify if your condition is so severe that you would be refused a driving licence. 

You may still qualify if your condition is so severe that you would be refused a driving licence. This includes people whose disability started in adulthood e.g. brain injury.

Proving that you are eligible 

You can do this by providing information which confirms you have both of the following:

• significant impairment of your intelligence
• significant impairment of your social functioning 

The following evidence can support an application, but we may request further information: 

• Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan
• statement of Special Educational Needs
• 8 points or more for ‘communicating’ on your Personal Independent Payment (PIP) 

We cannot accept the following as evidence, information which says you have: 

• learning difficulties
• a learning disability
• Asperger's syndrome
• Autistic Spectrum Condition (please see categories A-F as you may qualify under a different category) 

None of the above provides evidence that your intelligence is significantly impaired.

Guidance for concessionary travel definition of learning disability

A person with a learning disability has a reduced ability to understand new or complex information, a difficulty in learning new skills, and may be unable to cope independently.

These disabilities must have started before adulthood and have a lasting effect on development. The person should be able to qualify for specialist services and he or she may have had special educational provision.

The Department of Health adopted the term 'learning disability' in 1992. It has the same meaning as its predecessor 'mental handicap' but it is seen as more acceptable, particularly in reducing the confusion with mental illness."

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 you may be refused a driving licence on the grounds of your medical fitness. 

Those currently barred from holding a licence include people with:

• epilepsy (unless it is of a type which does not pose a danger)
• severe mental disorder
• liability to sudden attacks of giddiness or fainting
• inability to read a registration plate in good light at 20.5 metres (with lenses if worn)
• other disabilities which are likely to cause the driving of vehicles by them to be a source of danger to the public 

You will not be eligible if:

• you are refused a driving licence as a result of the misuse of drugs or alcohol
• you are advised not to drive for medical reasons, or for the sake of your health, but are allowed to keep your driving licence (e.g. if you are recovering from surgery or because driving would make a medical condition worse)
• the reason you cannot drive is short term (less than 12 months) and you are not required to surrender your licence (e.g. after surgery)
• the reason you cannot drive is because of the side effects of medication that you are taking (unless your driving licence is revoked or refused because of it)
• you suffer from mental health issues (such as anxiety or depression) which would not cause you to be refused a driving licence
• you have a life-limiting condition or serious illness unless you are at risk of seizures as a result 

If you are in possession of a current driving licence you cannot apply under this category. This includes a provisional driving licence. Applicants under this category may have their details passed to the DVLA for the purpose of fraud prevention. 

Proving that you are eligible 

Any letter provided as evidence should make it clear why you would be ineligible to drive. It should also say whether this is permanent or temporary and, if temporary, it should state the expected duration.

Proof can include:

• letter from DVLA revoking a driving licence on medical grounds
• letter from consultant or other medical professional (for example a qualified mental health practitioner) confirming that you have a disability or medical condition which is likely to cause the driving of vehicles by you to be a source of danger to the public
• letter from DVLA refusing the issue of a driving licence (this would need to be supported by something confirming the existence of the relevant medical condition, for example a consultant appointment letter relating to epilepsy)
• letter from DVLA confirming that a licence has been surrendered voluntarily on medical grounds (this would need to be supported by something confirming the existence of the relevant medical condition, for example a consultant appointment letter relating to epilepsy 

A medical professional does not have to be your GP, for example, it can also include a CPN, learning disability specialist, Occupational Health therapist or a Psychiatrist)

To qualify, you will need to provide a copy of proof of one of the following:

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • the award date should not have expired
  • the evidence should be dated within the last 12 months

• Personal Independent Payment (PIP)
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with a score of 8 points or more for the 'moving around' activity under the mobility component
  • the award date should not have expired
  • includes front page and the mobility component points page
  • we cannot accept Yearly Update letters

(download an example PIP letter)

• the photo should be a passport style photo, which is focused on the face, and in colour
• you can read about photograph requirements here: How to Upload Photos
• if you are unable to upload your photograph, you can post a photo to us
• postal address is available at the end of the application process

Please provide one of the following:

• a copy of a utility bill from within the last year
• a copy of a bank or credit card statement from within the last year
• a copy of a Council Tax bill from within the last year
• a copy of your driving licence