Apply for a disabled person's bus pass

Registered as severely sight impaired (blind) or sight impaired (partially sighted) with VISTA;

You are eligible if you are:

• Blind (severely sight impaired) or partially sighted (sight impaired)

The RNIB provide information on the criteria which is used to certify sight loss

You are not eligible if you are:

• not entitled to be registered with VISTA

Proof of eligibility

• Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) form completed by an ophthalmologist or Form BD8
• Confirmation that you are registered with VISTA as blind or partially sighted
• Evidence from an eye specialist on official paper that the applicant is registered or is registerable as blind or partially sighted

You are eligible if your hearing loss is:

• severe or profound (greater than 70 dBHL in both ears)

You are not eligible if your hearing loss is:

• mild or moderate (69 dBHL or less, in your better ear)

Proof of eligibility

• Letter from audiologist or audiological report confirming the level of hearing loss in both ears.
• Documents which demonstrate that you have hearing loss of more than 70 dBHL in both ears. These may include letters from consultants.

You are eligible if you:

• are unable to communicate in any language orally

You are not eligible if you:

• have speech but it is slow or difficult to understand
• cannot speak English, but you do speak another language

Proof of eligibility

• Letter from social services, or another appropriate organisation providing support services, stating that you are without speech.
• Evidence that you have been awarded 8 points or more for the 'Communicating Verbally' activity of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
• For a child, a statement of Special Educational Needs or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that states that the child has no speech.
• 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.
• Completion of Section 4 (A)  of the application form, signed by a health professional confirming that you are without speech and why, and that the condition is long term or permanent.

You are eligible if you:

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

You are not eligible if you:

• have one arm and are able to carry out day to day tasks
• have a temporary weakness in one or both arms

Proof of eligibility

• Disabled person’s parking permit (Blue Badge). Your bus pass will expire at around the same time as the Blue Badge.
• Completion of Section 4 (B) of the application form signed by a health professional or letter from your GP/consultant confirming that you are unable to use your arms to carry out day-to-day tasks and why, and that the condition is long term or permanent.
• Documents which show that you have lost the use of your arms over the long term (12 months or more). This may include letters from your consultant or GP which you already have in your possession which describe in detail your disability.

including significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning;

You are eligible if:

• you have a learning disability which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning
• your learning disability started before adulthood

This will include some people with conditions such as Down’s syndrome or other learning disabilities which mean that you:

• have difficulty in understanding new and complex information, and
• have difficulty learning new skills and,
• may not be able to cope independently – you may be able to live on your own but may need help with some things, such as managing household bills

You are not eligible if:

• you have dyslexia, dyspraxia or attention deficit disorder
• your intelligence is not impaired, even if your disability affects your social functioning
• you are studying or have studied for GCSEs (having achieved, or likely to achieve grades A*-C or 4-9), A-levels, degree courses or equivalents
• you are applying because of mental health problems
• your condition started after you became an adult (e.g. as the result of a brain injury)

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

Proof of eligibility

• Information which confirms you have significant impairment of your intelligence and significant impairment of your social functioning.
• For a child, a statement of Special Educational Needs or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that demonstrates a significant impairment of intelligence and a significant impairment of social functioning.
• Completion of Section 4 (C) of the application form signed by a health professional or letter from your GP/consultant confirming that you have a significant impairment of both intelligence and social functioning and why.

If someone is assessed with an IQ of 70 or below, this would be considered a significant impairment of intelligence, however an IQ score alone would not necessarily be accepted as conclusive evidence.

We will not accept a letter or other evidence that only states that the applicant has:

• Learning disabilities
• Asperger’s syndrome
• Autistic spectrum disorder

You are eligible if you:

• have uncontrolled epilepsy and your current experience of seizures means that you would not be eligible for a driving licence
• have diabetes and have suffered more than one hypoglycaemic attack requiring the assistance of another person within the last 12 months
• have a severe mental disorder which means you would be refused a driving licence or have your licence revoked by the DVLA
• cannot read a registration plate in good light at 20.5 metres (with glasses)
• are liable to sudden attacks of giddiness or fainting

You may also be eligible if you:

• have another medical condition which means you would be refused a driving licence or have your driving licence revoked by the DVLA

You are not eligible if:

• you are refused a driving licence by the DVLA 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 i.e. 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
• the reason you cannot drive is because 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

Proof of eligibility

You need to show that one of the following applies:

• Your driving licence has been revoked on medical grounds.
• You have been refused a driving licence on medical grounds.
• You would be ineligible for a driving licence on medical grounds.

You can demonstrate your eligibility by providing one of the following:

• Letter from the DVLA indicating that your driving licence has been refused or revoked following an assessment.
• Letter from the DVLA accepting a surrendered driving licence, together with evidence of the relevant medical condition.
• Completion of Section 4 of the application form signed by a health professional or letter from your GP/consultant confirming that you that you would be refused a driving licence (other than because of alcohol/drug dependency) and why, and that the condition is long term or permanent.
• Evidence which demonstrates you have one of the disabilities or medical conditions which would be covered by Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This may include letters from your GP or consultant.
• You will also need to show whether the refusal of driving licence is permanent (e.g. because of a lifelong condition) or temporary (e.g. because of an isolated seizure).

You are eligible if:

• you are unable to walk at all
• you rely on crutches to move due to a long term condition
• you are unable to walk further than 64 metres without severe discomfort
• it takes you a long time to walk a short distance e.g. taking 5 minutes to walk 100 metres
• the exertion to walk would constitute a danger to your life or would be likely to lead to serious deterioration in your health

You are not eligible if:

• your mobility problems are not long term (less than 12 months)
• You are able to walk relatively normally using an artificial leg or legs

Proof of eligibility

• Disabled person’s parking permit (qualify for a Blue Badge under walking difficulty). Your bus pass will expire at around the same time as the Blue Badge.
• Evidence that you have been awarded 8 points or more for the ‘Moving Around’ activity of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Award letter must be dated within the last 12 months.
• Evidence that you have been awarded the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance. Award letter must be dated within the last 12 months unless it has been awarded indefinitely.
• For a veteran, evidence of receiving War Pensioners Mobility Supplement, or the ‘Reasons for Decision’ letter under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).
• Completion of Section 4 (E) of the application form signed by a health professional or letter from your GP/consultant describing your disability, whether it is permanent or temporary, the expected duration and that you cannot walk more than 64 metres without severe discomfort, even when a mobility or artificial aid (e.g. crutches, walking frame, stick etc.) is used. Information as to how far you can walk without experiencing severe discomfort is helpful.

If your pass is lost or stolen, please email us with your full name, date of birth, address and your contact number at [email protected].

If your application has been refused, you are able to request a review. This will be carried out by someone who was independent of the original decision. You will need to contact us in writing or email within 28 days of receiving the refusal letter, giving reasons that you believe that you are eligible for a disabled concessionary pass. You may include further supporting information/medical evidence.

Applications are assessed according to the impact that your condition or disability has on your ability to make bus journeys, as detailed in the criteria laid down by government. Having a diagnosis is not normally sufficient to prove eligibility.

If you qualify under the following categories, we will renew it automatically and send your new one in the post at least four weeks before your current one runs out.

• Blind/partially sighted
• Profoundly or severely deaf in both ears
• Without speech
• Without the use of both arms
• Learning disability

If you have a disabled person’s bus pass on the grounds of:

• Severe walking disability
• Likely to be refused a driving licence on medical grounds
• Blue badge
• In receipt of higher rate mobility of Personal independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance

You will need to re-apply for your pass and we'll send you an application form at least four weeks before the expiry date.

Please email [email protected] of any changes to your name or address.

If you’re telling us about a change of name you’ll need to email us a copy of an official document, such as a marriage certificate, as proof of your new name.

If your address has changed, you’ll need to email a copy of a utility or council tax bill as proof of your new address. Please also ensure you provide your date of birth when emailing us.