Pupil
and Student Finance
Post-16 Travel Assistance
Academic Year 2008/2009
Transport for London
Transport for London (TfL) provides free travel on buses and tram services within the London area (zones 1-6) for
children under the age of 18 in full-time education. Charges for travelling in buses outside of the area are still made.
Bus routes within Bexley Borough provide free travel for a child aged 16 or 17 who are in full-time education but
charges will still occur where bus routes operate outside of the agreed zones.
Free travel by TfL is provided under the following guidelines:
Children aged 16 and 17 need to obtain a 16–17 Oyster Card to travel free on bus and tram services. Application
forms for a 16–17 Oyster Card are available from Post Offices and may be available from schools/colleges.
London Borough of Bexley’s policy
The London Borough of Bexley has produced a travel assistance policy statement which provides an overview as to support available from the Borough and local colleges. The document also provides information about points of contact for learners seeking travel assistance.
These details can be downloaded using the following link:
 London Borough of Bexley and local college Post 16 Travel Assistance policy (487KB, PDF file)
Generally, the London Borough of Bexley expects learners who live in Bexley Borough to make use of the concessions offered
by TfL including free travel within the Borough.
However, there may be circumstances, if you live within Bexley Borough, where travel assistance is required outside
the scope of free travel arrangements implemented by TfL. In this instance the following policy will apply.
Eligibility Criteria
The Borough’s policy is reviewed annually.
In order to be considered for financial support, you must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
1. Residency
You must be living within Bexley Borough. If you live outside Bexley Borough,
you should direct any enquiry about assistance with travel to the Local
Authority responsible for the area in which you live.
2. Who should I apply to?
College students should apply directly to their further education or 6th form college for financial support with travel assistance before any support by London Borough of Bexley will be considered.
3. Age
You must be aged 16 to 18 years as at 1 September 2008 and attending a course
of further education at a local authority maintained school within Bexley Borough
or at a publicly maintained college. Assistance will ordinarily be provided
for the duration of the course provided that the relevant criteria are met.
However, if a student is undertaking a course of longer than one year duration,
students who wish to renew their entitlement after completing each year of
their course will be dependant upon confirmation by the school/college of attendance
for the previous academic year, and that the Borough is reimbursed with travel
funding provided to the student, where appropriate.
4. Assessment of Income
Students in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) or alternative financial support should use that support to contribute towards the costs they incur with travel assistance.
Families/legal carers must be in receipt of one of the
following support payments: -
- Income Support; or,
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance; or,
- Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as
assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) of £15,575 or below
from 6 April 2008. With regard to Tax Credits Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
guidelines are used for qualification and definition of household income;
or,
- Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit.
AND
- If you are not claiming benefits in your own right, your family must
provide evidence that they are claiming Child Benefit on your behalf,
OR
- If you are a 'Looked After Child' under Section 20 of the Children's
Act 1989 your social worker will need to complete the appropriate section of
the application form.
Providing evidence to support your claim
You must provide evidence of the support payment that
you currently receive and Child Benefit. Acceptable forms
of evidence are:
a) Support payment: Acceptable forms of evidence are:
Income Based Employment & Support Allowance:
|
- Your most recent letter or statement from the Benefits
Agency / Job Centre / Post Office / Bank: Please send
or bring to the Pupil & Student Finance Team a copy that confirms
the household's entitlement to either Income Support, Income Based Employment Support Allowance or Income-based
Job Seekers Allowance. The letter/statement must be less
than 3 months old and must clearly state the support payment being
received, e.g. 'DWP I/S' (Please remember that we need to see all of the award notification
and not just the first page); OR
- Application Form: Take the Form to the Benefits
Agency / Job Centre and ask for it to be stamped to confirm that
you are in receipt of Income Support or Income Support Based Employment Support Allowance or Income-based Job Seekers
Allowance and confirm the benefit start date. When the statement
has been completed and signed, please return the application form
to the Pupil and Student Finance Team contact address. Please
do not leave your application form with the Benefits Agency / Job
Centre; OR
|
Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit: |
- Your most recent Tax Award Credit Notice (TC602) from Her
Majesty's Revenue and Customs: Please send or bring to the
Pupil and Student Finance Team a copy, which is less than one year
old, that confirms the household's entitlement to Child Tax Credit and that
you are not receiving Working Tax Credit and your
annual income is £15,575 or below from 6 April 2008 (as assessed
by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs); OR
(Please remember that we need to see all of the award notification
and not just the first page.)
|
Guarantee element of State Pension Credit: |
- Your most recent Pension Credit Award Credit Notice (M1000)
from The Pensions Service: Please send or bring to the Pupil
and Student Finance Team a copy, which is less than 1 year
old, and must clearly state the Guarantee element.
(Please remember that we need to see all of the award notification
and not just the first page.)
|
b) Child Benefit: Acceptable forms of evidence are:
Child Benefit
|
- Your most recent letter from Her Majesty's Revenue and
Customs / Child Benefit Office: Please send or bring to
the Pupil & Student Finance Team a copy of the letter, which
is less than 1 year old, confirming your Child Benefit. the letter must have your name, address
and child/childrens' name, OR
- Child Tax Credit Award Letter: Please send or bring to the Pupil & Student Finance Team copy of the letter, which
is less than 1 year old. The Letter must have your
name, address and child/childrens' name.
- Other evidence (e.g. court order): copy of
the letter proving that you are the legal parent/carer responsible
for the child/children.
(Please remember that we need to see all of the award notification
and not just the first page.) |
5. Course
You must be undertaking a course of further education at a local authority
maintained school or at a publicly maintained college within Bexley Borough.
The course must be full time and be of at least one year's duration. To
be eligible for assistance, students have to gain a recognised qualification
at the end of the course such as AS/A Levels, NVQ, GNVQ, BTEC Diploma,
NNEB, Foundation Art or similar.
6. Distance
The distance from home to the nearest appropriate local authority maintained school/college must be
over 3 miles when measured by the shortest walking route using public highways
and footpaths with lighting. The distance is calculated from the gate of
where the student lives to the nearest gate at the school/college which
the students can use. The distance is not calculated from the door of your
home to the door of the school/college.
7. School/College
The "nearest appropriate local authority maintained school/college" is the local authority
maintained school or public maintained college within the Borough that
is nearest to the student's home. If a student/parent has chosen a school/college
which is not the nearest appropriate and is in excess of the walking distance
stated then no assistance will be given. A school will not be deemed inappropriate
because of a parental preference for either single-sex or co-educational
schooling.
If you are undertaking a course at college, and the course is not available
at a nearer appropriate school, travel assistance will only be considered
if you attend the nearest college that offers the suitable course. The
Borough will not provide assistance to students who incur additional travelling
expenses by choosing not to attend the nearest school/college offering
a suitable course.
8. Travel provision
The London Borough of Bexley will consider the provision of travel assistance based upon the most economic mode of transport, usually in the form of bus passes for use on public transport. Termly tickets will be issued at the beginning of each term and must be collected from the school/college. In exceptional circumstances, a cash allowance may be made instead. However, the maximum cash allowance available cannot exceed the cost of a termly ticket.
9. Exceptional Circumstances
The London Borough of Bexley has formal procedures for considering the individual
merits of applications that do not meet the normal policy criteria mentioned
in these guidelines. Please provide details of any exceptional circumstances
you wish to be considered in the additional information section of the application
form. This does not however guarantee that the application will be approved.
10. Application process
A form is available by post from the Pupil and Student Finance Team. Alternatively, you can download a form using the following link:
The fully completed application form with any relevant supporting documentation
must be returned to the Pupil and Student Finance Team. Fully completed application
forms will be processed within 28 working days. If you fail to
complete the application and provide, where necessary, supporting documentation
this will delay the assessment of your form, the form may
be returned to you and no travel assistance will be provided.
Applications received after the end of the Autumn Term 2008 will only be considered
for support from the date that the application is received.
11. Students with learning difficulties or special needs
Separate transport arrangements may apply to students aged 16 to 18, and
in certain circumstances up to the age of 21, with learning difficulties
or special needs. Each application will be considered on its own merits
taking into account a student's learning difficulties or disability, together
with the suitability of the course and the institution. The need to provide
transport will sometimes have been identified through a formal Statement
of Special Educational Needs whilst the student was still at school/college.
Further information on other sources of funding
-
Funding for Dance and Drama Courses
Information on course and financial support is available from the following websites:
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS)  www.dfes.gov.uk/youngpeople
National Council for Drama Training www.ncdt.co.uk
Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET) www.cdet.org.uk
- The local charities of Sir Culling Eardley and George Henry Martin provide small grants to students under the age of 25 who are undertaking an educational activity. Please contact the Honorary Secretary, Charities of Sir Culling Eardley and George Henry Martin, Hill View, Hill View Drive, Welling, Kent, DA16 3RY. Tel: 020 8836 8410.
- The Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS) is an independent advice agency for funding for those studying in post-16 education in the UK. Address: EGAS, 501-505 Kingsland Road, Dalston, London, E8 4AU. Tel: 020 7254 6251 Website: www.egas-online.org.uk
- Other
More information on financial support to students in further education
is available on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills website www.dfes.gov.uk/youngpeople
If you have any queries regarding these guidelines please contact
the Pupil and Student Finance Team using the contact details on the left of this
page.
Applicants are advised that it
is a criminal offence knowingly to make an untrue statement or other false
representation to obtain a grant, contribution or other financial benefit
from the Borough. This Borough is under a duty to protect the public funds
it administers and to this end may use the information you have provided
within the authority for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may
also share this information with other bodies administering public funds
solely for these purposes. |
