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Having a Personal Travel Budget gives your family the freedom to make decisions and arrangements about how your child/young person will get to and from school or college each day.

Who can get a personal travel budget?

You can apply for a PTB if your child/young person lives in Hertfordshire and is eligible for home to school/college travel support and attends school/college.

FAQs on personal travel budgets and the direct card payment system


The benefits of a personal travel budget

  • Fixed regular payments - you always know what
    you will receive
  • Freedom and flexibility to choose the most appropriate transport arrangements, to fit with your own personal circumstances
  • Greater control over the services or resources you would like to support your child/young person’s needs
  • The opportunity to explore shared transport options with other parents and potentially increase what you can do with your PTB, such as arranging group transport or walking buses.
  • Total flexibility on where and when your child/young person is picked up e.g. if you want your child/young person to attend an after-school/college club or go to a grandparent’s/carer’s after school/college
  • Opportunity to use the PTB to develop your child/young person’s independence around travel and develop life skills using public transport (where appropriate)
  • Enables a child/young person to attend the dentist/doctor and still be transported to school/college, or to leave school/college in order to attend a medical appointment.

Personal Travel Budgets frequently asked questions

How do we pay you?

Once the direct payment card has been issued, funds for the PTB will be added to the card before the beginning of each term.

If your young person is absent from school/college, the PTB will be adjusted for the next term payment.

Learn all about how this works in our FAQs.  Direct Card Payment System - FAQs (PDF 189kb) Opening a new window

How much is the personal travel budget (PTB)?

How much you receive is based on the distance between your home and school/college. We use GIS mapping software to identify your home address and that of the school/college. The route to school/college is measured along a network of roads. You are paid for 4 journeys a day at a rate of 55p per mile.
For example,
If you live 5 miles from school/college, the PTB is calculated as:
5 miles x 4 journeys (one return journey in the morning and afternoon) = 20 miles a day
20 miles x 55p = £11 per school/college day
If your child/young person attends school/college every day for the full academic year, you will be paid:
£11 for 190 school/college days = £2090 a year (approximately £697 per term).

For children in receipt of higher-level Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and additional £150 termly payment will be included in the PTB funding (pro rata'd as necessary).

Will I regularly need to show the council how I am spending the personal travel budget?

We want you to have the flexibility and control to arrange your own transport. The PTB is calculated as above and it is your responsibility to use it as you need to, to ensure you’re your child/young person attends school/college regularly.
There will be no additional funding available to you should you not have enough money at any time. We will monitor your child/young person’s attendance to ensure payments are accurate and where your child/young person has been absent we will adjust the funding amount for the next term.  

Will it have an impact on my other benefits?

No, personal travel budgets do not affect any other benefits you might receive.

Will the payments be taxed?

The personal travel budget is a payment made in relation to the child/young person, not the parent/carer and so should not affect your tax situation. It is used to enable your child/young person to get to and from school/college each day in a safe and legal way and should not be used for any other purpose. If you have concerns that it may impact on your tax situation, you may want to seek your own advice from a tax expert in relation to your
personal circumstances.

Can the council withdraw my personal travel budget for any reason?

We can withdraw your personal travel budget if:

  • Your child/ young person’s attendance is unacceptable
  • Your child/young person is no longer eligible for home to school/college travel support
  • You have not made safe travel arrangements for your child/young person
  • Your child/young person’s EHCP has ended
  • Your child/young person leaves school/college
  • The scheme is discontinued.

What happens if the arrangements don't work out for my child, or my circumstances change? Can I change back to the previous transport arrangement?

Yes. You must give us a half term's notice to stop the payments and to rearrange transport for your child/young person. If you change to contracted transport, and have received payment for the PTB, you will be required to repay the amount which is no longer needed. Transport will not be provided until outstanding amounts are repaid.

Will the personal travel budget (PTB) continue in future years?

Yes. We encourage all children/young people, where possible, to travel independently as they grow up. We hope many parents/carers will consider a PTB as their primary option of transport for their child/young person.
In addition to a PTB, Travel Training is an option when your child/young person is 15+ and may be discussed
with you at that point.

For more information, contact the SEND Transport Team on 0300 123 4043 or email schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

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