Bus passes for disabled adults

A disabled person's bus pass allows you to travel on buses in England for free from 9.30am on weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays.

You have to be aged between 18 and the state pension age and meet one of the eligibility criteria to get a disabled pass.

Before applying with Nexus for a bus pass, you will need a Confirmation of Eligibility form. This is provided by South Tyneside Council.

To get the form, you will need to contact South Tyneside Council to confirm your eligibility. You may also be asked go to an appointment to show proof.

If you need to travel before 9.30am to get to or from a hospital appointment, show your hospital appointment card or letter with your pass to the driver. This only applies to journeys starting in Tyne and Wear.

If you are eligible and attend college or are in paid employment for at least 15 hours a week, you can apply for an All Day Concessionary Travel Pass which can be used at any time.

For more information about bus passes for disabled adults, visit Nexus: Concessionary travel for disabled adults

For more information on other passes including older person's passes and taxi cards see travel passes.

You are able to get a disabled bus pass if you meet any of the following:

• You get the higher rate for the mobility part of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• You get a Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and you get either:
  • 8 points or more for 'moving around' for mobility
  • 8 points or more for 'communicating verbally' for daily living activities
• You get War Pensioners Mobility Supplement
• You have been awarded a benefit by the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and:
  • get a lump sum payment within tariff levels 1 to 8
• You are registered blind or partially sighted
• You are registered as profoundly deaf with or without speech
• You do not have arms or have a long term loss of the use of both arms
• You have had a driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds (physical fitness or severe mental disorder)
• You are assessed as having a learning disability (this does not include Asperger's syndrome, autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia)
• You have a Blue Badge
• You have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to walk

Registered blind or partially sighted

You will need to provide your details to check if we have a record of your disability.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

You will need to provide either:

• an award notice letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which is less than 12 months old
• an annual uprating letter which says you get DLA

If you have lost your award notice letter or your uprating letter, you can ask for a current award notice from the Disability Service Centre.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - moving around descriptor

You will need to show that in the mobility component, you get at least 8 points or more for the moving around part.

You will need to provide:

your PIP decision letter from DWP which shows:

• you get PIP (front page)
• the assessment scores (second to last page)
• the mobility scores (last page)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - communicating verbally descriptor

You will need to show that in the daily living activities component, you get at least 8 points or more for the communicating verbally part.

You will need to provide:

your PIP decision letter from DWP which shows:

• you get PIP (front page)
• the assessment scores (second to last page)
• the mobility scores (last page)

War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement

You will need to provide:

• your official letter from Veterans UK which shows you get the grant

If you have lost this letter, contact Veterans UK:

• Email: veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk
• Freephone: 0808 191 4218

Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme

You will need to provide:

• your official letter from Veterans UK

If you have lost this letter, contact Veterans UK:

• Email: veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk
• Freephone: 0808 191 4218

Registered as profoundly deaf with or without speech

You will need to provide either:

• a report signed by a clinical audiologist which shows you are profoundly deaf
• your PIP decision letter showing that you've scored 8 or more points in communicating verbally in the daily living activities component

Do not have arms or have a long term loss of the use of both arms

You will need to provide:

• a medical summary from your doctor or specialist that shows your name, address and confirms your condition or conditions

Driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds (physical fitness or severe mental disorder):

You will need to provide either:

• a letter from the DVLA stating that your licence has been refused/revoked on medical grounds
• a letter from your GP detailing your diagnosis, medication and confirming that you do not meet DVLA requirements to hold a driving licence

Assessed as having a Learning Disability

You will need to provide your details to check if we have a record of your disability.

Blue Badge

You will need to provide your personal details to check if we have a record of your Blue Badge.

Before you can apply for your bus pass with Nexus, you will need a Confirmation of Eligibility form from South Tyneside Council.

To get a form, you will need to phone the Let's Talk team on 0191 424 6000.

An advisor will check if you are eligible for the bus pass.

If we don't already have proof of your eligibility, you may be asked to come in for an appointment.

If your driving licence has been refused / revoked due to a severe mental disorder

If you are applying because your driving licence has been refused / revoked due to a severe mental disorder, you will be asked to go to and speak to the Adult's Mental Health Duty Worker.

You will need to show proof of your eligibility and if you qualify, you will be given a Confirmation of Eligibility form.

Appointments take place on Wednesdays every two weeks at South Shields Town Hall.

They usually last up to 10 minutes.

If you can't make your appointment, please ring to let us know on 0191 424 6000.

You must bring your proof of eligibility so we can confirm that you need a bus pass.

We will photocopy your proof and ask you to fill out a form for our records.

If you provide the correct evidence, we will give you a Confirmation of Eligibility form.

Once you've got your Confirmation of Eligibility form, you will need to apply for your pass with Nexus.

Please complete the application form on the Nexus website. This is also available to print, if you would prefer to send the completed form to Nexus by post. 

To complete the application you will also need the following:

• A passport sized colour photo of yourself.
• Proof of your address (for example, a council tax, gas, electricity or phone bill, dated within the last 6 months) - if you are applying by post, please send a photocopy.
• Your Confirmation of Eligibility form.
• If you are applying for an All Day Pass, you will need a letter from your tutor/employer confirming that you will be attending college or employment for at least 15 hours a week for 6 months or more.

Your disabled person's bus pass will last 5 years if you:

• have mobility issues
• are blind/partially sighted
• are profoundly deaf with or without speech
• have a learning disability
• do not have arms or have a long term loss of the use of both arms

Your disabled person's bus pass will last 1 year if you:

• have had a driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds (physical fitness or severe mental disorder)

You need renew your pass through Nexus before your current pass runs out.

If you have had your driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds, you also need to get your GP to fill out a GP renewal form (from Nexus) or show a letter provided by your GP stating that you would not be able to hold a driving licence for the next 12 months.

An All Day Concessionary Travel Pass will also last 1 year. If you are reapplying and are still working or in education for 15 hours or more a week, you must also submit another letter (dated within the last 3 months) from your employer or education body.

Please renew your pass before your current one expires. If you wait until your pass expires, you will have to repeat the process of applying to get a new Confirmation of Eligibility form.