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Personal transport budgets

A personal transport budget (PTB) is funding to help you get your child to school or college. It allows you to make flexible travel arrangements rather than travelling on a vehicle contracted by the council. A PTB is not a short-term alternative while your transport application is being processed.

You may be eligible for a budget if your child has an education, health and care (EHC) plan or a statement of special educational needs (the old name for the EHC plans). You also need to meet the criteria for free school transport.

How much you receive is based on the distance between your home and school, college or learner provider. We measure this as a straight line distance, not the distance as calculated by a route planner.

Less than 5 miles: annual budget = £2,000
5-10 miles: annual budget = £3,000
Over 10 miles: annual budget = £5,000

If a child receives a PTB partway through the school year, or attends school on a part-time basis, the total payment will be on a pro rata basis to account for the reduced amount of time that a parent will be responsible for transport arrangements.

Apply for a personal transport budget

Apply for a personal transport budget online

Please ensure you have read KCC’s Transport Eligibility privacy notice before you apply for PTB.

You can also call us on 03000 41 21 21 or email personaltransportbudgets@kent.gov.uk.

PTB applications require additional information about journey costs from transport providers, so can take longer to assess than standard transport applications.

How we pay you

We'll make 11 monthly payments to you on the 15th of each month or the previous working day. The money goes straight to your bank account.

No payment will be made in July to allow the council sufficient time to confirm that a reduction is not required in the final monthly instalment to account for low attendance. The final payment will be made in August to account for transport that parents have provided in July of that school year.

We can stop paying if your child's attendance is not satisfactory but will always give you 28 days notice.

We review your budget each year to make sure your child still meets the criteria.

How you can use the budget

It's up to you how you use the money, as long as it helps you get your child to school or college. For example:

  • to cover fuel costs or wear and tear on your car
  • to pay for a shared taxi journey with other students
  • paying other people to take your child to school or college when you can't
  • paying for a chaperone
  • paying for childcare for your other children whilst you're collecting your child with SEN
  • buying travel passes for your other children so they can get home whilst you're collecting your child with SEN.

We will review the budget each year.

Read our personal transport budget guide (PDF, 281.0 KB).

Contact us about personal transport budgets

Email: personaltransportbudgets@kent.gov.uk
Call: 03000 41 21 21

If you move, have a change of circumstance, or change schools please email us as we will have to check your child is still eligible for a personal transport budget.

Feedback about personal transport budgets

You can give us feedback about personal transport budgets by filling out our online feedback form.