Personal travel budget terms and conditions

1. Parties to the arrangement

This arrangement is between North Northamptonshire Council, referred to in this document as “the Council”, and the parent or carer who accepts a Personal Travel Budget, referred to as “you”.

The arrangement relates to the child or young person named in the PTB web form and in the Council’s Travel to School records.

2. Purpose of the Personal Travel Budget

A Personal Travel Budget is funding provided by the Council to support you to arrange travel for your child or young person to attend their agreed school, college or educational setting.

The PTB is intended to give families flexibility and choice, while making sure the child or young person can travel safely, reliably and consistently.

Where a PTB is in place, the Council will not usually arrange separate travel for the same journeys, unless the arrangement is being reviewed, there are exceptional circumstances, or the Council agrees otherwise.

3. Eligibility and acceptance

A PTB can only be set up where the Council has confirmed that the child or young person is eligible for Travel to School support and that a PTB is suitable for the circumstances.

• Taking part in the PTB trial is optional.
• You should only accept the PTB if you are confident that you can make safe and suitable travel arrangements.
• Accepting a PTB does not change the child or young person’s school place or the support set out in their Education, Health and Care Plan, where they have one.
• The PTB arrangement is not transferable to another child, young person, address or educational setting without Council agreement.

4. How the PTB may be used

The PTB must be used to support the named child or young person to get to and from their agreed educational setting safely and consistently. It can be used flexibly where it helps make the school journey work for the child and family.

Examples may include:

• fuel, mileage or vehicle running costs for school travel
• paying a trusted relative, friend or neighbour to help with transport
• public transport where suitable, including support for an accompanying adult where needed
• shared travel arrangements with another family, where safe and agreed by those involved
• breakfast club, after-school club or childcare arrangements that make the school journey possible
• another suitable arrangement agreed with the Council that supports safe attendance

The PTB must not be used for purposes unrelated to the child or young person’s travel to their educational setting.

5. Payment amount and payment arrangements

The Council will calculate and confirm the PTB amount before the arrangement starts. The amount may take account of the agreed distance between home and the educational setting, the expected frequency of travel, the school timetable, and any agreed trial rate or daily allowance.

For the current trial, the calculation is based on the agreed mileage between home and the educational setting, including the agreed journeys at the start and end of the school day, plus the agreed daily allowance. The Council will confirm the exact amount for each family in writing.

Payments are expected to be made in advance before the start of each school term. If a PTB starts part-way through a term, a part-term payment may be made.

Payments are subject to:

• the child or young person remaining eligible for Travel to School support
• the child or young person continuing to attend the agreed educational setting and agreed timetable
• the PTB agreement remaining in place
• all required information being provided, including bank details and any declaration required by the Council
• there being no unresolved safety, safeguarding, suitability or payment concerns

For Year 12 and Year 13 students, any required parental contribution may be applied in line with the Council’s post-16 travel arrangements. The Council will confirm any contribution before payments are made.

6. Your responsibilities

If you accept a PTB, you are responsible for arranging suitable day-to-day travel for your child or young person. This includes making sure that:

• travel arrangements are safe, reliable and appropriate for the child or young person’s needs
• the child or young person is appropriately supervised where needed
• any person supporting or transporting the child understands their needs, routines and any safety considerations
• any vehicle used is safe, roadworthy, insured and legally suitable for the journey
• any car seats, harnesses, mobility equipment or other safety equipment are used where required
• contingency arrangements are considered if the usual arrangements are not available
• the arrangement supports regular and punctual attendance

If you pay another person to support the journey, you are responsible for making sure the arrangement is safe and suitable. Depending on the arrangement, you may need to consider your own legal, tax, insurance or employment responsibilities. You should seek independent advice if you are unsure.

7. Safeguarding, safety and suitability

The Council expects all PTB arrangements to protect the child or young person from harm and to be suitable for their age, needs, vulnerability, communication needs and level of independence.

The Council may review, pause, change or end a PTB if safety or safeguarding concerns arise, or if there is reason to believe the arrangement is no longer suitable.

8. Attendance

The PTB is intended to support regular attendance at school, college or the agreed educational setting.

If attendance becomes a concern, the Council may review the arrangement while taking account of any valid reasons for absence. The Council may request information from the educational setting to help understand whether the arrangement remains suitable.

9. Changes you must tell us about

You must tell the Council as soon as possible if there are changes that may affect the PTB or the suitability of the travel arrangements, including:

• the child or young person’s needs, health, behaviour, mobility, medication or supervision requirements
• home address or contact details
• school, college or educational setting
• school timetable, including part-time timetables, phased returns or different start/finish times
• travel arrangements, including who is transporting or supporting the child
• safety or safeguarding concerns
• bank account details
• parental responsibility or care arrangements

Changes may affect the PTB amount, whether the arrangement remains suitable, or whether alternative travel arrangements need to be considered.

10. Reviews and monitoring

The Council may review the PTB arrangement to make sure it continues to meet the child or young person’s needs and supports safe, reliable attendance.

A review may take place:

• at planned review points during the trial
• at least annually if the arrangement continues beyond the trial
• following an EHCP review, where relevant
• if circumstances change
• if attendance, safety, safeguarding, suitability or payment concerns arise
• if the family asks for the arrangement to be reviewed

Because this is a trial, the Council may ask for feedback about what is working well, what is difficult and what could be improved.

11. Evidence, records and checks

The Council may ask you to confirm that the PTB is being used to support travel to the agreed educational setting and that the arrangement remains suitable.

Routine receipts may not be required where the PTB is being used flexibly by the family. However, if the PTB is used to pay a transport provider directly, or if there are audit, payment or safeguarding concerns, the Council may ask for reasonable evidence such as invoices, receipts, attendance information or a declaration.

12. Ending or changing the PTB

You can ask to end the PTB if it is not working for your child or family. Please contact the Council as soon as possible so that the arrangement can be reviewed and next steps agreed.

You should give at least one month’s notice where possible. Please be aware that it can take up to six weeks for the Council to recommission travel services, and you may be responsible for getting your child or young person to their educational setting during that period.

The Council may change, pause or end the PTB where:

• the arrangement is no longer suitable
• the child or young person is no longer eligible for Travel to School support
• the child or young person changes address, setting or timetable
• safety or safeguarding concerns arise
• attendance is affected without a valid reason
• required information is not provided
• payments have been made incorrectly
• the terms of the arrangement are not met

Where appropriate, alternative travel arrangements will be considered.

13. Overpayments

If a PTB payment is made incorrectly, if circumstances change and the Council is not told, or if the terms of the arrangement are not met, the Council may ask for any overpayment to be repaid.

14. Data protection and information sharing

The Council will use the information provided through the PTB web form and related discussions to assess, set up, pay, review and manage the PTB arrangement.

Information may be shared with relevant Council teams, the educational setting and other professionals where necessary to manage travel support, safeguard the child or young person, review suitability, process payments, resolve concerns or meet legal duties.

Personal information will be handled in line with data protection law and the Council’s privacy arrangements.

15. Questions, concerns and complaints

If you have questions or concerns about the PTB, or if the arrangement is not working, please contact the Travel to School team as soon as possible.

Contact: [email protected]

If you disagree with a decision about Travel to School support or a PTB arrangement, the Council will explain the relevant review, appeal or complaints process.

16. Declaration

By submitting the PTB web form and agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you confirm that:

• you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions
• you understand that the PTB is to support travel to the agreed educational setting
• you will use the PTB to make safe, suitable and reliable travel arrangements
• you understand your responsibility for arranging and managing day-to-day travel while the PTB is in place
• you will tell the Council about any significant changes that may affect the arrangement
• you understand the Council may review, change, pause or end the PTB if circumstances change or concerns arise
• the information you provide is accurate to the best of your knowledge

Last updated 17 August 2026