Free bus travel for young care leavers in Brighton and Hove has been extended until 31 March 2027, the city council has announced.
The council says 116 care leavers aged 18 to 24 have signed up for a Care Leavers Bus Pass since the pilot launched in September 2026. It says that is around 40% of those eligible.
How much the pass is being used
In the first five weeks, pass holders made 3,270 bus journeys, according to the council. It says they used their passes around nine to ten times a week each.
On the council's own figures, roughly 170 eligible young people have not yet signed up. The council says it wants everyone who qualifies to apply.
One care leaver quoted by the council said: “It has become very handy for me to get around and visit my family more. I was able to go to job interviews and finally get around more.”
Who can get a pass
The council's Care Leavers Bus Pass page says you may be eligible if you:
- are a Brighton & Hove City Council care leaver
- are aged 18 to 24. You still get a full pass for the month you turn 25
- live in Brighton and Hove
- are not already receiving a council-funded bus travel offer
The pass is a free monthly bus pass. Applications are made through the council's Care Leavers Bus Pass page.
What the council says
Council leader Councillor Bella Sankey said: “Something as simple as being able to get on a bus without worrying about the cost can open up opportunities, support independence and improve wellbeing.”
She added: “I want everyone who is eligible for this scheme to hear about it and take it up.”
How the scheme started
The council announced the scheme in July 2026 as a three-month pilot starting in September. At the time it said the offer would support more than 200 care leavers.
It is paid for from the Department for Transport's Local Authority Bus Grant. The council says the idea came from care-experienced young people, who raised the cost of travel through its Corporate Parenting Board.
Research during the pilot found affordability was by far the biggest barrier to bus travel, the council says, with almost all participants saying costs affected how often they could use public transport.
The council says the extension will let it keep supporting care leavers while it gathers more evidence on the longer-term effects. We covered the launch of the pilot in our report on Care Leavers Month in Brighton and Hove.
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