Free Bus Travel for Brighton and Hove Care Leavers From September
Care leavers aged 18 to 24 in Brighton and Hove can apply for free bus travel from September. Image: Brighton and Hove City Council
Free Bus Travel for Brighton and Hove Care Leavers From September
Young people leaving the care system in Brighton and Hove are being urged to apply for free bus travel, as the city council launches a new scheme designed to help them reach education, work and the people around them.
From September, care leavers aged between 18 and 24 who still live in the city will be eligible for a free monthly bus pass. The offer forms part of a three-month pilot, and Brighton and Hove City Council has said it is confident the scheme can continue well beyond that first trial period.
It is a small change on paper, a single bus pass, but for the more than 200 care leavers it is set to reach across the city, the difference could be significant. A bus pass is a route to a college course, a first job, a shift that finishes late, or simply a way to stay close to friends and family at a point in life when that support matters most.
Care leavers are among the most vulnerable young people in any city. Moving out of the care system and into independent living often happens earlier and more abruptly than it does for their peers, and the everyday costs that many people take for granted, including the price of getting around, can quickly become a barrier. By removing the cost of bus travel, the council is trying to take one of those barriers away.
The free bus pass is aimed at care leavers who are in the care of Brighton and Hove City Council, aged between 18 and 24, still living in the city and not already receiving a council-funded bus travel offer. Those who qualify will still receive a full pass for the month they turn 25.
The scheme has been shaped by feedback from care-experienced young people through the council's Corporate Parenting Board, where young people share their experiences directly with the council to help shape services and support. In that feedback, many said the cost of travel could be a real barrier, and described free travel as a way to level the playing field, reduce isolation and support their wellbeing so they could take part in everyday life across the city.
The pilot launches in September and runs for an initial three months. Care leavers who think they may be eligible are encouraged to register their interest as early as possible by completing a short survey on the council's website. Once that is done, the care support team checks eligibility against the criteria and gets in touch to confirm whether or not someone qualifies. Anyone eligible will be contacted before September with details of how their pass will be issued.
There are two pass options to choose from:
- A monthly citySAVER pass, valid on Brighton and Hove Buses, Compass Travel and Metrobus services
- A monthly Stagecoach pass, valid on routes 17 and 700
Think you might be eligible? Register your interest on the council's website before September.
Apply for the Care Leavers Bus PassCouncillor Trevor Muten, the council's Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said the authority has a duty to support young people as they leave care.
"I'm so pleased we're able to launch this offer of free travel for care leavers and I'm confident we'll be able to continue it beyond the initial 3-month pilot. We know the challenges young people face when leaving the care system and we should be doing as much as we can to help them with the transition. We're passionate about keeping bus travel affordable for families and young people in Brighton and Hove. Helping them to access education, employment and training leads to better outcomes for everyone."
The councillor has previously framed the offer in terms of the council's role as a corporate parent, the responsibility a local authority carries to look out for young people who have grown up in care in the same way a parent would. Setting out the wider fare plans earlier this year, he said leaving the care system brings so many challenges for young people, and that as corporate parents the council must keep striving to provide the best possible support and transition into adulthood.
Part of a Wider Push to Keep Fares Affordable
The care leavers pass is one piece of a much larger effort to keep bus travel affordable across Brighton and Hove. In total, the council is spending around £1.4 million in 2026/27 on making fares cheaper, with funding from the Department for Transport's Local Authority Bus Grant.
Alongside the new pass for care leavers, several other offers continue. Up to four children under the age of 19 can still travel for free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, an offer that has proved hugely popular. Since it was introduced in 2023, more than 3 million of these free child journeys have been made, with another million expected across this year alone.
Other measures the council has set out include:
- A targeted £1 short-hop fare being introduced this summer in areas of the city where support is needed most
- Continued support for the Breeze up to the Downs services, linking the city with the South Downs
- In-person Travel Shop citySAVER tickets continuing to match online prices, so that digital exclusion does not stop anyone accessing bus travel at a fair cost
- Exploring future options for discounted fares for children receiving Free School Meals
These offers sit on top of the more than £10 million the council spends each year providing free travel for people with Older and Disabled Person's Bus Passes, funded through surplus from council fees and charges.
Behind the figures is a simple idea. For a care leaver setting up their first home, starting a college course or taking on early shifts in a new job, the cost of getting around can be one more pressure at an already demanding time. A free monthly bus pass takes that pressure off. It means a young person can get to a job interview without worrying about the fare, stay connected to the friends and family who support them, and reach the education and training that opens doors later in life.
It also reflects a wider approach across Brighton and Hove, where the council has repeatedly pointed to affordable public transport as a route to fairer outcomes for residents. Cheaper and free travel keeps people connected to work, to each other and to the shops and businesses that keep the local economy moving.
How to Apply
The care leavers bus pass pilot begins in September 2026. Care leavers aged 18 to 24 who live in Brighton and Hove and think they may be eligible are encouraged to register their interest as soon as possible by completing the short survey on the council's website.
The survey asks for a few basic details, including full name, date of birth and email address, so the council can check eligibility and, if applicable, send the bus pass. As part of registering interest, applicants agree to their email address being shared with participating bus operators where necessary to issue the pass, with all data handled in line with the council's data protection policies.
As part of the survey, applicants also choose their preferred pass, either the monthly citySAVER pass or the monthly Stagecoach pass. Once the survey has been completed, the council's care support team checks eligibility against the criteria. Anyone who applies will be contacted to confirm whether or not they qualify, with an explanation given if they do not, and eligible applicants will receive further information before September on how their pass will be issued.
Full details on eligibility, the two pass options and how to sign up are available on the Brighton and Hove City Council care leavers bus pass page. Any questions about the offer can be directed to the council's Transport Projects team on 01273 292 480 or at transport.projects@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
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