If you are disabled, you could be eligible for a pass that gives you free and low-cost travel in Greater Manchester and the rest of England under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. Depending on your disability, you could qualify for either a travel pass for disabled people or a travel plus pass for disabled people.

Do you qualify?

Walking difficulties

You can apply for a travel pass if you are a permanent resident of Greater Manchester and have serious walking difficulties. This means not being able to walk for 100m (110 yards) without stopping, severe discomfort, or help from another person.


Sensory impairment or learning disabilities

You can apply for a travel pass if you are a permanent resident of Greater Manchester and one of the following applies:

  • you are registered as partially sighted person with your local authority. Your application will need to be authorised by the Sensory Team at your Local Authority, or you must be able to provide a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) which shows your registration.
  • you have a profound or severe hearing loss. People are generally regarded as having severe hearing loss if it reaches 70-95dBHL (decibel hearing level) and profound hearing loss if it reaches 95+ dBHL. Your application will need to be authorised by the Sensory Team at your Local Authority, or you may provide an audiogram which shows your hearing loss meets the required levels.

You can apply for a travel plus pass if you are a permanent resident of Greater Manchester and one of the following applies:

  • you are registered as a blind person with your local authority. Your application will need to be authorised by the Sensory Team at your Local Authority, or you must be able to provide a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) which shows your registration.
  • you are profoundly deaf and without speech, or, profoundly deaf with speech that cannot be readily understood by a person who can hear normally. Your application will need to be authorised by the Sensory Team at your Local Authority.
  • you have a learning disability which is a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning. Your application will need to be authorised by the Adult Learning Disability Team at your Local Authority.
  • You have a learning disability that is a state of arrested or incomplete development of the mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning and can provide the front page of your Education, Health and Care Plan [EHCP] issued through your local authority education department. This qualification criteria only applies to the child learning application process.
  • You have a confirmed diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) and you are ALSO registered as requiring Special Education Needs (SEN) support in school. Please enclose a copy of your diagnosis from CAHMS. This qualification criteria only applies to the child learning application process.

You may be automatically eligible if you have been awarded a lump sum payment under tariff levels 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and have a letter from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) proving receipt of one of the above.


Without speech, use of both arms or have BLESMA membership

You can apply for a travel plus pass if you are a permanent resident of Greater Manchester and one of the following applies:

  • you are without natural speech
  • you are without the use of both arms
  • you are an ex-serviceman/woman with serious walking difficulties as a result of losing a leg in active service and are a member of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association (BLESMA)

You may be automatically eligible if you have been awarded a lump sum payment under tariff levels 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and have a letter from the Server Personal and Veterans Agency (SPVA) proving receipt of one of the above.


Refused driving licence

You can apply for a travel pass if you are a permanent resident of Greater Manchester and an application for a driving licence would be refused if you applied for one. Common reasons for the refusal of a driving licence include:

  • epilepsy
  • dizziness or fainting
  • sight impariment

You can apply for a travel plus pass if you are a permanent resident of Greater Manchester and an application for a driving licence would be refused if you applied for one because of severe and enduring mental health problems.

Costs and benefits

Travel pass for disabled people

The pass is free, and lasts between one and five years depending on your disability.


Within Greater Manchester:

  • travel for free on all buses and Metrolink trams within Greater Manchester between 9.30am and midnight, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
  • travel for free on trains within Greater Manchester on journeys scheduled to run at or after 9.30am, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
  • if you travel outside of these times you must pay for a concessionary fare where available or otherwise the full adult fare. Find information on concessionary fares.

Throughout England:

  • travel for free on all local buses between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
  • if you travel outside of these times you must pay the full adult fare.

Travel plus pass for disabled people

The pass is free, and lasts between one and five years depending on your disability.

This pass is for use by the person named on the pass only. Any carers or other people accompanying the card holder will be required to pay the normal fare.


Within Greater Manchester:

  • travel for free on all local buses, on Metrolink trams and on trains within Greater Manchester at any time.

Throughout England:

  • travel for free on all local buses between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
  • if you travel outside of these times you must pay the full adult fare.

How to use the pass

You must always remember to:

  • touch in at the card reader when boarding buses
  • touch in and touch out at a yellow smart reader on tram stops, for Metrolink

For concessionary fares, you will be asked to show your pass when buying a ticket on a bus and when inspected during your journey on trams.

The smart readers on tram stops now accept contactless cards and devices for travel. Please move your concessionary pass away from your payment cards, when you use a smart reader. For example, if you keep your pass in a wallet or purse, remove it before you touch-in and touch-out. This will make sure you’re not charged on a contactless card you didn’t intend to use.

Apply for a pass

Please be advised that it can take up to 6 weeks to process all new applications from the time we receive a completed application that we’re able to assess. This includes all requested supporting documentation that we require as part of your application.

Walking difficulties

To apply for a travel pass for disabled people:

1) Download and complete an application form.


2) If you receive one of the following:

  • the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) where the award is for at least 8 points in the “moving around” activity
  • War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement

Please send a copy of the original document confirming that you’re in receipt of any of the benefits listed above. This must be dated within the last 12 months and have the same name and address as you’ve stated on your application form. We will not send any original documents back, so it is important that you only send copies with your application


3) If you do not receive any of the above benefits, please download and complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire will be assessed by one of TfGM's medical advisors and you may be asked to attend a brief assessment.


4) Send the completed application form and benefits letter or completed questionnaire to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.


Sensory impairment

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

EITHER apply by email - download and complete the application form and email to concessionary.travel@tfgm.com


OR apply by post - download, print and complete the application form and send the completed application form to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX


Before returning, please ensure that your application form has been authorised by your local authority.

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.


Adults with learning disabilities

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

EITHER apply by email - download and complete the application form and email to concessionary.travel@tfgm.com


OR apply by post - download, print and complete the application form and send the completed application form to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX


Before returning, please ensure that your application form has been authorised by your local authority.

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.


Children with learning disabilities

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

EITHER apply by email - download and complete the application form and email to concessionary.travel@tfgm.com


OR apply by post - download, print and complete the application form and send the completed application form to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX


If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.


Without speech, use of both arms or have BLESMA membership

To apply for a travel plus pass for disabled people:

1) Download and complete an application form.


2) If you are without natural speech or the use of both arms you must also send a letter from a medical professional confirming this.


3) If you are a member of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association (BLESMA) you must also send a copy of your BLESMA membership.


4) Send the completed application form and letter or membership to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.


Refused driving licence

To apply for a travel pass or travel plus pass for disabled people:

1) Download and complete an application form.


2) You must also download and complete the applicable questionnaire:

The questionnaire will be assessed by one of TfGM's medical advisors and you may be asked to attend a brief assessment.


3) Send the completed application form and questionnaire to:

Travel Concessions
Customer Services
Transport for Greater Manchester
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX

If you live outside Greater Manchester, you must apply for a pass in your own area.

Renewing your pass

We will contact you about renewing your pass at least 8 weeks before your existing travel pass expires. It is important that you return your renewal application to us as soon as possible, as it can take up to 6 weeks for us to process your application from the date we receive it back. Please note that the 6 weeks processing time starts from the time we receive a completed application that we’re able to assess, which includes all requested supporting documentation that we require as part of your application.

If you have changed your appearance since your last pass was issued, then please include an up to date passport sized photograph.

If you change address it is your responsibility to inform TfGM. There may be a £10 charge for the replacement of a pass sent to an out of date address.

Replace your pass

There is a £10.00 administration cost for the replacement of a lost, damaged or stolen concessionary pass.

To order a replacement pass you can:

  • Call TfGM on 0161 244 1000 to make a card payment (7am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm at weekends and public holidays).
  • Visit a Travelshop to order and pay for a replacement pass.