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Some people with a disability are entitled to a concessionary bus pass.

Anyone applying for a pass due to a disability will need to prove that they have a disability which is permanent, or which has lasted or is likely to last for 12 months or more.

Types of disability

There are seven categories of disability in the context of entitlement for a bus pass. Full details including the documentary proof is required for each is shown below. 

Please read carefully before applying.

Categories

Category A: blind or partially sighted

Documentary proof required:

  • Certificate of visual impairment.
  • Proof of registration as vision impaired with Bedford Borough Council's Sensory Impairment Team.
  • Signed letter/report from an ophthalmologist confirming you are severely sight impaired (blind) or sight impaired (partially sighted).
  • Disabled person's parking badge (Blue Badge), which must be valid for at least six months and both sides of the badge must be provided.

Category B: profoundly or severely deaf

Documentary proof required:

  • Proof of registration with Bedford Borough Council's Sensory Impairment Team.
  • An audiological report from an aural specialist indicating that hearing loss has reached 70-95 dBHL.
  • A signed letter/report from an audiologist or aural specialist confirming you are profoundly or severely deaf.

Category C: without speech

Documentary proof required:

  • Letter from a medical professional confirming that you are without speech or otherwise unable to make clear basic oral requests.
  • Personal Independence Payment with a score of at least eight points in the communicating verbally activity (please provide first page of award letter, dated within the last 12 months, plus the further pages confirming points awarded).

Category D: mobility (walking) substantially impaired

Documentary proof required:

  • Higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (dated within the last 12 months) with a period of entitlement of at least 12 months.
  • Personal Independence Payment at eight points or more in the moving around activity (please provide first page of award letter, dated within the last 12 months, plus the further pages confirming points awarded).
  • War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement.
  • Disabled person's parking badge (Blue Badge), which must be valid for at least six months and both sides of the badge must be provided.
  • Letter from a medical professional confirming that your walking ability is long term and substantially impaired.

Category E: loss or loss of use of both arms

Documentary proof required:

  • Letter from a medical professional confirming your condition and that you are unable to use your arms to carry out everyday tasks.

Category F: learning disability

Documentary proof required:

  • Letter from a medical professional confirming that your learning disability commenced before adulthood with a lasting effect on development and is such that you have difficulty in learning new skills etc.
  • Proof of registration with social services or a letter from the headteacher at a special needs school confirming your learning disability meets the eligibility criteria.
  • Personal Independence Payment with a score of at least eight points in the communicating verbally activity (please provide first page of award letter, dated within the last 12 months, plus the further pages confirming points awarded).
  • An Education and Health Care Plan.

Category G: Unable to drive on medical grounds

Documentary proof required:

  • Letter from the DVLA indicating that your driving licence has been refused or revoked for a minimum of 12 months.
  • Letter from a medical professional confirming that you are most likely to be refused a driving licence due to your medical condition and stating reason and length of time you are expected to be unfit to drive.
  • Disabled person's parking badge (Blue Badge), which must be valid for at least six months and both sides of the badge must be provided.
  • If related to being refused a driving licence, then receiving Disability Living Allowance with higher rate mobility component (dated within the last 12 months with an entitlement of at least 12 months) may also be acceptable proof.

This category does not include those who are excluded from holding a licence due to persistent misuse of drugs and/or alcohol.

Automatically entitled to a bus pass

A person is automatically entitled to a pass if they receive any of the following qualifying benefits: 

  • Higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (dated within the last 12 months) with a period of entitlement of at least 12 months.
  • Personal Independence Payment at eight points or more in the moving around activity (please provide first page of award letter, dated within the last 12 months, plus the further pages confirming points awarded).
  • Personal Independence Payment with a score of at least eight points in the communicating verbally activity (please provide first page of award letter, dated within the last 12 months, plus the further pages confirming points awarded).
  • Disabled person's parking badge (Blue Badge), which must be valid for at least six months and both sides of the badge must be provided.

Other disabled people

Where a disabled person is not automatically entitled to a pass further proof of the disability will be requested.  

In some circumstance we may ask someone to attend an assessment by a medical practitioner to check whether or not they are entitled to a pass.

Apply for a disabled person's bus pass