Travel Discounts & Assistance for SEND Families
Getting out and about with a child who has autism, ADHD, sensory differences or other special educational needs can cost more and take more planning. The good news is that there is a lot of help available across UK trains, buses, cars, flights and ferries, and many families never find out about it. This guide explains what you can claim, who qualifies, what proof you need, and where to apply. Where a scheme covers a carer or companion too, we say so.
Schemes and prices change. We link to the official page for each one so you can check the latest details before you apply.
At a glance
| Scheme | What you get | Cost | Proof needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disabled Persons Railcard | 1/3 off rail fares for you and one adult companion | £20 (1yr) / £54 (3yr) | PIP, DLA, Blue Badge or other qualifying letter |
| Disabled Person's Bus Pass | Free off-peak bus travel in England | Free | Set by your council (benefit letter, medical evidence) |
| Motability Scheme | Lease a car, WAV or scooter using your mobility allowance | Your weekly mobility payment | Enhanced PIP or higher-rate DLA mobility |
| Blue Badge | Parking closer to entrances | Up to £10 in England | PIP/DLA scores, or assessment (incl. hidden disability) |
| Airport Special Assistance | Free help through the airport and onto the plane | Free | None. Tell your airline 48 hours ahead |
Trains
Disabled Persons Railcard
Gives you a third off most rail fares across Great Britain, and one adult travelling with you gets the same third off too, so a parent or carer saves as well. It costs £20 for one year or £54 for three years. A child aged 5 to 15 who qualifies can hold the card, though the saving applies to the accompanying adult's fare rather than the child's already reduced fare.
Who qualifies: people receiving PIP, DLA or Child Disability Payment, Attendance Allowance, those with a visual or hearing impairment, epilepsy treated with medication, or on the Motability Scheme. Since March 2026 it also covers Blue Badge holders, Disabled Person's Bus Pass or London Freedom Pass holders, and people medically unable to drive. A further expansion covering long-term health conditions and neurodiversity is expected from September 2026, so check the official site if that applies to you.
Proof you need: a copy of your current award letter (PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance and similar), or a CVI certificate for visual impairment, or a clinician's letter plus prescription for epilepsy, or a copy of your Blue Badge. See our DLA guide if you have not claimed yet.
Apply for a Disabled Persons Railcard
Free help at the station (Passenger Assist)
Every train operator offers free assistance at stations and on board, including for non-visible disabilities such as autism. Staff can help you find your way, get on and off the train, make connections and carry luggage. Book through the Passenger Assistance app, at passengerassistance.com, or on 0800 022 3720, up to two hours before you travel. You can also turn up and ask on the day.
Family & Friends Railcard
Not disability specific, but worth knowing: it gives a third off adult fares and 60% off child fares (ages 5 to 15) for £35 a year, as long as you travel with at least one child. Under 5s travel free anyway.
Buses and local transport
Disabled Person's Bus Pass
Free off-peak travel on local buses anywhere in England, usually from 9:30am on weekdays and any time at weekends and on bank holidays. The pass itself is free. You apply through your local council, and the qualifying routes most relevant to SEND families are having a learning disability or a condition that substantially affects your ability to walk.
Proof you need: set by your council, but typically ID, proof of address and disability or benefit evidence such as an award letter or a professional's letter. Some councils accept an EHCP as supporting evidence, see our EHCP guide.
Companion travel: some councils add a companion (+1) concession so a carer can travel free with the pass holder, but this varies by council and is not guaranteed everywhere. Check your local council.
Apply for a disabled bus pass (find your council)
Living in London
London has extra schemes. The Disabled Person's Freedom Pass gives free travel at any time across TfL services and local buses across England. Taxicard subsidises taxi trips, and Dial-a-Ride is a free door-to-door minibus service. Anyone who struggles to stand can also get a free "Please offer me a seat" badge, with no proof of condition required.
Cars and parking
Motability Scheme
Lets you lease a car, wheelchair accessible vehicle, powered wheelchair or scooter by exchanging your mobility allowance. The lease usually covers insurance, servicing, breakdown cover and tyres. Parents can lease and drive on behalf of a child.
Who qualifies: you must receive the enhanced rate mobility part of PIP, or the higher rate mobility part of DLA, with at least 12 months left on the award. The standard or daily living rates do not qualify.
Blue Badge
A parking permit that lets you park closer to entrances. It costs up to £10 in England and you apply through GOV.UK. Children aged 3 and over can qualify, and the scheme now covers non-visible disabilities where a journey causes very considerable psychological distress. We cover this in detail on our Blue Badge page.
Flying
Airport Special Assistance
Free help at the airport that you are legally entitled to, covering non-visible disabilities such as autism, ADHD and anxiety as well as reduced mobility. It can include help from the drop-off point, through security and check-in, and priority or quieter routes to the gate and onto the plane. To arrange it, tell your airline (not the airport) at least 48 hours before you fly. Staff do not provide personal care, so for feeding, medication or toilet help you will still need a companion.
How to arrange special assistance (CAA)
Sunflower lanyard at airports
Most major UK airports recognise the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard, a discreet way to signal to staff that you may need more time or support. It is free to collect from the assistance desk and needs no proof. Some airports also offer quiet routes, sensory packs or a private security search, though this varies, so check your airport's accessibility page before you travel.
Sunflower lanyard at UK airports
Assisted travel: getting your seat fee waived
This is not a free flight, and a carer still buys a normal ticket. What most UK airlines do under assisted travel is waive the usual charge for choosing your seat, so a disabled passenger can sit in a suitable seat (for example near the toilet or exit) and their carer or child is seated next to them at no extra cost. You arrange it through the airline's assisted travel team, usually at least 48 hours ahead. Assistance dogs and mobility aids are also carried free.
- easyJet: free unrestricted seat, and your companion seated next to you.
- British Airways: free seat reservation for a disability seating need, extended to everyone on the same booking (request assistance first).
- Jet2.com: free standard seat that best meets your needs, seated next to your companion.
- TUI Airways: free seat for a medical or disability need, companion alongside.
- Ryanair: a suitable seat allocated free for you and one companion.
- Wizz Air: companion seated next to you at no extra charge (book on the same booking).
- Loganair: no charge for a suitable seat, and it refunds a seat fee you already paid.
- Virgin Atlantic: its assistance team can request and pre-assign a suitable seat and seat an assistant next to you (contact them around 72 hours ahead).
Policies differ, so confirm the details with your airline's assisted travel team when you book.
Ferries and Eurostar
Eurostar offers free assisted travel if you book it at least 24 hours ahead. A companion travelling with a disabled or reduced-mobility passenger pays a fixed reduced fare (around £39 each way on London routes), which is discounted rather than free.
Ferry operators such as P&O, DFDS and Brittany Ferries provide assistance if you tell them your needs when booking, ideally around 48 hours ahead. If an operator assesses that you must travel with a companion, it may carry that required companion free, but this is a specific waiver rather than a free carer place for everyone.
Travelling abroad
Free GHIC health card
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives access to state healthcare in the EU on the same terms as local residents, including for pre-existing conditions. It is free and lasts five years, and every family member needs their own. Apply only through the official NHS site, as unofficial sites charge a fee. It does not cover being flown home or private treatment, so it is not a replacement for travel insurance.
Carrying medication
Carry medicines in their original packaging with a copy of the prescription or a letter from the prescriber, and keep essential medicines in your hand luggage. If a medicine is a controlled drug, check the destination country's rules before you travel.
Taking medicine abroad (GOV.UK)
Blue Badge and insurance
A UK Blue Badge is not automatically recognised across the EU, and the rules vary by country, so check before you rely on it. When you buy travel insurance, declare any pre-existing or SEND-related conditions, or a claim could be refused.
Travel questions from SEN families
Can my carer or companion travel with me for less?
On the railways, a Disabled Persons Railcard gives both you and one adult companion a third off. On buses, some councils offer a companion pass so a carer travels free, but this varies by council. On flights, ferries and Eurostar a companion usually pays a normal or discounted fare rather than travelling free.
Can an autistic child get a railcard?
A child aged 5 to 15 who receives a qualifying benefit such as DLA can hold a Disabled Persons Railcard. The saving mainly benefits the accompanying adult, whose fare is reduced by a third. An expansion covering neurodiversity is expected from September 2026, so check the official railcard site.
Can I get help at the airport for a hidden disability?
Yes. Airport Special Assistance is free and covers non-visible disabilities such as autism and ADHD, not just mobility. Tell your airline at least 48 hours before you fly. Many airports also recognise the Sunflower lanyard.
Do airlines charge extra for me to sit next to my child?
Under assisted travel, most UK airlines waive the usual seat-selection fee so a disabled passenger can sit in a suitable seat and their carer or child is seated next to them at no extra cost. This is a waived seat fee, not a free flight. Arrange it through the airline's assisted travel team when you book.
Does my Blue Badge work abroad?
Not automatically. A UK Blue Badge is recognised in some EU countries but not all, and the rules vary, so check the destination country before you rely on it.
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