Disabled person’s bus pass

Find out how to apply for, renew or replace a disabled person’s bus pass in Portsmouth, including what to do if it is lost or stolen. You can also check if you’re eligible and what evidence you need to provide.

Disabled bus pass holders in Portsmouth can travel for free at any time of day with a valid pass.

Contents

• Who is eligible
• How to apply and what you need to provide
• Using your disabled persons bus pass
• Renew your bus pass
• Report your pass lost, damaged or stolen
• Contact us

You can apply for a disabled person’s bus pass if you’re aged 5 or over and meet one of the following criteria:

• you are blind or partially sighted, profoundly or severely deaf, without speech
• you have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to walk
• you do not have arms or have long term loss of the use of both arms
• you have a learning disability – a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning
• your disability means your application to drive a motor vehicle  would be refused
• you are a member or veteran of the Armed Services who has been seriously injured in service

You need to show proof of disability when you apply for a disabled person’s bus pass.

To apply for a disabled person’s bus pass, you can choose one of the following:

• apply using our online form
• email your scanned or photographed documentation to concessionaryfares@portsmouthcc.gov.uk with a contact telephone number
• apply in person at the Civic Offices (Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm)

If you’ve moved to Portsmouth and have a bus pass from the previous authority, you need to apply as a new customer.

Documents you need to provide

You will need to provide all of these documents:

• proof that you live in Portsmouth (such as a council tax bill, housing benefit, rent book, tenancy agreement, electoral registration or utility bill),
• proof of date of birth (such as birth certificate, passport, driving licence or medical card),
• your national insurance number
• a passport-quality colour photograph

Additional proof

You must also provide proof of disability. We cannot contact medical professionals on your behalf. GP letters are not accepted for new applications or renewals.

All evidence will be reviewed in line with Department for Transport guidance for the travel scheme.

People who are sight impaired or severely sight impaired

You need to provide one of the following:

• a certificate of vision impairment signed by a consultant ophthalmologist (eye consultant)
• proof that you are registered with our sensory impairment team (yellow card)

People who are profoundly or severely deaf

You need to provide one of the following:

• a letter or audiological report from a hospital audiologist, aural specialist or audiology department, showing the level of hearing reaches 70 + decibels in hearing level (dB HL)
• proof that you are registered with our sensory impairment team (yellow card)

People without speech

This does not include people whose speech is difficult to understand or who have language difficulties.

You need to provide one of the following:

• proof of Personal Independent Payments (PIP) – all pages of award letter indicating you have been awarded at least 8 points or more for ‘communicating verbally’ activity
• a letter from a medical specialist

People with reduced walking ability

This applies to people who have a disability or have suffered an injury which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to walk

You need to provide one of the following:

• an award letter for Disability Living Allowance for Higher Rate Mobility Component
• a disabled person’s parking badge – Blue Badge
• proof of War Pensioners Mobility Supplement (WPMS) under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS)
• an award letter for guaranteed income payment for tariff levels 1-8 under the 2005 Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• proof of Personal Independent Payments (PIP) – all pages of award letter indicating you have been awarded at least 8 points or more for ‘moving around’ activity
• a letter from a medical professional confirming level of walking ability and has a long-term impairment on mobility

You must show your condition is long‑term and substantially impair your walking ability. Temporary injuries, such as a leg in plaster, do not qualify.

In all cases, entitlement depends on your difficulty in walking. Other considerations such as difficulty in carrying shopping are not considered.

People who do not have arms or have long-term loss of use of both arms

You need to provide one of the following:

• a letter from an NHS artificial limb unit
• a letter from a medical specialist confirming that you don’t have arms or cannot use your arms for daily tasks

People with a learning disability

Your disability must have started before adulthood and is a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind, which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning.

You need to provide one of the following:

• an award letter for Disability Living Allowance for Higher Rate Mobility Component – all pages of the full award letter must be provided
• proof of registration with the learning disability team (yellow card)
• a letter from your social worker or support worker detailing your disability
• a letter from a medical specialist confirming level of learning disability, difficulty in learning new skills
• a current Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP) for children or young adults in education – the plan will be reviewed in line with Department for Transport guidance

People who would be refused a driving licence for medical reasons

This applies to people who would be refused a driving licence under part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, section 92 (physical fitness). It doesn’t apply to people refused a licence because of persistent drug or alcohol misuse.

Conditions may include:

• uncontrolled epilepsy
• severe mental disorder
• other disabilities which are likely to cause the driving of vehicles by them to be a source of danger to the public

You need to provide one of the following:

• a letter from the DVLA indicating refusal of a driving licence for a minimum of 12 months
• a letter from a medical specialist detailing your disability and confirming a driving licence would be refused as defined within the criteria
• a mental health healthcare professional’s standard NHS exclusion letter containing their contact details
• if you have epilepsy: a letter from a medical specialist detailing your disability, date of last seizure, and confirming a driving licence would be refused

Your bus pass will only be issued for the period that your driving licence is suspended. You must provide updated proof when this period ends.

After you apply

If you move within, out of or into Portsmouth, please update your details using our online form or contact us using the details below.

If you hold a disabled person’s pass issued by Portsmouth City Council, you can travel for free all day, every day, for journeys starting in Portsmouth.

These passes can be used on local buses anywhere in England in accordance with the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (between 9.30 am and 11pm on Monday – Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays).

If you hold a disabled person’s pass issued by another English authority, your pass is valid for use in Portsmouth in accordance with the national scheme, between 9.30am and 11.00pm on Monday – Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.

The bus pass does not cover travel in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

For more information you can contact us by:

• Telephone: 023 9268 8575
• Email: concessionaryfares@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• Post:
  Concessionary Fares
  Portsmouth City Council
  Civic Offices
  Guildhall Square
  PO1 2AL
• In person at the Civic Offices Mon-Fri 9am-1pm