Apply for a companion bus pass

If you need someone to help you when you travel on public transport you can apply for a companion pass ‘Orange stripe + C’. The pass allows people who are unable to travel alone on public transport to have a companion travel with them free of charge in Portsmouth.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the companion pass, you must already hold either a Disabled person’s bus pass or an Older person’s bus pass from Portsmouth City Council (or be eligible for one).

Find out if you’re eligible for a disabled person’s bus pass

Find out if you’re eligible for an older person’s bus pass

Applying for a companion bus pass

To apply for a pass, you will need to provide the following documents:

  • Proof of age
  • Proof that you live in Portsmouth (such as a council tax bill, tenancy agreement, electoral registration or utility bill)
  • A passport-quality colour photograph. Your photograph must show your head and shoulders only, without headgear, (except on religious or medical grounds) front facing and alone
  • Your current older person’s bus pass, or disabled person’s bus pass, or the qualifying documents if you don’t already have one.

You will also need to provide one of the following documents:

  • War Pensioners Mobility Allowance
  • A letter from the Department of Work and Pensions confirming that the applicant is currently in receipt of the higher rate of care and the higher rate of care mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Personal Independence Payment at eight points or above against either the PIP ‘moving around’ or ‘communicating verbally’ activities and enhanced rate of care
  • Personal Independence Payment at eight points or above against the ‘planning and following a journey’ activity and enhanced rate of care
  • Evidence you receive Attendance Allowance at the higher rate

You must also provide a report from a healthcare professional (such as a physiotherapist, podiatrist, nurse etc). The report must include:

  • The healthcare professional’s contact details
  • Confirmation of your disabilities and your inability to travel alone

Apply for a companion bus pass using our online form.

Renewing your companion bus pass

If your bus pass is expiring in March.

If we have assessed you to have a permanent disability you will receive a new pass in the post automatically, unless we contact you before expiry. When reapplying, you will need to show us that you are eligible by providing us with the following:

  1. One of the following documents:
  • War Pensioners Mobility Allowance
  • A letter from the Department of Work and Pensions confirming that the applicant currently receives the higher rate of care and the higher rate of care mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Personal Independence Payment at eight points or above against either the PIP ‘moving around’ or ‘communicating verbally’ activities and enhanced rate of care
  • Personal Independence Payment at eight points or above against the ‘planning and following a journey’ activity and enhanced rate of care
  • Evidence you receive Attendance Allowance at the higher rate
  1. A report from a healthcare professional (such as a physiotherapist, podiatrist, nurse etc), which must include:
  • The healthcare professional’s contact details
  • Confirmation of your disabilities and your inability to travel alone

Using the companion bus pass

The companion pass is not allocated to a specific person, so it can be used by anybody who is travelling with you. Only one companion may travel free on any one journey, and you must both get on and leave the bus at the same points. The companion may be a child aged 11 or over as long as they are able to provide assistance to the companion bus pass holder.

If your journey starts outside Portsmouth, your companion may need to pay the full fare. The city boundary points can be broadly described by the following landmarks:

  • Mother Kelly’s fish and chip shop on Southampton Road towards Portchester
  • The George Inn on London Road heading north
  • Havant Road and Rectory Road junction towards Bedhampton
  • Jubilee Avenue at Rowland Road towards Portchester

During 2020 we carried out a 12-month trial which assessed applicants’ eligibility for a companion pass based on their disability rather than their income.

The information we collected from this trial has enabled us to gain a better understanding of customers’ disability and has allowed us to offer better support with bus travel requirements. The change to the eligibility criteria has been agreed and you can read the report online.

Contact us

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 Monday-Friday 9am-1pm