Disabled persons bus pass

Following the government’s coronavirus advice, which includes avoiding social contact, Portsmouth City Council has taken the sensible precaution to protect the public by reducing non-essential council services.

During this time if you wish to apply for a new disabled person’s bus pass please scan or take pictures of your entitlement documentation, and attach them in an email to concessionaryfares@portsmouthcc.gov.uk with a contact telephone number.

If you have any questions please contact the city helpdesk 023 9268 8599.

You can apply for a disabled person’s bus pass by emailing your scanned/photographed documentation to concessionaryfares@portsmouthcc.gov.uk with a contact telephone number.

You will need proof that you live in Portsmouth (such as a council tax bill, housing benefit, rent book, electoral registration or utility bill) and a passport-quality colour photograph. You will also need to provide proof of disability, such as:

• Attendance allowance
• Disability Living Allowance with a mobility component
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) where the applicant has been awarded at least eight points or more for the PIP ‘Moving Around’ and ‘Communicating Verbally’ activities
• Award letter for guaranteed income payment for tariff levels 1-8 under the 2005 Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement (WPMS) under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS)
• Letter from the DVLA giving notice of long term refusal or withdrawal of driving license on medical grounds, (misuse of alcohol or drugs are not included under this scheme)
• A mental health healthcare professional’s standard NHS exclusion letter containing their contact details
• Blue badge
• Registration with social care (yellow card)

If you think you are eligible, but don’t have any of the documents, please contact us to discuss this.

You are an eligible disabled person if you:

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

These passes are issued for between one and five years depending on your disability.

• If your disability is temporary, you will need to reapply or show further proof when your pass expires, to renew it.
• 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.

If your bus pass is expiring in less than a week and your new one hasn’t arrived, please contact us.

We send replacements to the address we have on our records, so you must let us know if your address changes.

Bus passes that expire in March 2020

If your bus pass has an orange strip you might have to provide further evidence of your disability entitlement. We will then issue you a new bus pass.

You can provide your disability entitlement by:

• Email: please scan or take pictures of your entitlement documentation, and attach them in an email to concessionaryfares@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

These passes can be used on local buses anywhere in England in accordance with the local authority’s scheme. The Portsmouth scheme provides free travel all day, every day, from and within Portsmouth.

The pass can be used anywhere in England, however it is important to check the restrictions for the local authority’s scheme as they differ. The bus pass does not cover travel in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Whether you are moving within, out of or in to Portsmouth, please contact us to let us know your new address.

Also, if you have moved into Portsmouth and currently using a previous authority bus pass you will need to apply as a new customer with us.

There is a £10 administration fee, payable in advance, to replace a damaged, defaced or lost pass. The fee is not refundable if the lost pass is later found. Lost passes will be cancelled and therefore cannot be used if found at a later date.

The £10 fee can be paid over the phone with a debit or credit card by calling 023 9268 8575 between Monday and Friday, 9am-4pm (closed bank holidays). Once we have received payment the replacement bus pass will be posted to you within 10 working days.

If your pass is stolen, please report the theft to the police and obtain a crime reference number. This number will enable us to issue a replacement card without charge. We will also replace any cards which have a technical problem for free. Please contact us if your pass is stolen.

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