What is a Family Led travel budget?
A Family Led Travel Budget (FLTB) is a payment provided to parents or carers to facilitate any arrangements for home to school travel to ensure attendance and access to education. It allows families to make flexible arrangements and monitor the quality of transport directly. A FLTB will not be awarded if you drive your child to and from school this would fall under Mileage.
What are Mileage Payments?
For those children whose entitlement to school travel support has been confirmed by the council, there is an option for parents or carers to use their own vehicle to provide home to school transport, If the council decides that it is a cost-effective choice. The mileage payment for parents or carers that provide school transport is 45p per mile, based on the shortest distance between home to school and on confirmation from your child’s school of their attendance.
It is also possible to request that another adult (nominated by you) be allowed to provide the transport for your child, but only with your signed agreement. Mileage is only offered for a maximum of two journeys (one journey to school and one journey home).
How can a FLTB be used?
It is for the parent or carer to determine how the FLTB payment should be used effectively to ensure access and attendance at school. The benefits of a FLTB are that it enables freedom and flexibility to make travel arrangements that best meet the family’s needs and circumstances. Payment could for example be used to:
- arrange for family or friends to assist with the home to school travel
- facilitate childcare payments for other siblings during transport periods
- Arrange your own transport
Who is eligible for a FLTB/Mileage
In order to access a FLTB there are a number of eligibility criteria that must be met:
- child must qualify for home to school travel under the School Travel Support eligibility criteria
- exceptional circumstances at the local authority’s discretion
If a child meets the eligibility criteria or exceptional circumstances the local authority will then consider if it is cost effective to provide a FLTB/Mileage for home to school travel. It may be that a FLTB/Mileage is not cost effective for the local authority and in such cases home to school travel would be offered via an alternative means.
What value is a FLTB?
The amount of money awarded for a FLTB is based on the shortest walking distance between the home address and the school attended. The following table outlines the payment bands dependent on the distance:
- Miles x £1 for 4 trips per day
- The payments for FLTB and Mileage are spread equally over the academic year via 3 payments from September to July.
- A payment in August for September, then easter for after the Easter holiday and then December for January.
- If a child accesses a FLTB or Mileage part way through the academic year the payment will be adjusted accordingly.
- Where the Panel identifies that a child needs to be accompanied to and from school, the distance will be calculated to include the return journey.
How often does a FLTB get reviewed?
At the end of each school year a further assessment will be carried out to identify if a FLTB is required or not unless it has been agreed for a longer period. As children grow older, it is likely they will wish to become independent travellers. Independent travel is an important life skill and can help children to access social and employment opportunities.
How can I be considered for a FLTB/Mileage?
An application will need to be made to the Alternative/SEN Panel will decide if it is appropriate. Visit this page for more information.