Consultation on Hampshire County Council’s Post-16 Transport Policy for 2027/28
Open until
About this consultation
Hampshire County Council is consulting on proposed changes to its Post-16 Transport Policy Statement for the 2027/28 academic year.
The Post-16 Transport Policy explains what travel assistance may be available for young people aged 16 and over who are continuing in education or training, including young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The County Council is required by law to prepare and publish a Post-16 Transport Policy Statement each year and to consult on any proposed changes before the policy is finalised.
This consultation is open from 22 October 2026 until 10 December 2026.
We would like to hear from:
- young people and students
- parents and carers
- schools, colleges and education providers
- transport providers
- voluntary and community organisations
- other interested stakeholders
Background
Hampshire County Council is required by law to prepare and publish a Post-16 Transport Policy Statement each year. The Policy explains what travel assistance may be available for young people aged 16 and over who are continuing in education or training, including young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
There is no automatic entitlement to local authority funded transport once a student reaches the age of 16. Students may choose to attend a school, sixth form or college that meets their needs and may be able to access support through their education provider.
Hampshire County Council recognises that some young people with SEND may require travel assistance to access suitable education and training opportunities, and that in some cases their family will be on a low income and so may not be able to source or provide the required transport themselves. Under discretionary powers, the County Council currently provides travel assistance in certain circumstances for eligible students from low-income families.
The County Council is proposing a number of changes to the Post-16 Transport Policy for the 2027/28 academic year. The proposed changes are intended to improve clarity and transparency, align published policy wording with Department for Education guidance, reflect current operational practice, and help families better understand eligibility requirements, parental responsibilities and the appeals process. The consultation will help the County Council understand the potential impact of the proposed changes before any final decision is made.
Proposed changes
Proposal 1: Clarification of eligibility criteria by age group
The County Council is proposing to amend the wording of the policy so that students aged 18, and those continuing a course that started before their 19th birthday, are considered in the same way as students aged 16 to 17.
The proposed change would:
- align the published policy with Department for Education guidance
- make expectations clearer for students and families
- improve transparency
- support consistency in decision-making
Under the proposed policy, the expectation that parents and carers are responsible for facilitating attendance where they are able to do so would apply to:
- students aged 16 to 18
- students aged 19 or over who are continuing a course started before their 19th birthday
The proposed change would clarify the policy so that students aged 18, and those aged 19 or over who are continuing a course that started before their 19th birthday, are considered in the same way as all eligible students aged 16 to 18. This reflects Department for Education guidance and aligns the published policy with the way the County Council has intended these arrangements to operate.
For some families, the clarification may mean a clearer expectation that parents and carers are responsible for facilitating attendance where they are able to do so, including accompanying a young person on all or part of their journey where necessary. In some circumstances, this could result in additional practical responsibilities for families.
The County Council recognises that the impact of this clarification may be greater for some families, including those living in rural areas. Applications for travel assistance would continue to be considered on an individual basis, taking account of the student's circumstances and whether support from the County Council is necessary to enable attendance at their place of education or training.
The County Council will continue to consider whether transport should be awarded due to exceptional circumstances.
The consultation will help the County Council better understand any impacts before making a final decision.
Proposal 2: Updates to improve clarity and reflect current practice
The County Council is proposing several smaller amendments to improve the clarity of the policy and ensure it accurately reflects current arrangements. These changes will not impact on eligibility or the way that the service is delivered in practice.
A. Remove references to Working Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit has been replaced by Universal Credit.
The policy currently refers to Working Tax Credit when describing eligibility for support for low-income families.
The proposed change would update the wording to reflect current benefit arrangements.
This proposal would not affect which low-income families may be eligible for support.
B. Clarification of parental contribution requirements
The policy currently refers in some places to assistance with "travel expenses".
The County Council proposes to replace these references with "travel assistance".
This change would:
- better reflect how the service operates
- provide greater clarity for families
- avoid any misunderstanding that parental contributions may be routinely reduced or waived
The proposal would not introduce any new parental contribution requirements.
C. Add a link to the parental contributions webpage
The County Council proposes adding a link within the policy to the webpage that publishes current parental contribution rates.
This would make it easier for families to access up-to-date information.
D. Clarify the relationship between the Post-16 Transport Policy and the School Transport Policy
The County Council proposes to clarify the relationship between the Post-16 Transport Policy and the School Transport Policy.
Decisions regarding post-16 transport assistance will continue to be considered under the Post-16 Transport Policy and on a discretionary basis. Where the Post-16 Transport Policy does not contain information on a particular matter, reference may be made to the School Transport Policy for additional information about related transport arrangements, processes and definitions.
This reflects current practice and would provide improved clarity for applicants, while ensuring greater alignment between the two policies. For the avoidance of doubt, the Post-16 Transport Policy will take precedence in all cases.
E. Add links to appeals information
The County Council proposes adding links to relevant appeals documents within the appeals section of the policy.
This would be expected to include links to:
- Appeals Terms of Reference
- Appeals Code
These additions intend to improve access to relevant information and provide a greater understanding of the appeals process.
Parental contributions
As with previous years, parental contributions will increase from September 2027. As this occurs annually, specific consultation questions on parental contribution levels are not included in this consultation.
However, respondents may provide comments on any aspect of the proposed policy through the free-text sections of the consultation questionnaire.
How to have your say
You can take part in the consultation by completing the online questionnaire.
Consultation period
Opens: 22 October 2026
Closes: 10 December 2026
If you need assistance participating in the consultation, please contact the School Transport Service using the School Transport online enquiry form. Please include the phrase CONSULTATION 2026 in your enquiry.
What happens next?
Once the consultation closes, all responses will be reviewed and analysed.
The feedback received will help inform:
- the final Post-16 Transport Policy Statement for 2027/28
- recommendations presented to the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services
A further decision report summarising consultation findings and recommendations will be presented in 2027 before the policy is finalised and published.
Privacy notice
Hampshire County Council is seeking your feedback on its proposed changes to the County Council’s Post-16 Transport Policy for 2027/28. The information you provide in your response is being collected for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest in the exercise of official authority vested in the County Council, and for reasons of substantial public interest. We will use the information to understand views on, and impacts of, proposed changes to the Post-16 Transport Policy for 2027/28. All data collected will remain within the UK. We will keep your personal information securely for one year, after which it will be deleted or destroyed.
You have some legal rights in respect of the personal information we collect from you. Please see our Data Protection page for further details. You can contact the County Council’s Data Protection Officer at [email protected]. If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, you should raise your concern with us in the first instance or directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office.