LABG Independent Travel Training Grant

About the grant

This grant stream is open to a wide range of Hampshire-based organisations, including charities, not-for-profit community organisations, district and borough councils, and Hampshire County Council (HCC) departments.

The grant is intended to support the delivery of independent travel training for adults who may find it difficult to engage with public transport information or to use local bus services. It aims to help individuals develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to travel independently.

Local bus services play a vital role in connecting people to employment, shopping, education, and healthcare, supporting safe, healthy, and independent lives. This grant is designed to enable organisations to expand their existing services to include independent travel training, with a particular focus on, but not limited to, the Hampshire bus network.

Evidence from previous initiatives demonstrates that the greatest impact is achieved when travel training is delivered through organisations already embedded within local communities. This grant therefore prioritises support for organisations with established and trusted relationships with adults who may face barriers to independent travel. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals who are socially isolated or who have learning differences, mental health needs, or physical disabilities. Building on the success of earlier programmes, the grant focuses on working with partners best placed to identify, engage, and support those most likely to benefit.

Hampshire County Council has been awarded Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) funding from the Department for Transport (DfT), a proportion of which has been allocated to support this community-based independent travel training grant stream.

Funding Period and Structure

Organisations may apply for funding to deliver projects lasting a minimum of 6 months and up to 2 years, ensuring sufficient time for effective planning, delivery, and impact. Applications for shorter periods will not normally be considered.

Funding can be awarded for an initial period of up to two years.

Successful organisations will have 6 months in which to start delivering the project from the award of funding for planning and recruitment. Funding can be awarded for consecutive periods, enabling continuity and the opportunity to build on learning across delivery cycles.

Funding will be secured through a grant funding agreement and will not be affected by local government reorganisation.

Funding Overview
  • Grants will be available in the region of £5,000 to £25,000 per year, per organisation
  • Ideally, a maximum of £50,000 will be considered for applications covering a two-year period
  • Applications for smaller amounts will be considered where this level of funding is sufficient to deliver the proposed activity
  • Currently, funding is available for two years (2026/27 and 2027/28). Funding to extend into a third year (2028/29) is an option the Council may consider nearer the end of the grant stream period and would be subject to delivery and impact of any individual project.

The level of funding awarded will depend on several factors, including the scope of the project, the specific needs of the client group, and the anticipated outcomes and impact of the activity.

The grant may support both the continuation or development of existing HCC-funded independent travel training schemes, as well as new or expanded provision where gaps have been identified. It cannot be used to fund unrelated existing services outside of this scope.

Who can apply

The grant is open to Hampshire-based organisations or community groups that are already embedded within local communities and have pre-existing relationships with adults who are socially isolated or who have learning differences, mental health needs, or physical disabilities.

Organisations must demonstrate that their services are accessible to the wider eligible community and are not limited to a restricted membership group (for example, access should not be dependent on acceptance into a specific school, college, or closed programme).

How to apply

This grant stream will open on Tuesday 30 June 2026 and will remain open until all available funding has been allocated.

Grant applicants must:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis following submission, with a short assessment period. Early submission is strongly encouraged to maximise the likelihood of success.

Successful applicants will be notified promptly, and grant payments will be made once funding agreements have been finalised and signed.

Due to the limited nature of the funding, the grant programme will close once all funds have been allocated. Any further eligible applications may be placed on a waiting list and considered if additional funding becomes available.

Contact us

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the team at: [email protected]