Our Post-16 Transport Policy Statement (PDF , 1MB) explains what provision is available for sixth-form age students. The council only makes direct provision for children from low-income families or with special educational needs, who meet the eligibility criteria.
In the first instance, students should contact their post-16 education provider to check whether a seat may be available through the post-16 Spare Capacity Scheme.
Qualifying as ‘low income’
To qualify as 'low-income' in years 12 and 13, the student must satisfy the criteria set out in the policy statement, and:
- be under the age of 19 years on 1 September 2025
- have applied for a full-time course (a minimum of 17 hours per week)
- live over three miles from their catchment sixth form
- live over three miles from their nearest college offering the vocational area they are studying
Making a low-income application
To apply you must complete the application form Low-income application form 2024/2025 and email it to school.transport@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.
For more information, please see:
- Post-16 Transport – low-income families – 2024/25 Academic Year (.doc, 741KB)
- Post-16 Transport - low-income criteria (PDF, 47KB)
16-19 Bursary Fund (government scheme)
The government operate a 16-19 Bursary Fund and you could get a bursary to help with education-related costs if you are aged 16 to 19 and:
- studying at a publicly funded school or college in England - not a university
- on a training course, including unpaid work experience
A publicly funded school is one that does not charge you for attending it.
If you are 19 and over
You could also get a bursary if you either:
- are continuing a course you started aged 16 to 18 (known as being a ’19+ continuer’)
- have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
What a bursary is for
A bursary is money that you, or your education or training provider, can use to pay for things like:
- clothing, books, and other equipment for your course
- transport and lunch on days you study or train
For more information please visit:
16 to 19 Education Travel Bursary Fund (Westmorland and Furness scheme)
Westmorland and Furness Council has committed £300,000 for an Education Travel Bursary scheme for the 2025-2026 academic year.
The scheme provides financial support to help students and apprentices with transport costs. It is not intended for households where there is an additional rate taxpayer.
The scheme covers:
- public transport
- taxis
- bicycles
- fuel costs for private transport
- 50% of the cost for the Post 16 spare seat scheme
Applications will be open until midday on 1 October 2025. This could change based on the volume of applications we receive.
The bursary has limited funds. We may have to restrict allocations depending on demand. We will keep this under review.
Eligibility
Either the student or the parent/guardian should apply. We will only accept one application per young person.
For a household with more than one student travelling by car to the same place on the same days, only one application will be accepted.
To be eligible for the scheme, you or the person you're applying on behalf of, must:
- be under the age of 19 on 1 September 2026
- live in the Westmorland and Furness area
- incur travel costs to access school/college/other education
- not be or will be in receipt of any other funding for school/college/other education transport costs
We will prioritise support for:
- students who received the bursary in 2024-2025 and are going into the second year of their course
- Cared for Children and Care leavers
- Young people with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) who have a supported internship
- students using public transport
- students using a combination of public and private transport
How the scheme works
The bursary works on a sliding scale. How much you could receive depends on how far you have to travel to your place of education.
The final amount is pro rata, depending on how many days you attend college or school.
Make an application
The scheme is preparing to reopen on 21 August 2025. When it reopens, this section will be updated.
Contact us
Email: school.transport@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 303 1591 (option 2)
Alternative support
A2B NowCard
This reduced-fare bus travel card is for children and young people aged five to 20 living in Westmorland and Furness, to help them access leisure, sports, social participation and culture outside school travel times. It is valid on local bus services within Westmorland and Furness and entitles holders to bus travel for £1.80 (single) and £3 (return).
If the normal fare is less than this, travellers will pay the normal fare. Application forms for the A2B NowCard are available at all libraries in Westmorland and Furness or can be downloaded at: A2B NowCard.