Am I eligible for a new bus pass?
You are eligible for a concessionary bus pass if you are a Plymouth resident of pensionable age and over or a disabled person who:
- is blind or partially sighted
- is profoundly or severely deaf
- is without speech
- has a disability, or has suffered an injury that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to walk
- does not have arms or has long-term loss of the use of both arms
- has a learning disability
- is unfit to drive for medical reasons
- is registered as disabled ex-service personnel
All applicants must be resident within Plymouth City Council's administrative boundary, that is the council tax billing authority for the address. If you do not pay council tax and are unsure which council area you live in you can check with your landlord or with your local council.
There is no legal definition of residency under the concessionary travel legislation, so we have agreed that residency of more than one month is required.
What proof do I need to obtain my pass?
You will be required to provide two forms of authentication (one from each section below)
Section 1
You must provide proof of address; this can be a paper copy of one of the following items with your name and address:
- Council tax bill
- Rental agreement
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Driving licence
- NHS medical card
If you cannot provide any of the above in section 1 a letter from your landlord confirming residency plus proof of your landlord’s name on a council tax bill can be accepted.
Section 2
You must be in one of the following nine categories and provide acceptable proof:
Pensionable age and over
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Letter from The Department of Work and Pensions confirming state retirement pension
- Retirement pension card
- NHS medical card bearing name and date of birth
- Printed prescription bearing name and date of birth
Blind or partially sighted
- Current disabled persons blue badge
- Disabled persons registration card SS310
- Letter from social services confirming registration as blind or partially sighted
- Evidence from an eye specialist, for example an optometrist or consultant ophthalmologist, that you are able to be registered as blind or partially sighted
Profoundly or severely deaf
- Disabled persons registration card SS310
- Letter from social services confirming registration as profoundly or severely deaf
- An audiological report, or a report from an aural specialist that you are able to be registered as profoundly or severely deaf
Without speech
Unable to communicate orally in any language (does not include those whose speech is slow or difficult to understand because, for example, of a severe stammer)
- Disabled persons registration card SS310
- Letter confirming registration as disabled person from social services
- Letter on official paper from a medical professional that you are without speech
Have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to walk
- Current disabled persons blue badge
- Disability living allowance with higher rate mobility component
- War pension with mobility supplement
- Disabled persons registration card SS310
- Letter on official paper from a medical professional confirming you cannot walk for distances up to 100m without stopping, suffering severe discomfort or without help from another person
Do not have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
- Visible evidence of loss of arms
- Current disabled persons blue badge
- Disability living allowance with higher rate mobility component
- Disabled persons registration card SS310
- Letter on official paper from a medical professional confirming you have long-term loss of use of both arms
Have a learning disability
That is a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind, which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning.
- Current disabled persons blue badge
- Disabled persons registration card SS310
- Letter from social services confirming registration with a learning disability
- Letter on official paper from a medical professional confirming you have a learning disability as opposed to learning difficulties
Unfit to drive for medical reasons
If you applied for a licence to drive a motor vehicle under part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, you would have your application refused in line with section 92 of that Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the grounds of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.
- Current disabled persons blue badge
- Letter from the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) giving notice of refusal or withdrawal of licence
- Disabled persons registration card SS310
- Letter on official paper from a medical professional confirming a medical condition that would prevent licence for example epilepsy, severe mental disorder
- Other medical condition that would cause a licence to be withdrawn or refused
Disable ex-Service Personnel
- DWP (Formerly DSS) certificate of pension above 80%
Anyone unable to obtain acceptable proof should contact the Public Transport Team for assistance.
If you can't obtain acceptable proof and you can't resolve proof of eligibility with our Public Transport Team you should contact an appropriate medical practitioner in order to get proof of disability. If you can't get such proof, you can enter into our arbitration process whereby an appointed medical practitioner will assess you with regard to eligibility. You will be responsible for the cost of this.
The categories of eligibility for a Plymouth City Council pass follow the Department for Transport guidelines to local authorities.
Carers and travelling companions
Passes will not be issued to carers and/or travelling companions.