Travel Pass for People with an Eligible Disability
As a designated Travel Concession Authority (TCA) by the Department for Transport (DfT), Merseytravel administers the concession travel scheme for the five district councils of Merseyside, including Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.
You may qualify for a travel pass issued to people with an eligible disability, as part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme if you meet the conditions of any of the seven categories of disability as defined by the Transport Act 2000.
Where can I use it?
On local bus services across the Merseyside region and anywhere in England, in addition to travelling on the Merseyrail network as far as Chester, Ellesmere Port and Ormskirk and on the Mersey Ferries for direct single river crossings (not River Explorer or Special Cruises).
You cannot use the pass on coach excursions, special bus services, excursions, National Express or Merseylink, on rail journeys outside the Merseyrail network such as journeys between Chester and Liverpool via Runcorn or between Chester and Newton-le-Willows via Runcorn East.
When can I use it?
There are no limitations on when you can use an ENCTS travel pass whilst travelling within Merseyside. You are able to travel all day, every day of the week on local buses, trains and direct single cross-river journeys on Mersey Ferries.
If you are travelling outside of the Merseyside region, your ENCTS travel pass can be used on buses only in England between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and anytime on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holdiays.
How do I use it?
Travelling on bus?
As you board the bus, place your ENCTS travel pass on the card reader. Hold your pass there until the reader beeps to acknowledge it has been read.
Travelling on train?
Place your ENCTS travel pass on the reader at the rail gate or platform validator everytiem you make a journey. If there is no rail gate or platform validator, you should show your travel pass to a member of staff if asked.
Travelling on Mersey Ferries?
Speak to staff at the ferry terminal for further support.
Am I eligible for an ENCTS Travel Pass?
Merseytravel is required to issue a travel pass free of charge to those applicants who can demonstrate eligibility and reside within the Merseyside area.
Residency Status
Residency is a key condition that must be met in all applications.
You can check if your address is within one of the five Merseyside local authorities by using the Find Your Council conline checker.
Your address must fall under one of the following local authorities:
- Knowsley
- Liverpool
- Sefton
- St Helens
- Wirral
Please Note: If your address is not within one of the above authorities, then Merseytravel cannot accept your application for an ENCTS travel pass.
Proof of Address
You will be required to produce evidence to demonstrate your residency status, usually one of the following:
- Council tax statement
- Utility bill (e.g. gas, electricity or water)
- Bank or Building Society Statement
In addition to the above, Merseytravel will also accept a similar bill or statement which clearly shows the applicant’s name and full address.
Please Note: Any evidence provided for residential status must not be more than 12-months old for it to be considered valid.
Eligibility Categories
There are seven categories that entitles those people with a disability to the statutory minimum travel concession. These are set out in Section 146 of the Transport Act 2000 and are listed below:
Severely Sight Impaired (blind) means having a high degree of vision loss, that is seeing much less than is normal or perhaps nothing at all.
Sight Impaired (partially sighted) is a less severe loss of vision. Sight impaired people can see more than someone who is severely sight impaired, but less than a fully sighted person.
Acceptable evidence is listed below for the purposes of determining eligibility under this category:
- Proof of registration with your local council authority
- Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) – formerly BD8
More information and guidance about how to register as severely sight impaired or as sight impaired can found online at the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) or contacting your local council authority for further support.
There is no statutory registration system for people who are profoundly or severely deaf. However, many will be registered on a voluntary basis with their local authority social services department.
Acceptable evidence is listed below for the purposes of determining eligibility under this category:
- Confirmation of registration from local authority social services department as being profoundly or severely deaf.
- A letter from an audiologist confirming applicant is profoundly or severely deaf, indicating a hearing loss at 70 decibels or more in both ears.
Included within this category are those people who are unable to communicate orally in any language. These people will usually be unable to make clear oral requests or unable to ask specific questions to clarify instructions.
Acceptable evidence is listed below for the purposes of determining eligibility under this category:
- 8 points or more in the Communicating Verbally category on PIP.
- A letter from a GP or Consultant confirming that the applicant is without speech.
- A SR1 (formerly DS1500).
This category would not, in the Department for Transport’s opinion, cover people who are able to communicate orally but whose speech may be slow or difficult to understand, for example because of a severe stammer.
To qualify under this category, a person would have to have a long term and substantial disability that means they cannot walk, or which makes walking very difficult.
Acceptable evidence is listed below for the purposes of determining eligibility under this category:
- 8 points or more in the Moving Around category of PIP
- Higher rate Mobility Disability Living Allowance
- War Pensioner Mobility Supplement or Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
- Disabled Persons Blue Badge with additional supporting medical evidence showing a walking disability that is long term and applicant’s mobility is substantially impaired
- A SR1 form (formerly DS1500)
Please Note: Any PIP Award / DWP Award Letter to support must show at least 6 months remaining. If using a Blue Badge, both sides must be shown.
The Department for Transport (DfT) advises that the travel concession authority requires medical evidence to support the claim that the applicant’s walking ability is long term and substantially impaired.
If medical evidence cannot be provided, Merseytravel may request a review of the application, or face-to-face assessment, by a third party independent medical assessor.
This category includes those people with a limb reduction deficiency of both arms, bilateral upper limb amputation, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, motor neurone disease or a condition of comparable severity.
Acceptable evidence is listed below for the purposes of determining eligibility under this category:
- A report from a GP that confirms the long-term loss of the use of both arms.
- An assessment made by an independent medical assessor.
If medical evidence cannot be provided, Merseytravel may request a review of the application, or face-to-face assessment, by a third party independent medical assessor.
When determining if an applicant is eligible under this category, the Department for Transport (DfT) guidance advises that:
“A learning disability is a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning.”
A person with a learning disability is defined as someone who has:
- reduced ability to understand new or complex information
- difficulty in learning new skills
- unable to cope independently
These disabilities must have started before adulthood and have a lasting effect on development. The person should also be able to qualify for specialist services and may have had a special educational provision.
The Department of Health adopted the term 'learning disability' in 1992. It has the same meaning as its predecessor 'mental handicap' but it is seen as more acceptable, particularly in reducing the confusion with mental illness.
For those individuals that hold an active driving licence (including provisional), they must inform the DVLA of their learning disability. There is no requirement to tell DVLA about learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia).
Please Note: Travel Concession Authorities (TCA) may not be able to consider applications under Category F for Learning Disabilities if the applicant possesses an active driving licence (including provisional) – even if only used for identification purposes.
Acceptable evidence is listed below for the purposes of determining eligibility under this category:
- Enhanced Rate (12 points or more) Daily Living Component for PIP
- 8 points or more for one (not combined) of the following PIP Categories:
- Communicating Verbally
- Reading & Understanding Signs, Symbols and Words
- Budgeting Decisions
- Engaging with Others
- Proof that learning disability started before adulthood - copy of an Education, Care and Health Plan (EHCP)
- Proof from the DVLA that a driving licence has been surrendered after medical advice from a GP
- Evidence clearly demonstrating the severity of learning disability and impact to learning, development or independence
Please Note: A letter which just states ‘learning difficulty’ is not considered as sufficient evidence and any document must provide clear evidence that shows the severity of any learning disability.
Those people applying under this category would, if they applied for a driving licence, have their application refused by the DVLA under section 92 (physical fitness) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Alternatively, applicants may have had their licence revoked due to a worsening medical condition that would affect their ability to drive.
For further information about which medical conditions could prevent individuals from applying for a travel pass, or why a driving licence could be withdrawn, can be found online at DVLA website.
Acceptable evidence is listed below for the purposes of determining eligibility under this category:
- A Certificate of Revocation from the DVLA issued within the last 6-months
- For epilepsy, we will need to see medical evidence showing that you have had a seizure (whilst awake) within the last 12-months.
- For severe mental disorders, applicants will need to complete the supplementary Form G2 and get either a GP or Consultant Psychiatrist to complete and stamp it.
- Medical proof (dated within the last 12-months) that clearly shows how the applicant’s condition would not meet the DVLA standards for medical fitness to drive.
- An assessment made by an Independent Medical Assessor (IMA) as appointed by Merseytravel.
Please Note: As per the guidance issued by the DfT, Travel Concession Authorities cannot process applications where a driving licence has been refused, withdrawn or surrendered if related to persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.
It is recommended that anyone applying under Category G should complete a paper application form in addition to the supplementary G2 form.
How do I apply for an ENCTS travel pass?
There are two ways you can apply for your ENCTS travel pass, online and at a Merseytravel Centre.
If your're applying under category A, B, C, D or E; then we recommended applying at a Merseytravel Centre using a Fast Track Application form.
For categories F and G, the easiest way to apply is to use our online application form.
Applicants can download and print copies of the application forms from the Apply at Merseytravel Centre link below; or pick up a paper copy by visiting their nearest Merseytravel Centre.
Please Note: We no longer accept paper applications (except category G and supplementary Form G2) via post. Please either apply online or hand in your completed application form at your nearest Merseytravel Centre.
What happens next?
Once you have submitted your application for an ENCTS travel pass, our team will review your request using the supporting evidence that you have provided inline with the assessment guidance provided by the Department for Transport (DfT).
We aim to process applications within 4 weeks.
At times, we may need more details about your disability or you may be asked to attend an assessment. A member of the the Concessions team will contact you directly where needed.
If your application meets the eligibility criteria, your travel pass will be posted to the address you provided on your application. Please allow upto to 10-days for your pass to be delivered by Royal Mail.
Please make sure you read the terms and conditions and relevant information below.
Need further support?
Access our Help & Suppprt pages for answers to some frequently asked questions or find out how to get in touch with our Customer Services team.