Bus Services: Concessions

The Government recognises the importance of affordable and reliable bus services. The Summer Bus Fare Offer was a time-limited scheme designed to help families travel for less this summer.

At present, the majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, meaning that they can choose to offer discounted fares for young people. In the financial year ending March 2026, youth concessions were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 76 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.

The Government has confirmed long-term investment of over £3 billion from 2026/27 over the rest of the spending review period to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. In addition, we are providing £400 million to support the £2 National Bus Fare Cap, which will replace the current £3 cap from January 2027 until the end of the year.

We are also providing local transport authorities with nearly £700 million per year through the Local Authority Bus Grant. This includes funding for local authorities, which they can use to introduce local fares initiatives if they wish to do so.