Home to school transport: LA data collection
Academic year 2025/26

Description

This document describes the data included in the ‘Home to school transport: LA data collection’ release’s underlying data files. This data is released under the terms of the  Open Government License (opens in new tab) (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/).

The publication methodology, available on the publication report, should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining the methodology used in producing the data.

Coverage

This release provides information on the number of pre-16 pupils and post-16 learners eligible for local authority funded transport to their education or training provider.

These statistics are based on information collected from local authorities on a voluntary basis, 148 (97%) responded. The raw data has been made available with this release as a Supporting file, this includes comments which provide important context to the reported data. The data collected includes:

- numbers of pupils by the type of school they attend; numbers with Education, health and care plans; and the reason for transport eligibility
- numbers of learners eligible because of their SEN by the type of provision they attend; and numbers travelling to neighbouring local authorities
- numbers of pupils and learners by mode of transport
- forecast spend, in total and by mode of transport
- numbers of pupils and learners travelling in single occupancy vehicles

File formats and conventions

No data has been suppressed in the raw data file, though names and contact information have been removed.

The following symbols are used in the statistics data files:

low – denotes figures based on count that rounds to 0, but is not 0. Figures may not sum to breakdowns due to rounding.

‘x’ – denotes where data is unavailable.

Where any number is shown as zero, the original figure submitted was zero.

Data files

National estimates of LA funded transport users

Filename: htstdatacollectionnationalest.csv
Geographic levels: National
Time period: 2025/26
Content summary: National estimates extrapolated using data from responding local authorities.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name             |  Variable description
------------------------  |  ---------------------------------------------------------
national_estimate         |  National estimate of users
number_local_authorities  |  Number of responding local authorities
transport_group           |  Transport group - Filter by SEND and mainstream transport

Footnotes:

1. Attention should be given to the number of responding local authorities and, where this is low, results should be treated with caution as estimates may not be representative of the national picture.
2. Local authorities were asked to provide numbers of pupils and learners using transport on 2nd February 2026.
3. National estimates for pre-16 HTST have been derived by calculating the average proportion of pupils receiving LA provided HTST in London, urban and rural authorities and using these averages to estimate the number of eligible pupils in local authorities that did not respond.
4. National estimates for post-16 transport have been derived by calculating the average proportion of the 16-25 population in London, urban and rural authorities receiving LA funded transport and using these averages to estimate the number of eligible learners in local authorities that did not respond.
5. The breakdown of post-16 eligibility for the few local authorities who did not respond to the collection are based on the total estimated users in the local authority.
6. The total national estimate is the sum of the pre- and post-16 estimates which are based on different numbers of responding local authorities.


Percentage of LA funded transport users broken down by question

Filename: htstdatacollectionpercentages.csv
Geographic levels: National
Time period: 2025/26
Content summary: This data is based on responses from local authorities who provided figures for all options in each question. The number of responding authorities is also included.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name             |  Variable description
------------------------  |  ---------------------------------------------------------
breakdown                 |  Question breakdown
number_local_authorities  |  Number of responding local authorities
percentage                |  Percentage of users
transport_group           |  Age group and type - Filter by pre- and post-16 transport

Footnotes:

1. Attention should be given to the number of responding local authorities and, where this is low, results should be treated with caution as estimates may not be representative of the national picture.
2. Local authorities were asked to provide numbers of pupils and learners using transport on 2nd February 2026.
3. The total number of pupils/learners reported and the sum of the numbers reported at question breakdowns may not be the same.
4. Several local authorities said they did not hold data on whether pupils using HTST attended the SEN unit/ resourced provision within a mainstream school.
5. Where local authorities have reported data, some said they did not hold this information for all pupils.
6. Some local authorities have estimated their figures.
7. These percentages only include data from local authorities where the distance breakdown sums to the total number of pupils using SEND HTST.
8. Statutory walking distance is 2 miles for pupils aged under 8 and 3 miles for pupils aged 8 and over.
9. Pupils/learners can travel on multiple modes and all modes are recorded.
10. Some local authorities could not separate pre- and post-16, or SEND and mainstream data.
11. Some local authorities could not categorise taxi/PHV and PSV in the way requested.
12. Local authorities who reported no pupils eligible for transport and therefore no spend are included in the number of responding local authorities.
13. Local authorities may have counted learners attending mainstream and specialist post-16 provision differently, there will be learners attending a mainstream setting who are in receipt of specialist provision, how this is interpreted may vary by local authority.
14. Travelling to another local authority does not necessarily mean travelling a long distance.


Percentage of spend on LA funded transport by mode

Filename: htstdatacollectionspendpercentages.csv
Geographic levels: National
Time period: 2025-26
Content summary: This data is based on responses from local authorities who provided forecast spend for all modes of transport. The number of responding authorities is also included.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name             |  Variable description
------------------------  |  ---------------------------------------------------------
number_local_authorities  |  Number of responding local authorities
percentage                |  Percentage of spend
transport_group           |  Age group and type - Filter by pre- and post-16 transport
transport_mode            |  Mode of transport - Filter mode of transport

Footnotes:

1. Attention should be given to the number of responding local authorities and, where this is low, results should be treated with caution as estimates may not be representative of the national picture.
2. Local authorities were asked to provide numbers of pupils and learners using transport on 2nd February 2026.
3. The total spend reported and the sum of spend by mode of transport may not be the same.
4. Some local authorities have estimated their figures.
5. Some local authorities could not separate pre- and post-16, or SEND and mainstream data.
6. Some local authorities could not categorise taxi/PHV and PSV in the way requested.
7. Local authorities were asked to report their most up to date forecast of spend for 2025-26.
8. Local authorities who reported no pupils eligible for transport and therefore no spend are included in the number of responding local authorities.


Unit cost of LA funded transport by mode

Filename: htstdatacollectionunitcost.csv
Geographic levels: National
Time period: 2025-26
Content summary: Average unit costs calculated using data from local authorities who reported both the number of users and the forecast spend, overall and by mode of transport.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name             |  Variable description
------------------------  |  ---------------------------------------------------------
number_local_authorities  |  Number of responding local authorities
transport_group           |  Age group and type - Filter by pre- and post-16 transport
transport_mode            |  Mode of transport - Filter by mode of transport
unit_cost                 |  Spend per user

Footnotes:

1. Attention should be given to the number of responding local authorities and, where this is low, results should be treated with caution as estimates may not be representative of the national picture.
2. Local authorities were asked to provide numbers of pupils and learners using transport on 2nd February 2026.
3. Some local authorities have estimated their figures.
4. Some local authorities could not separate pre- and post-16, or SEND and mainstream data.
5. Some local authorities could not categorise taxi/PHV and PSV in the way requested.
6. Local authorities were asked to report their most up to date forecast of spend for 2025-26.
7. Average spend per user includes local authorities who reported both the number of users and their forecast spend. Estimates should be treated with caution given the varying numbers of responding local authorities.
8. Local authorities who reported no pupils eligible for transport and therefore no spend are included in the number of responding local authorities.
