Travel assistance solutions

The council will consider all travel assistance options reasonably available to the adult when deciding what support it may offer in order that the adult’s assessed needs and outcomes can be met.

As part of the assessment process the assessor will determine what needs and outcomes the person is able to meet independently, what needs and outcomes they are able to meet from their own income sources, and what needs and outcomes they are able to meet through the support provided by a family member or informal carer.

Where the assessment has determined that council funded travel assistance is required in part, or in whole to meet an adult’s assessed needs and outcomes it will be provided in a safe and cost effective manner taking account of the adult’s specific needs and outcomes. Directly provided transport services will be provided only after other suitable alternatives have been considered.

If a person is in receipt of mobility allowance but chooses to use council commissioned travel assistance, there will be a charge for this service of £2.50 per journey and  the  person’s  ability  to  pay  this  charge  will  be considered when undertaking a financial assessment. This is payable by invoice which will be sent every 4 weeks after travelling.

When undertaking a financial assessment we recognises that an adult who receives care and support outside a care home will need to pay their daily living costs such as rent, food and utilities. The charging rules we use will ensure the adult has enough money to meet these costs. After charging has been taken into account, a person must be left with the minimum income guarantee (MIG), equivalent to income support plus a buffer of 25%.

When undertaking a financial assessment we will also fully disregard any income from the following sources:

  • Direct payments.
  • Guaranteed income payments made to veterans under the armed forces compensation scheme.
  • The mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA) or personal independence payment (PIP).

Other travel options that we will take into consideration when a person applies for travel assistance are access to the following:

English national concessionary travel scheme

If you are disabled, you could be eligible for a pass that gives you free and low-cost travel in Greater Manchester and the rest of England. Depending on your disability, you could qualify for either a travel pass for disabled people or a travel plus pass for disabled people. The pass is free, and lasts between one and five years depending on your disability.

Within Greater Manchester travel pass holders can:

  1. travel for free on all buses and trams between 9.30am and midnight, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
  2. travel for free on trains on journeys scheduled to run at or after 9.30am, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
  3. if you travel outside of these times you must pay for a concessionary fare where available or otherwise the full adult fare.

If you are registered blind or profoundly deaf without speech that can be readily understood you may qualify for the travel plus pass which permits free travel within Greater Manchester on buses, trams and trains at any time.

For more information, see travel passes for disabled people.

Mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA) or personal independence payment (PIP)

This is a financial allowance paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). People can qualify for this benefit depending on the degree of their mobility impairment. People qualifying for the DLA mobility component can qualify for a leased vehicle under the mobility scheme in exchange for their allowance.

Availability of community transport

These are schemes that we support to transport people who are without private transport or who are unable to access public transport to make their journey. There is a usually a small charge for each journey which is payable by the individual who travels. For example the Ring and Ride and Local Link schemes.

For further information on local transport services see the getting around section of the Trafford Directory.

Request for social care funding to meet an individual’s transport needs will be progressed in accordance with the local process for agreeing funded support for adults with care and support needs. This process includes information about how individuals or their representatives can appeal against a decision made by the all age social care funding panel.