Rise in appeals from Birmingham parents after council takes axe to transport service

Birmingham City Council revealed details of major cuts affecting post-16 pupils earlier this year

Birmingham City Council has acknowledged there has been a rise in appeals from parents and carers after it took the axe to its special needs transport service. The cash-strapped council revealed details of major cuts earlier this year, sparking a backlash from anxious families and opposition councillors.

It warned previously its financial crisis meant taxi and minibus services, which had been commonly used to transport pupils to special needs schools, would now only be provided to those of sixth-form age in "exceptional circumstances” - despite still being used for younger children. Support for older teenagers is now mostly provided through a personal transport budget or a pass for use on public transport. But families of those affected also face paying more to get them to college or sixth form.

A council report on the impact of these changes has now revealed more than 1,000 post-16 students were removed from transport services, requiring them to reapply for the 2024/25 academic year. “The service has received over 1,990 applications from all cohorts since March 2024,” it continued.

READ MORE: Birmingham City Council urged to ‘change course fast’ over day centre cuts

“Due to the changes in the post-16 policy, this has led to a significant rise in appeals, particularly from parents and carers questioning eligibility under the new framework". It said just 40 students had so far been awarded transport services, either in the form of a minibus, taxi, or other vehicle, following reapplication.

But the majority were offered alternative options, such as a Personal Travel Budget (PTB) or bus pass. The council said earlier this year it recognised “difficult decisions need to be taken” to protect statutory services for vulnerable children and young people, as well as their families.

“We appreciate the revisions recently made to the travel assistance policy are a big change for those families impacted,” a council spokesperson continued. “This is why we have given families as much notice as possible and have made support available from the team.”

The controversial changes mean a parental contribution - deducted from the personal travel budget - also increased from £780 to £1,028 per academic year. Responding to concerns over families being told to pay more, a council spokesperson previously said: “In recognition of the current financial climate, the council has not increased the contribution that families on the lowest income make towards their child’s support".

Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency

Child poverty is soaring in Birmingham and without urgent change, will only get worse. Having worked with charities and community groups, BirminghamLive is campaigning for the following changes to start to turn the tide:

1. End the two-child benefit cap
2. Provide free school meals to every child in poverty
3. Create a city “aid bank” for baby and child essentials
4. Protect children’s and youth services
5. Create permanent, multi year Household Support Fund and give more Discretionary Housing grants
6. Set up child health and wellbeing hubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods
7. Appoint a Birmingham child poverty tsar
8. Provide free public travel for young people

You can see why in more detail here.

Read our full report Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency here.

What you can do to help.

Low-income families will still pay £390 a year towards their travel arrangements. “This is a very emotive subject on all sorts of fronts for families and carers,” Coun Jayne Francis said at a meeting earlier this year.

“But I was pleased to see we’re still providing the same level of support to children of compulsory school age and for our young people aged 19-plus.”

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