520,000 pupils and learners using funded school transport, DfE finds

An estimated 520,000 pupils and learners in England receive local authority funded transport to their education or training provider, according to new Department for Education (DfE) figures.

The estimate is based on returns from 115 local authorities that took part in the first home to school transport (HTST) data collection, carried out on a voluntary basis in February and March 2025. Around three-quarters of councils submitted data.

The DfE added response rates varied by question, meaning results should be treated with caution as the sample may not be representative in all cases. National estimates were calculated only for overall pupil and learner numbers, not for all breakdowns.

Of the estimated total, about 470,000 pre-16 pupils are eligible for HTST – roughly 6% of all pupils in that age group. Around 180,000 of these receive transport because of special educational needs and/or disability (SEND), representing about 40% of those using HTST. A further 290,000 pupils, or 60%, qualify for other reasons.

The estimates were produced using average proportions of pupils receiving transport in London, urban and rural areas to project numbers for non-responding authorities.

Around 50,000 post-16 learners are estimated to use local authority funded transport. This figure was derived using the same method, based on the average proportion of 16- to 25-year-olds in each area receiving transport.

Data from 108 local authorities show that 9% of pre-16 pupils receiving HTST because of SEND travelled in single-occupancy vehicles.

The DfE said the quality of returns is expected to improve as the data collection becomes more established. The publication will be updated annually.