Free bus pass scheme costs and uptake: FOI release

Information requested

1. How much has the free bus pass for under 22s cost the government overall since it launched? Breakdown of these costs.
2. How much is it estimated to continue to cost over the next five years?
3. The government's cost/benefit analysis of the scheme so far a year on from delivery.
4. What has the uptake been like for each of the local authority areas as reported to the government? Breakdown by each area and how many people have their card compared to how many do not?

Response

1. Between 31 January 2022 and 3 February 2023 the Scottish Government spent £102,378,600.88 on the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. This is broken down in to £97,166,918.69 of operator reimbursements costs and £5,211,682.19 of operational set-up and maintenance costs.

2. The Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme is the first of its kind globally. Therefore there is not sufficient economic, demographic or travel pattern data to make such estimates. 

In the financial year 2023-24, the scheme is expected to cost up to an estimated £189.5 million in claims.

3. Transport Scotland are undertaking an evaluation of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme to assess whether the scheme is working as expected in achieving its objectives and benefits. A value for money assessment will be undertaken at a later stage of the evaluation programme, usually three years after the introduction of the scheme. This is to allow enough time for the benefits of the scheme to mature, and ensure an accurate and robust cost/benefit assessment.

4.  The table below shows the number of valid cardholders in the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme as of close of business on Tuesday 31 January 2023, broken down by local authority area. Please note that this information is based on live data and so will exclude those who have turned 22 or exited the scheme since its launch. This information was supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO). NECPO support the 32 local authorities by assisting with the integration of various national and local public services on the National Entitlement Card (NEC) and are the joint controller with local authorities of this data.

The estimated eligible population refers to the number of people aged 5-21 who have become eligible for concessionary travel as a result of the Young Person’s Scheme, not including those under-22s already eligible for free bus travel through the disability criteria of the Older and Disabled Persons Scheme. These figures are derived from National Records of Scotland Mid Year Population estimates for 2021, and are adjusted to take into account the fact that the scheme became operational in 2022.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.