Mayors urged to follow Andy Burnham in giving free bus passes to kids in temporary accommodation

Homeless children living in temporary accommodation in Greater Manchester are set to be given free bus travel to help them make it to school. 

When families are placed in temporary accommodation, kids can be placed far away from their school, meaning that they face longer journeys to travel and greater costs to cover. In some cases, that can mean children miss school altogether.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced that homeless children will qualify for free bus travel to and from school from later this year, subject to Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s budget being confirmed.

The decision came following a campaign from the Manchester Evening News while campaigners have urged other parts of the country to follow Burnham’s lead.

“Temporary accommodation is a symptom of wider housing and inequality issues up and down the country,” the Greater Manchester mayor said.

“We’re pioneering a new approach in Greater Manchester. It’s amongst the most ambitious in the UK and we are working hard to reduce homelessness, with better support, early intervention and, critically, more high-quality, affordable homes. Part of that is reducing the need for families to be in temporary accommodation.

“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do. A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.

“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”

A record-high 172,420 children are living in temporary accommodation across England, according to official figures.

The Labour government has set out a plan to reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation through its homelessness strategy.

Read more:

• Labour pledges homelessness cash boost to help kids in temporary accommodation ahead of winter
• Everything you need to know about Labour’s homelessness strategy
• Nationalisation, buses and homes for rough sleepers: This is what Andy Burnham’s Britain would look like

Greater Manchester is no different. The Greater Manchester Strategy – the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of homeless families and children in temporary accommodation.

Transport for Greater Manchester will now work with councils to agree the details and implement the free travel scheme later this year.

Oldham-based temporary accommodation charity Shared Health Foundation welcomed the plans and urged other mayors and regions to follow Burnham in supporting homeless children with free bus travel.

“We are delighted to hear of the mayor’s support for the Manchester Evening News campaign to provide free bus passes for children living in temporary accommodation in Greater Manchester,” said Dr Laura Neilson, CEO of Shared Health Foundation.

“This campaign success will help break down the barriers to education for children experiencing homelessness. Ensuring that children living in temporary accommodation can continue attending school is essential, as schools provide not only education, but also a vital layer of stability and support during periods of transition.

“We are thankful to Andy Burnham for backing the campaign, and we encourage every other mayor and city region to follow suit immediately.” 

Shared Health Foundation campaigned for GPs and teachers to be notified when a child moves into temporary accommodation – one of several measures the government pledged to introduce in its homelessness and child poverty strategies.

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