Yes, you will need to supply evidence when applying for a national bus pass.
If you are renewing a pass and your address has changed you'll need to provide proof of your new address.
Proof of age (if you are of pensionable age):
- Birth certificate
- Driving licence
- Passport
- Pension card.
Proof of address:
- Council tax bill dated within the last 12 months
- Bank statement dated within the last 3 months
- Utility bill dated in the last 3 months
- Award letter from the Service Personnel and Veteran Agency dated within the last 12 months
- Benefit award letter from the Department of Work and pensions dated within the last 12 months
- Confirmation letter from social services or another local authority service that confirms that the applicant is a resident
- Local Housing Allowance or other benefit award letter dated within the last 12 months
- Pensions letter from the Pension Service dated within the last 12 months.
Supporting evidence of war veterans:
- War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement (WPMS)
- Proof of Compensation Scheme lump sum.
Supporting evidence of learning disability:
- Proof of being registered on local authority social services register as severely learning disabled
- A letter from a specialist doctor, independent health professional, or registered medical practitioner
- A statement of SEN or a letter.
Supporting evidence of sight disability:
- Proof of being registered as sight impaired on the local authority social services register
- Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) signed by a consultant ophthalmologist with severed sight impaired (blind) ticked
- Written confirmation from an optometrist that an applicant would qualify to be registered as severely sight impaired (blind).
Supporting evidence of hearing disability:
- Proof of being registered on the local authority social services register as profoundly or severely deaf
- Audiological report from an aural specialist indicating hearing loss has reached 70-95 dBHL (severely deaf) or 95+dBHL (profoundly deaf)
- Written confirmation from an aural specialist that an applicant would qualify to be registered as profoundly or severely deaf.
Supporting evidence for medically unfit to drive:
- Recent letter from the DVLA with details of licence withdrawal
- Questionnaire completed by your GP or specialist or optometrist.
Medically unfit to drive doctors form (pdf 74.5kb opens in new window)
Supporting evidence for ‘without speech’:
Proof of being registered without speech on the local authority social services register
Supporting evidence of severe walking difficulties:
- Proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), scoring a minimum of 8 points on ‘moving around’
- Proof of DLA, awarded at the higher rate for mobility
- Proof of current Disabled Car Badge
- Registered on the local authority social services register as having severe walking difficulties (having a registration is not a guarantee of entitlement).
Photo requirements:
We need a recent photo of you for your travel pass. This should show your head and shoulders and have a plain, light-coloured background. You must be facing forward and looking straight into the camera. It should be:
- maximum size: 20MB
- file options allowed: JPG.
Please refer to the Bus Pass Photograph Guide for more information about acceptable photographs for your bus pass:
Bus Pass Photograph Guide (pdf 108kb)
We can link your national bus pass to your library account so you can use it instead of your library card. If you would like to do this, you will need your library card number when filling the online form.
Please note: if you cannot provide the evidence requested, you may submit alternative evidence which we may or may not consider.
Applying at a customer service centre?
If you are applying at a customer service centre , the staff may have the facilities to take a photograph of you but you should check before you go.