# Free bus travel for every child in August

> “By giving every child free bus travel throughout August and cutting tariffs on everyday food items, we’re putting money back into people’s pockets and making life that bit easier.”
>
> — Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, Labour Party; Press release (HM Treasury, Prime Minister's Office and Department for Transport), 20 May 2026

- **Status:** Delivered, brought about by HM Government (The free fares ran in August 2026, after Keir Starmer had left office on 20 July 2026.)
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Transport & economy](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/transport-and-economy)
- **Speaker:** [Sir Keir Starmer](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/keir-starmer), Prime Minister
- **Party:** [Labour Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/labour)
- **Made on:** 20 May 2026
- **Where:** Press release (HM Treasury, Prime Minister's Office and Department for Transport)
- **Deadline:** 31 August 2026
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** Children aged 5 to 15 in England and their families
- **When:** Throughout August 2026
- **Paid for by:** Not stated when it was announced
- **Quote source:** https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cost-of-living-boost-with-free-bus-travel-for-children-and-targeted-food-tariff-cuts (checked word for word at its source on 20 October 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 21 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-free-child-bus-travel-2026

## Where it stands

The scheme ran from 1 to 31 August 2026 for children aged 5 to 15 on participating local buses in England, as the announcement set out. The Department for Transport said on 25 September 2026 that over 14.5 million free bus journeys were taken by children that summer. It ran after Keir Starmer left office on 20 July 2026.

## Timeline

- 20 May 2026, Promised: The Prime Minister and the Chancellor announce free bus travel for children throughout August
- 1 August 2026, Delivering: Free bus travel for under-16s starts on participating local buses in England ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/summer-holiday-savings-start-now-with-free-buses-for-kids))
- 31 August 2026, Deadline: Free travel due throughout August 2026
- 25 September 2026, Delivered: The Department for Transport reports over 14.5 million free bus journeys by children in August ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/summer-savings-scheme-helped-families-cut-costs-with-over-14-million-free-bus-journeys))

## About the cost

The Chancellor committed more than £100 million to the free fares (HM Treasury, 20 May 2026), for one month; no other breakdown was given.

Costing sources:
- [HM Treasury, Prime Minister's Office and Department for Transport: Cost of living boost with free bus travel for children and targeted food tariff cuts (20 May 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cost-of-living-boost-with-free-bus-travel-for-children-and-targeted-food-tariff-cuts)

## Sources

- [HM Treasury, Prime Minister's Office and Department for Transport: Cost of living boost with free bus travel for children and targeted food tariff cuts (20 May 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cost-of-living-boost-with-free-bus-travel-for-children-and-targeted-food-tariff-cuts)
- [Department for Transport: Summer holiday savings start now with free buses for kids (1 Aug 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/summer-holiday-savings-start-now-with-free-buses-for-kids)
- [Department for Transport: Summer savings scheme helped families cut costs with over 14 million free bus journeys (25 Sep 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/summer-savings-scheme-helped-families-cut-costs-with-over-14-million-free-bus-journeys)

## Checks

- Verified by Pavel Guzhikov, checked by AI Journalist; approved on 21 October 2026.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 20 October 2026.

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