5,000 Greater Manchester children could benefit from bus pass Andy Burnham is ‘carefully looking at’

Over 5,000 kids in Greater Manchester could get free school bus passes, thanks to proposals being considered by Mayor Andy Burnham. Recent data shows 5,397 children in temporary homeless accommodation across eight boroughs, many of whom are missing school due to a government rule requiring them to be over two miles from a suitable school to qualify for free travel. This situation forces families to pay for bus fares or uproot their kids from familiar schools and friends. Burnham is sympathetic to the issue and is looking into ways to fund a new pass for these children. Although the number of eligible kids has been estimated, exact figures remain unclear as many councils didn’t fully respond to data requests. Nationally, over 172,000 children face similar challenges, with housing rights advocates calling the situation a disgrace, emphasising that stable housing is crucial for children’s education and wellbeing.

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