Methodology

Home to school transport: LA data collection

• Published: 25 June 2026

Data collection

Data presented in this publication has been collected from local authority transport teams. 

Full guidance (opens in new tab) was provided to local authorities, including reference dates and data item definitions.

This is the second time data has been collected from local authorities on a voluntary basis; the first collection took place a year earlier in February 2025. Feedback from each collection will be used to make improvements for subsequent collections whilst maintaining continuity of the key questions over time.

Changes to the data collection over time

Following feedback from local authorities in 2025, the question format was changed for 2026. This included re-ordering the pre-16 questions to improve the flow, those for SEND and mainstream HTST are now grouped separately.

Comparisons between the results of the 2025 and 2026 collections should be treated with caution because some of the questions have changed. 

The reported number of pupils/learners using transport is as at 2nd February 2026 and forecast spend data is for financial year 2025-26. For this collection we have asked for data on pupils/learners and forecast spend for an overlapping period. This is different to the first collection when we collected pupil numbers for 3rd February 2025 and spend data for 2023-24, which was then the most recent complete financial year. This change has been made so that we can make immediate comparisons between the number of users and forecast spend.

The modes of transport asked about in questions have been changed this year following discussions with some local authorities about the best way to collect this data. However, the revised modes of transport do not always align with local authority systems so this data should be treated with caution.

We do not ask about eligibility for pupils using SEND HTST because this is implicit. For mainstream HTST, we ask for the number of pupils eligible for all non-SEND reasons (statutory walking distance, unsafe route, extended rights and any other reason).

The questions on post-16 transport have been reduced, we only asked for the number of learners split by SEND 16-18, SEND 19-25 and mainstream rather than for all questions. And have added questions on the type of education provider those using SEND transport attend – specialist or mainstream.

Data quality

The HTST data collection has been developed to:

• build a clearer picture of local authority-provided transport at local and national levels, and
• enable local authorities to benchmark against each other when the quality of the data allows.

148 local authorities (or 97%) submitted data. 

The quality of the data returned by local authorities varied by question. This year the headline questions required local authorities to input an answer in order to submit the form: how many pre-16 pupils received SEND/mainstream HTST, how many post-16 learners received transport and the forecast spend for each of these groups. A small number of authorities bypassed questions on forecast spend by entering zero, but we can assume they will incur some cost since they had earlier reported providing transport to pupils/learners.

Response rates for the detailed breakdowns (e.g. types of school and modes of transport) varied as local authorities were unable to obtain some data, though they were higher than last year. We expect these response rates will continue to improve as the collection matures. While complete responses were received from some local authorities for these detailed breakdowns, data received from others had similar issues to last year:

• Null responses – local authorities did not have the data to answer the question. Several questions were left blank with comments that local authorities did not hold the data requested, for example the reason for eligibility. Sometimes this was because we asked for the data split between pre-16 SEND/mainstream and post-16 and they could not segment the data in this way because pupils and learners shared routes and vehicles.
• Responses recorded differently – comments left by some local authorities explained that they could not provide data by mode of transport in the way we specified. The main issue was the distinction between “external contract – taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) with up to 8 passenger seats” and “external contract – public service vehicle (PSV) with 9 seats and above”, as they did not hold the information in this way. Where data for these modes could not be split, local authorities tended to record the total under “external contract – taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) with up to 8 passenger seats”, though some also noted they had used the “other” category. 
• Errors in the data returned – such as typos in figures and inconsistencies between numbers of pupils reported for different questions. We performed checks on the data, including comparing forecast spend and spend recorded in Section 251 data returns for 2024-25 (Section 251 is part of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 under which local authorities submit statements of planned and actual expenditure on education and children’s social care) and comparing the number of pupils reported in responses to different questions. However, we were unable to contact all local authorities where their data appeared to contain errors. We contacted 57 local authorities to verify their data, the majority of these were identified as having comparatively high or low unit costs when we divided the forecast spend (in total and by mode) by the number of users. 50 local authorities responded either to confirm the data was correct or provide amended figures. 

The data included in this publication is based on responses from local authorities who provided data for all options in each question or, for unit costs, reported both the number of users and the forecast spend. The number of local authorities shown as responding to a question includes:

1. Local authorities who responded to questions with zero or non-zero figures, i.e. did not leave the question blank; and
2. Local authorities who reported zero pupils/learners at the initial questions (total numbers of pupils/learners using pre-16 SEND/mainstream HTST and post-16 transport) and left the subsequent questions blank because there were no users to report.

Caveats for each data item are given in the accompanying footnotes.

As this is a new data collection, we expect the quality of the data returns to continue to improve over time as the collection becomes established. For example, reductions in the number of unknown values for detailed breakdowns and increased response rates.

Data processing

Data verification

We have not corrected errors in the data except where we contacted the local authority to verify their return. The data should therefore be treated with caution given the potential for remaining errors.

Estimating national figures

With the exception of overall numbers of users, national estimates have not been derived from the data due to the varying numbers and types of local authorities responding to each question.

To estimate the number of pre-16 pupils using HTST nationally, we have calculated the average proportion of eligible pupils in London, urban and rural authorities and used these averages to estimate the number of eligible pupils in local authorities that did not respond. 

To estimate the number of post-16 learners using transport nationally, we have calculated the average proportion of the population aged 16-25 in London, urban and rural authorities receiving transport and used these averages to estimate the number of eligible learners in local authorities that did not respond.

Estimates of post-16 users eligible for 16-18 mainstream transport or transport through the SEN sixth form and adult duty have been calculated using the average proportion of learners using funded transport in each category in responses from London, urban and rural authorities and using these averages to estimate the breakdown in local authorities who did not respond to this question/the collection.

Estimating average spend per user

The average spend per user has been estimated by dividing the forecast spend for each mode of transport by the number of pupils/learners using each mode where both figures have been reported.

Some local authorities commented that they could not disaggregate spend on external contracts between taxis/private hire vehicles and public service vehicles as requested and instead reported the total spend and user numbers for both modes under one category. The spend per user for each mode has been calculated according to the category local authorities recorded data. While this is likely to skew some of the estimates at local authority level, the overall average spend presented is less affected.

Data availability and rounding

Data availability

The following symbols are used in the underlying data files: 

low - denotes figures based on count that rounds to 0, but is not 0. Figures may not sum to breakdowns due to rounding.

‘x’ - denotes unavailable.

Where any number is shown as zero, the original figure submitted was zero. 

Rounding

Calculated figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000. As a result, totals may not equal the sum of their component parts.

Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number, therefore component parts may not sum to 100.

Monetary amounts are rounded to the nearest £100.

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Email: school.travel@education.gov.uk
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