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Keep Free Travel when your circumstances change

You may be able to keep your Free Travel when things change in your life.

Use this topic if you or someone you support:
  • Is starting work or increasing their hours
  • Is moving from one social welfare payment to another, or joining a scheme
  • Wants to know how long Free Travel can usually continue, and what you must tell the department

Note

This page offers plain language guidance. It is not a legal document. Only the Department of Social Protection (DSP) can make an official decision about a free travel application.

Quick overview

In many cases you can keep Free Travel when your circumstances change, for example if:

  • You move from certain long-term disability or illness payments into work
  • You transfer from one qualifying payment to another long-term payment
  • You take part in certain employment, training or community schemes

However, your situation must be checked against the rules that apply to your payment.
You must also tell the department about any change in your work, income or social welfare payment.

How long you may keep Free Travel

In many cases you may keep Free Travel for up to 5 years after moving from certain disability or illness payments into work, or while you are on some employment, training or community schemes.
The department will confirm what applies in your situation.

Before you begin

Try to have these details to hand:

  • Your PPS Number
  • Your full name and address
  • The social welfare payment or scheme you are on now
  • Any new payment, job or scheme you are moving to
  • Any recent letter about your Free Travel or your social welfare payment

Steps

Open the sections below to see what usually happens in the most common situations.

1. If you move into work from a disability or illness payment

This section is based on the Work and Free Travel rules.

You can usually keep Free Travel for 5 years if:

  • You move from one of these payments into work:
    • Disability Allowance
    • Invalidity Pension
    • Partial Capacity Benefit (from Invalidity Pension)
    • Disablement Benefit that is paid with an Incapacity Supplement

During this 5-year period you normally keep your:

  • Existing Free Travel card or pass, and
  • Any companion entitlement that was linked to that card or pass

If you move into a work or training scheme

You can also usually keep Free Travel for 5 years if you transfer from:

  • Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension
  • To a Community Employment, SOLAS training, or Back to Work scheme

Important

In practice, this means that:

  1. Your Free Travel normally continues for the duration of the scheme, up to the 5-year limit
  2. Your card or pass stays valid as long as you continue to meet the scheme rules and live in the State

What you should do

  1. Tell the department before you start work or a scheme

    • Contact the section that pays your social welfare payment
    • Explain that you are starting work or joining a scheme and you have Free Travel

  2. Keep any letters they send you

    • They may confirm in writing that you can keep Free Travel for a period
    • Keep this letter with your card or pass in case questions arise

  3. Ask for help if unsure

    • Staff in Citizens Information or your Intreo Centre can go through your situation with you
    • Bring any letters or decisions about your payment or Free Travel
2. If you transfer to a different social welfare payment or scheme and want to keep Free Travel

Sometimes you can keep Free Travel when you move from one long-term payment to another or when you join certain projects or schemes for people with disabilities.

How long Free Travel usually continues

  • If you are aged 66 or over, Free Travel normally continues as long as you are permanently resident in the State
  • If you are under 66, Free Travel usually continues as long as you:
    • Remain legally and permanently resident in the State, and
    • Continue to receive one of the qualifying payments for Free Travel, or
    • Continue to be certified by your doctor as unfit to drive for a period of at least 12 months (where this rule applies)

Examples where Free Travel may be retained

Subject to the detailed rules that apply, you may keep Free Travel if:

  • You move from Disability Allowance, Blind Pension or similar to another long-term Department of Social Protection payment, and Free Travel is part of that new payment
  • You are receiving Free Travel and you:
    • Join a Community Employment project
    • Take part in an Employee Support Scheme
    • Take part in a pilot project for people with disabilities

In these situations, you may retain your Free Travel for the duration of the project or scheme, once you continue to meet the conditions.

What you should do

  1. Check what payment or scheme you are moving to

    • Look at your award letter, or
    • Ask staff in your Intreo Centre or Citizens Information office to explain it

  2. Tell the department about the change

    • Contact the section that will pay your new payment
    • Explain that you already have Free Travel and ask if it will continue

  3. Ask them to confirm what happens next

    • Whether your Free Travel will continue, and for how long
    • Whether any companion entitlement will stay in place

If you get mixed messages or are unsure, bring any letters to Citizens Information or your Intreo Centre and ask them to go through the decision with you.

3. If your ability to drive or medical status changes

For some people under 66, Free Travel is linked to a medical assessment, for example where you have been certified by your doctor as unfit to drive.

In general:

  • Free Travel can continue as long as you continue to meet the medical conditions that made you eligible
  • If your doctor’s certificate changes, or you are no longer considered unfit to drive, your Free Travel entitlement may need to be reviewed

What you should do

  1. Keep copies of any medical reports or certificates that relate to your Free Travel
  2. Tell the department if your doctor says your situation has changed
  3. Ask whether your Free Travel will continue, and for how long

If a review is needed, this does not always mean Free Travel will stop, but it is important to co-operate with any requests for information.

If you feel a decision is incorrect, the topic When Free Travel must stop or be reviewed explains how to ask for a review.

Result

When you follow the steps that apply to you:

  • Your Free Travel should continue for as long as you meet the conditions
  • You may keep Free Travel for up to 5 years after moving into work from certain disability or illness payments
  • You may retain Free Travel while you are on some employment, training or community schemes
  • If a review is needed, you will be told what information is required and what happens next

Always keep any letters about your payment, work or scheme together with letters about Free Travel, so you can show them if questions arise.

If you need help

If you need help to check whether you can keep Free Travel, you or a support person can:

  • Bring any letters or copies of forms to a Citizens Information Centre or Intreo Centre and ask staff to talk through your options
  • Contact the Free Travel Section by:
    • Email. freetravelqueries@welfare.ie
    • Phone. 0818 200 400 or 071 915 7100

Bring this page with you, or show it on your phone, so staff can see which change in circumstances you are asking about.