Parents charged £400 'stealth tax' for sending children to faith schools as free buses are scrapped



Thousands of middle-income parents are being landed with bills of up to £400 a year to send their children to faith schools because councils are scrapping their historic right to free transport.

The charge has been condemned as a 'stealth tax' on church schools that could put parents off applying for places.

Parents with large families face paying well over £1,000 a year to send their children to faith schools on the bus.

Not fare: Councils are axing discretionary free transport to faith schools to offset the costs of meeting their new legal obligations

Town halls have traditionally granted - many since the Second World War - an automatic right to free transport to faith schools as well as children's nearest school, where it is too far to walk.



But now the Government has admitted that growing numbers are reducing the subsidy or scrapping it altogether - a trend hastened by its shake-up of school transport laws three years ago.

The reforms require councils to grant extra travel entitlements to poor families in a bid to extend their choice of schools.

But officials have admitted some town halls are cutting back on traditional free bus fares or mileage allowances which were meant to ensure all families can educate their children in line with their religious convictions.

Critics claim councils are axing discretionary free transport to faith schools - including Church of England, Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim - to offset the costs of meeting their new legal obligations.

It means only pupils on free school meals or whose parents claim the maximum level of working tax credit can claim free transport to faith schools, if the school is no more than 15 miles away.

In a written response to concerns raised by the Commons Transport Select Committee, officials from the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: 'We are aware that some local authorities have withdrawn discretionary denominational transport since the extended statutory duties came into force and DCSF has discussed this issue with faith groups.'

Controversial: A row has broken out in Nottingham over the decision to end free buses

Officials revealed that 'early indications' suggest that nine out of 43 Church of England dioceses have seen a loss or reduction of subsidy in their areas or are likely to in the near future.

However officials said they plan to survey local authorities to 'establish precisely where they removed discretionary provisions'.

The response highlights Essex County Council and Wolverhampton City Council for changing its policy on free fares.

A report produced by Wolverhampton outlining its new policy states that £64,000 was spent on providing free buses to faith schools in 2007/08.

'Most of this expenditure will be saved by the new policy,' it states.

Meanwhile a row has erupted in Nottingham where the city council has moved to end free buses for pupils who attend faith schools.



Parents would have to pay an annual fee of £250 for their school bus for primary pupils and £300 for secondary.

Edward Hayes, director of the Nottingham Diocese Education Service, said: 'We oppose the plans but we hope parents will still be prepared to pay for their transport and attend faith schools.

'The amount that they are proposing to save with these proposals is very small in terms of the whole schools' budget.'

Other areas where parents are already having to pay at least part of the charge include Hampshire and Somerset.

Some parents in Northamptonshire report paying £400 for buses to faith schools.

Meanwhile in Herefordshire, non-Catholics attending a Roman Catholic school have had their transport assistance withdrawn.

Councils still have a duty to provide free transport to all pupils whose nearest school is outside walking distance.

Walking distances are designated as two miles for pupils aged up to eight, and three miles for those aged eight and over.

Councils only have to provide transport to children's nearest school above these distances but traditionally also subsidised parents choosing church schools further away to avoid discriminating against those who preferred a faith education for their children.

New laws passed in 2006 require the poorest pupils to be given free transport to any one of their three nearest secondary schools within a six-mile radius of their home, and free transport to secondary faith schools up to 15 miles away.

A spokesman for the Church of England said it had warmly welcomed the new statutory entitlement to free transport to church schools for poorer pupils.

But he added: 'We are concerned that there is some evidence that LEAs are dispensing with offering free transport to church schools where it remains within their discretion to do so.

'We are particularly worried about the impact this will have on children from middle-income families who wish their child to attend a school that reflects their own religious background, but who may live some distance from such a school.

'No potential student should be put off from applying to a church school within a reasonable distance from their home, simply because their parents don't have the means to transport them to and from school each day.'

A DCSF spokesman said: 'It is important that parents have the opportunity to choose a school or college in accordance with their religious convictions or belief and local authorities will be consulted on their future plans to provide discretionary transport.'