The call has been made by Barnardo’s, which says care leavers’ opportunities to find work and meet friends to combat isolation are being curtailed by expensive bus travel.
It points out that older and disabled people already travel for free through the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, which the charity wants to see extended to care leavers aged 18 to 25.
Care experienced children are three times less likely to be in education, employment or training than their peers of a similar age.
A fifth say they feel lonely always or often, added the charity.
A factor in the lack of affordability of bus travel is that young care leavers are only eligible for the under-25s universal credit. The average £18 cost of a weekly bus ticket accounts for a third of their benefits.
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