Discounts for jobseekers

Workwise: Get cheaper travel to work

You could get free travel to work (including apprenticeships) if you’re:

• starting a new job after being unemployed or made redundant
• increasing your hours to 16 or more per week in a job you already have
• aged 16 or over and paying adult fare

You must either:

• be earning £30,000 a year or less
• have been getting unemployment benefit

If you’ve been getting unemployment benefit it does not matter if your salary is more than £30,000 per year.

If you are 16 to 18 years old, living in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall or Wolverhampton, you can apply for a photocard to pay child prices.

Contact National Express if you have a Workwise m ticket (mobile ticket) or a Swift card beginning with 6335970112.

What you’ll get

Workwise travel support gives you discounted travel to work for up to 3 months. The discount depends on how you travel.

Bus discounts

You can get discounts on these 4-week tickets:

• nBus tickets - combined tickets for all bus operators

You’ll get:

• the first two tickets FREE
• 50% off the third ticket

Tram discounts

You’ll get discounts on four-week tickets:

• the first two tickets FREE
• 50% off the third ticket

Discounts on combined bus, train and tram tickets

Combined bus, train and tram tickets are called nNetwork tickets.

You’ll get discounts on four-week tickets:

• the first two tickets FREE
• 50% off the third ticket

Where you can travel

View maps of where tickets are valid:

• train map
• bus map (all operators)
• West Midlands Metro tram route

Check if you’re eligible for Workwise

You must be:

• working 16 hours or more per week (this can be in more than one job)
• paying adult fare on public transport

You can also apply if you’re working 16 hours or more per week and you’re:

• self-employed
• on a zero-hours contract

You must either be living or working in the West Midlands Combined Authority area. This is any of these council areas:

• Birmingham
• Coventry
• Dudley
• Sandwell
• Solihull
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton

You can apply once per financial year. This is between 1 April and 31 March.

If you get a new job in a new financial year, you can apply again.

You can still save money on travel if you’re not eligible for Workwise. You could cycle or walk to work or get cheaper travel through our:

• other travel discounts
• corporate travel scheme

Apply for Workwise travel support

You can only apply for travel support online. You’ll need to provide proof of your job offer. You can apply up to 10 working days before or after you:

• start your job
• increase your hours

You cannot apply if you already get travel support through another scheme. For example, DWP travel support, 16-18 photocard scheme, concessionary scheme.

Get help with your application

If you don’t have access to a computer, you can visit your local library to use one.

You can ask a friend or family member to help you apply.

If you’re registered with a Jobcentre, you can ask your work coach to help you.

You can also get application support online.