The Rail Delivery Group’s initiative, on behalf of train companies, is raising awareness about a travel discount card that helps lower the cost of finding work.
The Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card is available to eligible people in Scotland who have been out of work for 12 weeks or longer. It offers jobseekers a 50% discount on train fares as they travel to interviews, to the Jobcentre or to and from training, for up to three months at a time.
Nationally, between March 2017 and March 2018, 518,822 discounted journeys were made by jobseekers, with 3708 jobseeker journeys being taken using the discount card’s benefits in Inverclyde.
In addition to the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card, ScotRail also offers a Jobseeker scheme. Under this scheme, they offer the jobseeker up to 2 free tickets a month for travel to interviews and a free monthly season ticket once the jobseeker secures work.
The Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card: The card provides discounts of 50% on Anytime Day tickets, Off Peak Day tickets, and Season tickets up to three months in duration. The card is valid on all British train operator services and can be used to purchase tickets online, including National Rail Enquiries, at ticket machines and ticket offices.
Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card eligibility: To be eligible for the discount card, one of the following criteria must be satisfied:
i. Claiming Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit AND are aged 18-24 and have been unemployed for 13-39 weeks
ii. Claiming Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit AND are 25 or over and have been unemployed for 13-52 weeks
iii. Claiming Incapacity Benefit, Employment & Support Allowance or Income Support AND are actively engaged with an advisor in returning to employment
4. Journey data: we hold information about the number of passenger journeys made using the discount card from between 4 February 2017 and 2 February 2018. Please enquire for sub-regional data.
Ronnie Cowan MP 