The current reimbursement arrangements for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme

Regarding the current reimbursement arrangements for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) within your authority area.

For the current scheme year (2025/26, or the most recent year for which the parameters have been determined), please provide the following information.

1. The reimbursement factor used in the Department for Transport ENCTS reimbursement calculator (or equivalent calculation method) to determine revenue foregone.

2.The marginal additional cost factor used in the reimbursement calculation.

3. The generated travel factor or equivalent assumption used within the reimbursement calculation.

4. Whether reimbursement is determined using the DfT reimbursement calculator or through a negotiated fixed reimbursement agreement with any operator.

5. If a fixed reimbursement agreement is in place, please provide:

5a. the reimbursement rate or value per concessionary journey, and

5b. the total annual reimbursement value agreed with the operator(s).

6. The average reimbursement per concessionary journey paid to operators in the most recent full financial year available. If any of the requested information is considered commercially sensitive, please provide the information in aggregated or anonymised form where possible.

This request relates only to reimbursement methodology and parameters and does not seek commercially sensitive operator data beyond what is necessary to understand the authority's ENCTS reimbursement framework.

1. The Reimbursement Factor differs by operator based on their change in fare since 2019-20, and on the nature of passholder travelling. For example if a passholder from an area classed as an 'Urban' area (detailed in Table 8 on page 33 of DfT guidance), we would look to use an alternative demand curve to derive the reimbursement factor. Reimbursement factors in Lincolnshire range from 46% and 55%.

2. Marginal operating and marginal capacity costs vary by operator. Where data exists, the County Council adopts local individual operator inputs to determine marginal additional costs

3. The assumption around generated travel is derived from the reimbursement factor. For example, if the reimbursement factor was 52%, this assumes that 52% of journeys were made in absence of a scheme, and 48% are generated. The range of reimbursement factors provided in question 1 above, implicitly provide the generation factors as well.

4. The DfT reimbursement calculator is used.

5. N/a 6. LCC cannot provide individual operator reimbursement as that is commercially sensitive and relates directly to an operator's average fare.

In 2025-26. reimbursement per journey ranged from around £1.40 to £2.70 per concessionary journey made originating in Lincolnshire.