Council and school runs
School contract taxi insurance
School contract taxi insurance covers taxis and private hire vehicles on home-to-school and council transport contracts. Councils set their own conditions, and the policy needs to meet them.
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Home-to-school and SEND transportWhat school contract taxi cover involves
School contract taxi insurance is public hire or private hire taxi cover for vehicles carrying children and young people on council-funded transport. It covers the regular runs, the passengers and, where needed, escorts travelling with them.
Councils pay for a large amount of this work. The Department for Education estimates 558,000 pupils and learners received council-funded home-to-school transport in 2025/26[1].
Home-to-school transport in numbers
Sources: Department for Education (25 June 2026) · Department for Transport (13 August 2026). Full list at the bottom of this page.
What councils usually ask for
Each council writes its own contract terms, but most ask for proof of taxi insurance before work starts, a licensed driver and vehicle, and a clean vehicle inspection. Many also ask for public liability insurance to a set limit, and for the operator to hold employers' liability insurance[3] if escorts or drivers are employed.
Driver checks are already strict. The Department for Transport reports that every licensing authority in England required enhanced DBS checks, including barred list checks, for taxi and private hire drivers in 2026[2], and 97% required child sexual exploitation awareness training.
Children with special educational needs
Around 40% of pre-16 pupils on home-to-school transport receive it because of special educational needs or disabilities[1]. These runs often use wheelchair accessible vehicles, carry an escort and may involve minibus taxis for several pupils.
- escorts or passenger assistants travelling with pupils
- wheelchairs, car seats and specialist restraints
- the same route at the same times each school day
- single-occupancy runs for pupils who need to travel alone
Keeping the vehicle on the road
A contract run that is missed can put the contract at risk. Drivers often ask about a licensed replacement vehicle, breakdown cover and a second named driver who can cover the route. If you run several contract vehicles, a taxi fleet policy may suit.
What insurers look at
What affects the price of school contract taxi insurance
Every insurer weighs these differently, which is why quotes for the same driver and car can vary.
- Vehicle typeSaloon, MPV, minibus or accessible vehicle.
- Contract termsRequired limits and named-driver rules.
- EscortsExtra passengers on every run.
- MileageDaily routes, often in the rural areas councils cover.
- DriversNamed drivers who can cover the route.
- Other workWhether the vehicle also does public or private hire outside school hours.
FAQs
School contract taxi questions
What is school contract taxi insurance?
It is taxi insurance for vehicles carrying pupils on council-funded home-to-school transport, written to meet the council's contract conditions.
Do councils require public liability for school contracts?
Many do, often to a set limit. The contract terms say what is needed.
Can my taxi do school runs and private hire?
Yes, if the policy covers both. It is worth telling the broker about all the work the vehicle does.
Are escorts covered on a school contract?
Escorts are passengers in the vehicle. If they are employed by you, employers' liability insurance may also be needed.
How many pupils use council-funded school transport?
The Department for Education estimates 558,000 pupils and learners in England in 2025/26.
Sources
Figures on this page come from the sources below. Each was checked on 11 November 2026; figures may change when a source is updated.
- Department for Education, Home to school transport: local authority data collection 2025/26, 25 June 2026.
- Department for Transport, Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2026, published 13 August 2026.
- GOV.UK, Employers' liability insurance, accessed 11 November 2026.
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