Yes. A child aged 5 to 15 can hold a Disabled Persons Railcard if they receive a qualifying benefit such as DLA (at certain rates) or PIP. It gives one adult travelling with them a third off fares.
Who qualifies
The railcard is run by the Rail Delivery Group, not by a council, so eligibility is tied to a qualifying benefit or registration, not to a diagnosis. A child of 5 to 15 qualifies if any one of these applies to them:
- They receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or, in Scotland, Child Disability Payment, at the higher or lower rate mobility component, or the middle or higher rate care component.
- They receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment.
- They are registered visually impaired, or registered deaf and use a hearing aid.
- They have epilepsy and receive drug treatment for it, are without speech, or hold a Blue Badge.
A diagnosis on its own is not the test
This is where parents get caught out. A child with an autism or ADHD diagnosis is not automatically eligible. What unlocks the railcard is one of the benefits or registrations above. If your child has a diagnosis but no qualifying DLA award yet, sorting out the benefit is the step that matters. Our guide on how to claim DLA for a child with autism walks through that route.
What the card actually saves you
Here is the qualifier the top results bury. The railcard does not discount your child's own ticket. Children aged 5 to 15 already pay a reduced child fare (roughly half the adult price), so there is usually nothing for the railcard to take off their seat.
Its real value is that one adult travelling with the cardholder gets a third off their own fare. On the small number of fares that carry no child discount, the child also gets a third off. So the saving lands on the accompanying grown-up, not the child. If you are mainly trying to cut the cost of your child's travel, weigh that up before you buy.
The price and how to apply
As of 2026 the railcard costs £20 for one year or £54 for three years. Apply online or by post with proof of the qualifying benefit or registration (for example a DLA or PIP award letter). You can do the whole thing on the official Disabled Persons Railcard site, which lists every qualifying route.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.