Overview
- Freedom of Information disclosures detail £71,280 for 2025–26, with £64,800 paid to bus operators and £6,480 to Asylum Welcome for administration.
- The funding covers April 2025 to March 2026 for an Oxford-only scheme, following a £31,000 pilot that ran from November 2024 to April 2025.
- A council spokesperson said the passes help people build local connections and support longer-term economic participation.
- FOI documents describe transport costs as the most urgent issue for asylum seekers, citing missed education and mental-health impacts, with Home Office data showing 395 in county hotels and 168 in Oxford city as of June 30.
- Bus companies including Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach West backed the initiative, while critics such as Conservative councillor Liam Walker attacked the spending during wider cost-saving proposals.