SEND15AYP Form UK: Young Person's Tribunal Expenses
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If you are a young person who has attended a First-tier Tribunal hearing dealing with special educational needs or disability discrimination, you may be entitled to recover some of the costs you incurred getting there. The SEND15AYP form is the route used to make that claim.
It sits alongside the wider SEND15YP process and sets out what can be reimbursed for you and, in many cases, for a small number of witnesses who gave evidence on your behalf. This page walks through what the form covers, what it does not cover, and the practical points worth knowing before you send it in.
The rules are narrower than many people expect, so it pays to understand them before you travel to a hearing rather than after.
Overview
SEND15AYP is a claim form used by a young person (rather than a parent or representative) to ask the Tribunal for reimbursement of travel costs linked to attending a SEND hearing. The Tribunal deals with appeals against decisions about Education, Health and Care plans and with disability discrimination claims against schools.
When a hearing requires you to travel, the Tribunal will generally meet reasonable travel costs for you and for a limited number of main witnesses. In special educational needs appeals that usually means up to three witnesses, and in disability discrimination cases up to five.
The form captures the journey details, receipts, and the banking information needed to pay you back. It is not a route to recover legal fees, lost wages, or wider costs of running the appeal. Think of it as a narrow expenses mechanism designed to make sure money does not stop a young person attending their own hearing, not a general costs recovery process.
Key steps
- Check whether you are eligible to claim. The form is for young people who are a party to the appeal and for their main witnesses. Observers, supporters, and anyone whose attendance was not essential to the hearing cannot be paid. If someone came along for moral support, their travel is not recoverable. 2. Keep every ticket and receipt from the day. Collect bus tickets, tram tickets, train tickets (standard class only), and any parking or fuel receipts even if you are not sure what counts. It is far easier to decide what to include once you have everything in one place than to reconstruct the journey weeks later from memory. 3. Work out your mileage if you travelled by car. If you drove, you can claim a set rate per mile rather than fuel receipts. The precise rate is published by HM Courts and Tribunals Service and does change from time to time, so check the current figure before filling in the form. Note the start postcode, end postcode, and distance. 4. Complete every section of the form. Missing details are the main reason claims get delayed. Make sure your name, the appeal reference, the hearing date, the journey details, and your bank account information are all filled in clearly. If you are claiming on behalf of a witness, include their details and confirm they were a main witness at the hearing. 5. Send the claim within 30 days of the hearing. Late claims may be refused. Post or send the completed form with supporting receipts to the Tribunal address provided in the hearing paperwork. Keep a copy for your records. Payment is usually made within around ten working days of the Tribunal receiving a complete and correct claim.
Common questions
If you're dealing with this kind of situation, a call with an experienced legal adviser can help you work out the right next step — from £89.
Common questions
Q Can I claim for a taxi to and from the hearing?
Taxi fares are not routinely paid. They may be considered in exceptional circumstances, for example where public transport is not practical because of a disability or the hearing location. You should contact the Tribunal office before the hearing to check whether a taxi will be accepted, rather than booking one and hoping for reimbursement afterwards. Getting prior confirmation avoids a nasty surprise.
Q Does the form cover my representative's travel?
No. Costs relating to a legal representative, advocate, or other professional helping you with the appeal fall outside this claim. The SEND15AYP form is aimed at the young person and at witnesses who gave evidence. Representatives must handle their own travel arrangements and are not reimbursed through this route, even if they travelled with you on the day.
Q Can I claim for lost wages if I took a day off work?
Loss of earnings is not recoverable through this form. The scheme is limited to direct travel expenses, so wages, holiday days used, or income lost from self-employment cannot be paid. If attending the hearing has a wider financial impact on you, that is unfortunately not something the Tribunal's expenses process is designed to address.
Q What if I miss the 30-day deadline?
Claims sent after 30 days may be rejected. If there is a genuine reason for the delay, such as illness or a postal problem, it is worth explaining this in writing when you submit the form. The Tribunal has some discretion, but do not rely on it. The safest approach is to post your claim within a few days of the hearing while everything is fresh.
Q How many witnesses can claim travel?
In special educational needs appeals, up to three main witnesses can generally have their travel paid. In disability discrimination cases the limit is usually up to five. A main witness is someone whose evidence was important to the hearing, not a friend or family member who came to observe. Check with the Tribunal in advance if you are unsure whether a particular person qualifies.
Q Are food, drinks, and parking included?
No. Meals and refreshments bought on the day of the hearing are not reimbursed, even if you were away from home for several hours. Car parking charges and road tolls are also excluded. The scheme is deliberately narrow and focuses on the cost of the journey itself by public transport or by car at the published mileage rate.
Q How will I be paid once my claim is accepted?
Payment is normally made by bank transfer to the account details you provide on the form, which is why it is important to complete the banking section carefully. Most correctly completed claims are paid within about ten working days of the Tribunal receiving them. If your claim is incomplete or contains errors, expect a longer wait while the office contacts you for the missing information.
If you're dealing with this kind of situation, a call with an experienced legal adviser can help you work out the right next step — from £89.
Sources
This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.
- Guidance · HMCTSFirst-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) on gov.ukgov.uk
- Guidance · HMCTSClaiming expenses for attending a tribunal hearinggov.uk
- Guidance · UK GovHM Courts and Tribunals Servicegov.uk
Legal helpline
Unsure what you can actually claim back?
Working out which journeys, witnesses, and receipts count on a SEND expenses form is fiddly, and a rejected claim means starting over. An experienced legal adviser can talk it through with you on the phone and give practical perspective based on what you describe about your hearing and travel.
- Plain-English answers to your specific questions about the SEND15AYP form
- A clearer view of which travel costs are likely to be reimbursed in your situation
- Practical perspective on witness expenses and the 30-day deadline
- Guidance tailored to what you describe about your hearing and journey
Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.