Our services

London Councils delivers a range of direct services to Londoners on behalf of its member boroughs. Some of these - like the Freedom Pass concessionary fares scheme - are very well known, while others are less so.

The main services are:

• Grants: we distribute £28 million a year to some 300 voluntary groups on behalf of the boroughs. We commission services from groups working in clearly-defined priority areas, to ensure Londoners throughout the capital have access to the services they need.
  
  
• Freedom Pass Opens in a new window: we run the scheme that allows more than a million older and disabled Londoners to travel free on the capital's buses, tubes and trains. It costs £260 million a year and is paid for by London's boroughs.
  
  
• Taxicard Opens in a new window: another concessionary fares scheme that provides subsidised door-to-door transport in taxi cabs for people with severe mobility impairments. Taxicard is paid for by the boroughs and the Mayor of London.
  
  
• Parking and Traffic Appeals Opens in a new window: we run the adjudication service that hears appeals from motorists against parking and other fixed-penalty notices issued by the boroughs. It also offers a similar service for appeals against congestion charge penalties.
   
  
• Lorry Control Opens in a new window: we run the scheme designed to keep heavy lorries out of residential areas at night and at weekends.
  
  
• European Service Opens in a new window: ensuring London gets a fair share of EU funding and that the boroughs are well equipped to access and maximise the funding available. The service is run by GLE from offices in London and Brussels and delivers strategic advice, funding support and intelligence to maximise economic development opportunities for London boroughs. GLE also provides management services for the London Councils European Social Fund programme.
  
  
• Consumer Direct: we oversee the delivery of Consumer Direct London, which provides an on-line and telephone help line advice service for people with consumer-related problems.  
  

London Councils also runs a number of services for our member boroughs: these include

• NOTIFY Opens in a new window: the child protection system that notifies housing, health, education and social services departments when homeless households placed in temporary accommodation move within or between boroughs. This service helps to prevent vulnerable children from 'slipping through the net'.
  
  
• London Care Placements: this service helps boroughs to find residential accommodation for vulnerable children and adults in need of care.