Season Ticket Loans
The University is pleased to offer a season ticket loan scheme for staff to help improve the affordability of Public Transport and to support our Carbon Reduction and Travel Plan targets.
How it works
To help manage the costs of rail travel, the University will fund the purchase of an annual season ticket to the maximum value of £7,500 by way of an interest free loan. You then pay back the loan in 10 monthly instalments from your net salary (i.e. after deductions for tax and National Insurance). The loan will be paid as a single payment directly into your bank account with your salary in the next available payroll run, and once you have received it you can purchase the season ticket.
The ticket will be valid for travel between your 2 chosen stations and can be used anytime including weekends, although it is intended for travel between home and work.
If you have an Easit membership card, you will be able to use this when purchasing your season ticket to get a 15% discount on Southern and South West rail fares that travel in to and returning from Reading Station. For more information about Easit, please go to www.easit.org.uk/easitreading or the University's travel page.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for a season ticket loan you must:
- Be a salaried member of staff (i.e. receiving a regular, guaranteed monthly salary);
- Have a contract of employment which is long enough to cover the duration of the loan;
- Have sufficient net pay to cover the deduction of the monthly loan repayment;
- Travel to work by train. This loan is solely for the purpose of purchasing a season ticket for rail travel between your home and the University.
How to apply
You will need to obtain the price of your season ticket before you complete an application form. There is a season ticket calculator on the National Rail website, click the following link National Rail website, or telephone: 08457 484950. It is important to calculate the price as accurately as possible, as it is not possible to change the amount of the loan once it has been paid to you.
You can apply for a Season Ticket Loan at any point throughout the year by completing the Application Form and returning it to HR Operations, room 110, Whiteknights House, or e-mail hroperations@reading.ac.uk. You must apply for the loan at least 1 month before the season ticket is required and applications must be received by the 5th of the month. Applications received after this date will normally be processed in the following month.
The maximum amount you can apply for is £7,500.
Season tickets will not be renewed automatically. It is your responsibility to reapply for a loan at least one month before the expiry of your ticket, using the same process.
For further information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions and Terms and Conditions.