Author: budgetprams.com

For a family whose pushchair came with an infant car seat, the question in the car is which child car seat rules apply. This guide reads two official pages on 3 November 2026: the GOV.UK page “Child car seats: the law” (the GOV.UK content record shows a public update of 1 April 2015) and rules 99 to 102 of the Highway Code (public update 14 September 2021, on GOV.UK). Neither page mentions pushchairs, prams or travel systems, so they are read here as general rules on child car seats. General information, not legal advice.

Which seat counts: the labels

GOV.UK says children must normally use a child car seat until they are 12 years old or 135 centimetres tall, whichever comes first, and that the seat can be chosen by height or by weight.

• Height-based seats must be rear facing until the child is over 15 months old, and approved seats carry a capital E in a circle and “R129”.
• Weight-based seats carry a capital E in a circle and “ECE R44”. For 0 kg to 10 kg (group 0) the page lists a lie-flat or lateral baby carrier, a rear-facing baby carrier or a rear-facing baby seat using a harness. For 0 kg to 13 kg (group 0+) it lists a rear-facing baby carrier or rear-facing baby seat using a harness.

GOV.UK says only approved seats of each type can be used in the UK. The Highway Code, in rule 100, says a child under 1.35 metres tall must use a baby seat, child seat, booster seat or booster cushion suitable for the child’s weight and fitted to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Fitting: belts, ISOFIX and side-facing seats

GOV.UK says a child car seat must only be used if the car’s seat belt has a diagonal strap, unless the seat is designed for use with a lap belt or is fitted using ISOFIX anchor points. It also says a child car seat must not be fitted in side-facing seats.

The front seat and the airbag, worded two ways

• GOV.UK: deactivate any front airbags before fitting a rear-facing baby seat in a front seat.
• Highway Code, rule 101: a rear-facing baby seat must not be fitted into a seat protected by an active frontal airbag.

The two pages word the point differently, and neither says anything about a particular car or seat.

Taxis and private hire vehicles

GOV.UK says that if a taxi or minicab driver does not provide the correct child car seat, children can travel without one, but only on a rear seat, wearing an adult seat belt if aged 3 or older and without a seat belt if under 3. The Highway Code table for a child under 3 says the correct restraint must be used and that, if one is not available in a taxi, the child may travel unrestrained. For a child from the 3rd birthday up to 1.35 metres, it says an adult belt must be used if the correct restraint is not available in a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle.

Minibuses, coaches and vans

GOV.UK says minibus or coach drivers and companies do not have to provide child car seats and that a family must bring its own to be sure a child has one. On coaches, children can travel without a car seat or seat belt if none is available. In minibuses, all children must travel in rear seats, meaning any seats behind the driver, if a car seat or adult belt is not fitted. The rules for vans are the same as for cars.

Unexpected journeys and a crowded back seat

GOV.UK says a child aged 3 or older can use an adult belt when the correct seat is not available if the journey is unexpected, necessary and over a short distance. A child under 3 cannot be taken on such a journey without the correct seat unless it is a licensed taxi or minicab and the child sits on a rear seat without a belt. If there is no room for a third child car seat in the back, the page says a child under 3 must travel in the front seat with the correct child car seat, while a child aged 3 or older can sit in the back using an adult belt. The Highway Code table gives similar exceptions in its own words, including a case where two occupied restraints prevent fitting a third.

What the two pages do not settle

• Whether a given infant seat fits a given pushchair frame, or which adapters are needed. Neither page mentions pushchairs.
• Which car seat suits a given car, a point on which GOV.UK refers readers to the Child Car Seats website.
• Whether a seat is still suitable once it is old or has been used before. Neither page covers this.

The Highway Code says the restraint must be fitted to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The bottom line

GOV.UK says children must normally use a child car seat until they are 12 years old or 135 centimetres tall, whichever comes first, and the Highway Code says a child under 1.35 metres must use a restraint suited to the child’s weight, fitted to the manufacturer’s instructions. Both pages mention the rear-facing seat and the active frontal airbag, with different wording. The taxi, minibus and unexpected-journey exceptions are described in more detail on GOV.UK than in the Highway Code table. Neither page mentions pushchairs or travel systems, so the pushchair side of a travel system is outside what they cover.

Sources

• Child car seats: the law, GOV.UK, public update 1 April 2015 per the GOV.UK content record, read 3 November 2026 (gov.uk)
• The Highway Code: rules for drivers and motorcyclists (89 to 102), GOV.UK, public update 14 September 2021, read 3 November 2026 (gov.uk)

This guide sets out what two bus operators say on their own help pages: the page headed “Bus accessibility” in the West Yorkshire section of the First Bus website, and two answers on the Arriva Bus Help Portal for the Midlands. Both were read on 2 November 2026 and show no date. Other First Bus areas and other Arriva regions were not read, so their wording may differ. Conditions can change, so it is worth checking the operator’s current page before travelling. General information, not legal advice.

Getting on and off a First bus

First Bus describes a method for a bus it calls “buggy friendly”. The page says to lean the buggy onto its rear wheels, move forward and lower the front wheels onto the bus, and that the driver can be asked to lower the step. It says not to try boarding while the step is lowering, because the buggy’s wheels could be trapped between the step and the kerb. For leaving, the page says to wait for the bus to stop completely, to check it is not lowering, and to lean the buggy back slightly on its rear wheels until they reach the edge of the step before lowering it.

What First asks for on board

• The buggy should be in the special “buggy zone”.
• The brakes should be applied and the buggy held at all times.
• Neither child nor buggy should be left unattended.
• Shopping and other bags should not be hung on the buggy, because it could tip over.

The page also says space for buggies is limited, that it can vary with the bus, the number of pushchairs and their size, and that if buggies are already on board the driver may ask for yours to be folded. It asks passengers not to block aisles or exits.

Arriva in the Midlands: up to two, first come first served

An Arriva Midlands help answer says its easy access buses can accommodate, on a first come, first served basis, up to 2 prams, pushchairs or buggies. It adds that if the bus is busy, a passenger may be asked to fold the pushchair up or may not be allowed to bring it aboard.

A separate answer covers a child in a disabled pushchair. It says disabled pushchairs are allowed on the bus at all times, but that this may not be possible if the designated area is already occupied, and that drivers will try their best to accommodate all passengers.

The two pages side by side

When a wheelchair user needs the space

First Bus says wheelchair users have priority over everyone else for the designated wheelchair space, giving as its reason that it is the only place in which they can travel safely. It says a buggy may use the space only if a wheelchair user does not need it. Where a pushchair or buggy is in the space, the page says the driver will ask for it to be repositioned, moved to another part of the bus, or folded and stored in the luggage space where available.

The page then goes a step further than asking. If passengers do not respond without good reason and the bus is not full, it says the driver will advise them that they are required to move from the wheelchair space, and that the driver will consider other action such as not setting off from the stop until the situation is resolved.

What the Supreme Court said about asking

The judgment in FirstGroup plc v Paulley [2017] UKSC 4 concerned FirstGroup’s policy at the time. It records that the claim was that FirstGroup had failed to make “reasonable adjustments” to its policies, contrary to section 29(2) of the Equality Act 2010. In paragraph 66, Lord Neuberger, with whom Lord Reed agreed, wrote that it was not enough for FirstGroup to instruct its drivers simply to request non-wheelchair users to vacate the space and to do nothing further if the request was rejected. The judgment contains several separate opinions, and this guide does not summarise the others. The point here is only that the First Bus page describes a further step after a request is not acted on.

The bottom line

The two pages read describe different arrangements. First Bus’s West Yorkshire page gives boarding steps, a buggy zone, a reminder to apply the brakes and not to hang bags on the buggy, and a wheelchair-space policy in which the driver may require a move. Arriva’s Midlands help portal says up to 2 prams are carried on a first come, first served basis, with folding or refusal possible on a busy bus. The pages read do not say how either policy works in other regions, so arrangements can differ by operator and area. For a specific route, the operator’s own page or customer service is the place to check.

Sources

• Bus accessibility, Buggies and Pushchairs, First Bus (West Yorkshire section), page undated, read 2 November 2026 (firstbus.co.uk)
• Can I take a pram on the bus?, Arriva Bus Help Portal, Midlands, page undated, read 2 November 2026 (help.arrivabus.co.uk)
• Can I get on Arriva buses with my child in a disabled pushchair?, Arriva Bus Help Portal, Midlands, page undated, read 2 November 2026 (help.arrivabus.co.uk)
• FirstGroup Plc v Paulley [2017] UKSC 4, UK Supreme Court judgment, read 2 November 2026 (caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk)

Some pram retailers offer to spread the cost in instalments, and one form of this is hire purchase: the buyer pays by instalments and does not own the item until the agreement has been paid off. Two sources, read on 1 November 2026, answer it: the Citizens Advice page on cancelling something bought on hire purchase (the England version, undated) and sections 99 and 100 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 as published on legislation.gov.uk. Neither source mentions prams, so this is general information on hire purchase applied to a pushchair purchase, not legal advice.

What Citizens Advice means by hire purchase

Citizens Advice describes hire purchase as a type of borrowing where the buyer agrees to pay instalments on an item but does not own it until the agreement is paid off. It adds that if the agreement says the buyer must buy the item at the end of the period, this is called a conditional sale. Its page says hire purchase is often used for cars, furniture or white goods.

Buy now pay later is a separate subject, covered in the guide to buying a pram with buy now pay later. Paying by card has its own protections, set out in the guide to Section 75 and chargeback.

The first 14 days

Citizens Advice says there are very limited circumstances in which the item can be returned for a full refund. The buyer must have signed up within the last 14 days, and in one of four ways: online, by phone, in the buyer’s home or by mail order. In that case the buyer is within a cooling-off period and can cancel without charge by contacting the company.

Ending the agreement later

Outside the cooling-off period, Citizens Advice says an item being paid off through hire purchase can be cancelled and returned at any time, but money may still be owed to the company it was bought from.

Section 99(1) of the 1974 Act gives the legal footing. It says that at any time before the final payment falls due under a regulated hire-purchase or regulated conditional sale agreement, the debtor is entitled to terminate the agreement by giving notice to any person entitled or authorised to receive the sums payable. Section 99(2) says that ending the agreement does not affect any liability under it that accrued before termination. The wording refers to regulated agreements, and neither source says whether a particular retailer’s pram finance is one, so the agreement itself is the place to check.

The “half” rule and how the two sources word it

Citizens Advice puts the rule in plain terms. If less than half of the item has been paid off, the buyer legally only has to pay half the cost of the item minus what has already been paid in instalments. If half or more has been paid off, the buyer legally does not have to pay any more.

Section 100(1) is worded more precisely. Unless the agreement provides for a smaller payment, or for no payment, the debtor is liable to pay the amount, if any, by which one-half of the total price exceeds the aggregate of the sums paid and the sums due in respect of the total price immediately before the termination. The Act counts instalments already due as well as those paid, a detail Citizens Advice’s summary does not spell out.

Illustration only, with invented figures: take a pram on finance with a total price of £600 and £100 paid or due when the agreement ends. Half of the total price is £300, so the amount at stake under section 100(1) would be £200, unless the agreement provides for a smaller sum. If £300 or more had been paid or due, the formula would leave nothing further to pay. This is arithmetic on the section’s wording, not a quote from either source.

Three further wrinkles in section 100

• Section 100(3) lets a court order a smaller sum in place of the section 100(1) amount if it is satisfied that a lower sum would equal the creditor’s loss from the termination.
• Section 100(4) increases the amount if the debtor has contravened an obligation to take reasonable care of the goods.
• Section 100(5) deals with a debtor who wrongfully keeps the goods after termination. In a creditor’s action to recover them, the court, unless it is satisfied that it would not be just in the circumstances, shall order delivery to the creditor without giving the debtor an option to pay the value of the goods.

If payments are being missed

Citizens Advice says a buyer who is struggling should speak to the organisations owed money, which might allow smaller payments or a break, and should not ignore bills or letters. It says a buyer who has missed payments but wants to keep the item should contact the company and ask for a repayment plan, which would mean paying smaller amounts over a longer period. It also says the finance company should keep the buyer up to date about its plans for repossessing the goods, and that a buyer who feels it has not done so can complain to an ombudsman. For disputes about how much is owed, it points to the Citizens Advice consumer service.

The bottom line

Citizens Advice and the Consumer Credit Act 1974 both say a hire purchase agreement can be ended before the final payment, and both tie what may be owed to half of the total price. Citizens Advice describes the first 14 days as a cooling-off period for agreements signed online, by phone, at home or by mail order. Section 100 adds that the agreement can provide for a smaller payment, that a court can order a lower sum, and that failing to take reasonable care of the goods can increase the amount. Neither page says whether a particular pram finance deal is a regulated agreement.

Sources

• Cancel something you bought on hire purchase, Citizens Advice (England version), page undated, read 1 November 2026 (citizensadvice.org.uk)
• Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 99, Right to terminate hire-purchase etc. agreements, up to date with changes known to be in force on or before 30 October 2026, read 1 November 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 100, Liability of debtor on termination of hire-purchase etc. agreement, up to date with changes known to be in force on or before 1 November 2026, read 1 November 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)

Here is an illustration, not a real case. A parent hands a pushchair over at the aircraft door, and at baggage reclaim the frame is bent. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Citizens Advice and easyJet each publish guidance on damaged bags, and each sets a seven-day window for making a claim. The pages were read on 28 October 2026. Citizens Advice’s page is written for England, and it links to separate versions for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Does a pushchair count as a bag?

None of the three damaged-bag pages names pushchairs. They speak of bags and luggage. The CAA says that when hold luggage is lost, delayed or damaged, airlines are liable for the losses, and Citizens Advice says there is a legal right to claim compensation from the airline if checked-in luggage is damaged.

What easyJet’s children’s page says is where a pushchair fits. The airline carries up to two items per child in the hold for free, a pushchair among them. A pushchair needed to reach the boarding gate is collected before boarding, placed in the aircraft hold, and available at baggage reclaim on arrival. Ask the airline how to register damage to a pushchair accepted into the hold. Its reporting process does not replace any rights that apply under baggage law.

At the airport: report it before leaving

The CAA says damage should be reported on arrival at the airport, and that most airlines have a dedicated baggage desk in the baggage claims area. A passenger may receive a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), and the CAA adds that having a PIR is no guarantee that the airline will accept the claim. Citizens Advice says there is no legal duty to report straight away, but doing so makes any compensation more likely, and that the PIR is the form from customer services in the baggage claims hall.

easyJet asks for more. Its page says to take a photo of the damage before leaving the airport, and that photos taken later may not be accepted.

The clock: seven days, and three ways of counting it

The same deadline appears in all of the guidance, but the starting point is worded differently:

• The CAA says a written claim to the airline is needed within seven days for damaged baggage.
• Citizens Advice gives 7 days after getting the luggage back.
• easyJet says the report and the claim registration must both be complete within 7 days of the flight.

The treaty text behind most of this is Article 31 of the Montreal Convention, set out in the UK’s 2002 implementing Order (as originally made). It says that in the case of damage the person entitled to delivery must complain to the carrier forthwith after discovering it and, at the latest, within seven days from the date of receipt in the case of checked baggage. Every complaint must be in writing, and if none is made in time, no action lies against the carrier, save in the case of fraud. For checked baggage covered by the Convention, complain in writing as soon as damage is discovered and no later than seven days after receipt. Follow the airline’s reporting process promptly as well.

What can be claimed, and what is usually refused

Compensation depends on the loss proved. For baggage claims covered by the Montreal Convention, the usual liability limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, effective from 28 December 2024 according to ICAO. This is a limit, not an automatic payout, and its sterling value changes with exchange rates. If a claim is accepted, the airline may pay for repair or provide a replacement. Airlines do not allow “new for old” and value an item by its age when it was lost.

Citizens Advice says airlines will not usually provide new-for-old replacement or pay for stress, inconvenience or other consequences of a luggage problem. It also lists what to gather: the boarding card, the luggage labels, the PIR or the airline’s written confirmation of the report, proof of purchase, photographs of the damage and cost estimates for any repair.

easyJet publishes its own exclusions. Its page says it cannot be responsible for damage that is superficial or external, such as scuffs and scratches. The page does not mention pushchairs, so how that exclusion applies to one is a matter for the airline.

Writing the claim and what follows a refusal

Citizens Advice says to ask how the airline wants the claim sent and, if there is no claim form, to write to customer services. It suggests stating that the letter is a claim for compensation under the Montreal Convention, giving the flight details, what happened, the amount asked for and a description of everything damaged, and keeping copies.

If the airline does not resolve it, Citizens Advice says to complain to the CAA, which will only consider a luggage complaint if the airline or airport is not a member of an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. As a last resort it mentions the small claims court, within 2 years of the flight, which it warns can be expensive and time-consuming.

Is travel insurance the better route?

Both the CAA and Citizens Advice raise it. The CAA says it might be better to claim on travel insurance because airlines may not pay out the true cost, though policies typically carry an excess of around £40 and often a time limit. Citizens Advice says that anyone with travel or home contents insurance that covers luggage is likely to be better off claiming through insurance. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

The bottom line

The three pages describe the same sequence: report the damage at the airport, photograph it, put a written claim to the airline within seven days, and expect a payment based on the item’s value, because airlines do not allow new for old. None names pushchairs, so check the airline’s reporting process, while keeping the applicable legal deadlines and rights in view. Check the airline’s current wording before travelling.

Sources

• Lost, delayed or damaged baggage, UK Civil Aviation Authority, read 28 October 2026 (caa.co.uk)
• Get airline compensation for lost or delayed luggage, Citizens Advice (England), read 28 October 2026 (citizensadvice.org.uk)
• Damaged or delayed bags and lost property, easyJet, read 28 October 2026 (easyjet.com)
• Flying with children, easyJet, read 28 October 2026 (easyjet.com)
• The Carriage by Air Acts (Implementation of the Montreal Convention 1999) Order 2002, Schedule 1 (as made), read 28 October 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Press release: International air travel liability limits set to increase, International Civil Aviation Organization, 18 October 2024, read 28 October 2026 (icao.int)

Here is an illustration, not a real case. A buyer searching for a pushchair finds a well-known travel system at a price far below every other shop. The seller’s page has no street address, and a message arrives asking for a bank transfer today because “only one is left”. Citizens Advice, writing for England, has guidance on exactly these signs and on what to do afterwards. The pages were read on 27 October 2026. Citizens Advice also publishes versions for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, so readers elsewhere should use the version for their nation.

Which signs does Citizens Advice list?

Its starting point is that if something seems too good to be true, it might be a scam. It adds that a scam often starts when someone unknown makes unexpected contact. In its list of signs that something might be a scam, it includes:

• a suspicion that the buyer is not dealing with a real company, for example because there is no postal address;
• being asked to transfer money quickly;
• being asked to pay in an unusual way, such as iTunes vouchers or a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union;
• being asked for personal information like passwords or PINs;
• having no written confirmation of what has been agreed.

One caution runs the other way. Citizens Advice says paying more for something than it is worth is not the same as being scammed, because a scam usually involves theft or fraud, and a buyer who has overpaid has other rights.

How can a shop the buyer has never used be checked?

For a site not used before, Citizens Advice suggests spending a few minutes on it, starting with the terms and conditions. The company’s address should have a street name, not just a post office box. A company’s details can be searched on GOV.UK, which shows whether it is a registered company. Reviews should be sought on different websites rather than relying on those the company has put on its own site. The padlock in the browser address bar does not guarantee that the buyer is dealing with a real company.

What does the payment method change?

Citizens Advice says paying by card gives extra protection if things go wrong. Its page on getting money back after a scam sets out the position by method:

• Debit card: the chargeback scheme can be used however much was paid.
• Credit card: section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 may apply to a qualifying purchase of a single item with a cash price of more than £100 and no more than £30,000. At £100 or less Section 75 does not apply, but Citizens Advice says chargeback can be used.
• Money from a PayPal account: a dispute should be opened with the seller.
• Bank transfer: according to Citizens Advice and the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), mandatory APP-scam reimbursement protections apply to eligible UK-to-UK Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers made on or after 7 October 2024, subject to the scheme’s rules and exceptions. BACS, SWIFT and international transfers fall outside this scheme, but other recovery or complaint routes may still be available. The PSR says a victim should first contact the bank or building society.
• Vouchers, gift cards or money transfer services: it says a refund is unlikely.

This site’s guide to paying for a pram by card covers chargeback and Section 75 in more detail, and the guide to buying a pram on an online marketplace covers who the seller is.

What about the name on the bank account?

When a payment goes to a new payee, the bank or building society checks the name used. Citizens Advice says that if the names are similar but not exact, payment should only be made when the buyer is sure the account belongs to the right person or business. If the names are completely different, it says not to pay unless the details have been checked, and that a scammer might have sent a fake invoice. A genuine seller should not pressure a buyer to pay straight away. If the details are confirmed and the buyer decides to pay, Citizens Advice says it is a good idea to start by transferring £1 and check it reached the right account. A successful £1 transfer only shows that the money reached an account; it does not show that the seller is genuine or that an order will arrive.

Where is a suspected scam reported?

Citizens Advice says to gather all the details (who was contacted, why it seemed suspicious, what information was shared, whether money was paid and how) and then report. Its reporting page lists:

• the Citizens Advice consumer service, which passes reports to Trading Standards;
• Report Fraud, which it describes as the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud, and which gives a crime reference number;
• the Advertising Standards Authority for an online scam advert;
• the police on 101 if the scammer is in the buyer’s area or money was transferred in the last 24 hours, and 999 if the buyer feels threatened or unsafe.

If an item arrives that was never ordered?

Citizens Advice says that, if it was not a gift, it could be a scam. It suggests checking recent orders on the account, telling the retailer or marketplace, and changing the account password.

Is reporting worthwhile if the money is gone?

Citizens Advice says reporting helps track down and stop scammers and can prevent other people being scammed.

The bottom line

On the Citizens Advice pages for England, a price that seems too good to be true, an unusual payment request, a missing address and pressure to pay quickly are each listed as reasons for care. The page on getting money back says protection depends on how the payment was made, with cards and recent bank transfers treated differently from vouchers or money transfer services. Anyone who suspects a scam can report it to the services above.

Sources

• Check if something might be a scam (citizensadvice.org.uk)
• Check if you can get your money back after a scam (citizensadvice.org.uk)
• Report a scam (citizensadvice.org.uk)
• Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 75 (legislation.gov.uk)
• APP scams (psr.org.uk, Payment Systems Regulator)