This website can sometimes help with working out whether something works without Google Play Services https://plexus.techlore.tech/ | https://github.com/techlore/Plexus-app?tab=readme-ov-file

I wonder if part of this is because they want to use NHS numbers for children in schools as a consistant identifier. I wouldn’t be shocked if that was part of the reasoning.

For qualifying for it? No, I don’t think so.

I read in the Financial Times that maintenance max. is to go up by £450

That’s where a good bus network would help and infrastructure built less around cars would make shorter distances more likely for other means like cycling/walking.