Older Britons could be eligible for a treasure trove of freebie benefits and discounts available to those claiming state pension or aged over 60 with savings worth more than £8,000 a year up for grabs.
The catch is that while some perks kick in automatically, most need you to actively claim them. From free NHS services to help with heating bills, transport discounts to reduced water charges, there are 16 different ways pensioners can save money this September.
With living costs still climbing, these supports can be really useful - but only if people know about them and take action to claim what they're entitled to.
Here is the full list of the free benefits you could qualify for:
- Free buses
- Senior train railcard - save up to £1,000 on train tickets
- Winter Fuel Payment - save up to £300 on energy bills
- Warm Home Discount - save up to £150 on electricity bills
- Free eye tests - saving £30 per appointment
- Free prescriptions - could save £120
- Free dental care - major treatments could cost over £320
- Free TV Licence fee - saving £174.50 annually
- Broadband companies social tariffs - cut bills by up to £215
- Water companies discounts - slash bills by as much as £500
- Council Tax savings - worth about £1,600 a year
- Pension credit - worth around £4,200 annually on average
- Free passport - they now cost £94.50
- Discounted days out – Over £20 to be saved.
Free eye tests and subsidised dental appointments are available
|GETTY
Free and subsidised travel
Getting around doesn't have to break the bank when you're over 60.
Free bus passes are up for grabs across England, Scotland and Wales, while Londoners can snap up a 60+ Oyster card or Older Person's Freedom Pass for free travel on all TfL services.
Train lovers can grab a Senior Railcard and enjoy a third off their fares - that's about £96 saved each year. When you add it all up, regular travellers could be looking at savings of more than £1,000 annually.In London alone, an annual bus pass would normally set you back nearly £988.
Throw in those rail savings and you're talking serious money - around £1,084 a year for those who use public transport regularly.
Claim the free prescriptions once eligible
| PAHelp with heating
Help with heating bills is changing for pensioners this winter. State pensioners with yearly incomes up to £35,000 will automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment - worth up to £300 depending on age and household circumstances.
Those born before 22 September 1959 are in line for this support.Letters will arrive in October or November telling people how much they'll receive.
Those earning more than £35,000 will still get the payment, but it'll be clawed back through tax unless they opt out.
There's also the Warm Home Discount, which knocks £150 off electricity bills.
The DWP handles this one, applying it directly to energy accounts between October and March. Most people find out they're eligible by early January.
Free eye tests
Free NHS eye tests are yours for the taking once you hit 60 - just mention your age when booking. These normally cost between £20 and £30, so that's a tidy saving every couple of years.
Save on prescriptions and dental care
Pensioners on Pension Credit can get free NHS prescriptions and dental care too.With prescriptions at £9.90 a pop, someone needing monthly medication saves nearly £120 yearly.
Dental check-ups start at £27.40, while bigger treatments like dentures can cost over £320.
No TV Licence payment
Those 75 and over who get Pension Credit can bag a free TV licence, saving £174.50 annually.
Plus, broadband companies offer social tariffs that could cut bills by up to £215, and water companies have discounts that might slash bills by as much as £500.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The DWP has issued various support packages
| GETTYCouncil Tax Savings
Council Tax could disappear completely for pensioners on Pension Credit - that's worth about £1,600 a year on a typical Band D property. Local councils handle this differently, but some offer 100% reductions.
Receive pension credit
If you're single with a weekly income under £227.10, or a couple earning less than £346.60, you could be eligible. This benefit alone is worth around £4,200 annually on average and opens doors to other support.
Free passports – £94.50
Anyone born before 2 September 1929 is entitled to a free UK passport—waiving the standard £94.50 fee. While most eligible individuals are now in their 90s, this exemption still offers meaningful savings for those who qualify
Discounted days out – £24+
Pensioners can enjoy reduced entry at cinemas, theatres and tourist attractions.
Odeon, Vue, Empire, and Showcase cinemas offer special Silver Screenings for seniors, featuring discounted tickets from just £3.50—and complimentary refreshments to sweeten the deal.