Free Benefits for Over-60s in the UK: Your Checklist

If you are in your 60s in the UK, there is a good chance you are entitled to more than you are currently claiming. Several valuable benefits and concessions become available from age 60 onwards, and many people miss out because no one has told them what to look for. This guide brings everything together in one place. 💚

Some of these are automatic once you reach the right age. Others require an application. A few depend on your income. Working through this checklist takes less than an hour and could save you hundreds of pounds a year.

1. From age 60: free prescriptions and NHS sight tests

Free NHS prescriptions

If you live in England and are aged 60 or over, all your NHS prescriptions are free. You do not need a certificate or prepayment card. Tick the relevant box on the prescription form and show proof of age if asked.

In Scotland and Wales, NHS prescriptions are free for everyone regardless of age. In Northern Ireland, prescriptions are also free for all.

Simple action: If you are 60 or over and have been paying for prescriptions in England, stop. You have been entitled to free prescriptions since your 60th birthday.

Free NHS sight tests

From age 60, you are entitled to a free NHS sight test every two years in England (more frequently if clinically needed). You are also entitled to a voucher towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses if you need them and are on a qualifying benefit.

Book your next sight test directly with any registered optician. Mention that you are 60 or over when you call.

💡 Tip: You may also be entitled to vouchers towards the cost of glasses if you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, or certain other benefits. Ask your optician what you qualify for.

2. From State Pension age (66): bus pass, Pension Credit, and Winter Fuel Payment

Free bus pass

In England, you can get a free older person's bus pass when you reach State Pension age. This currently means age 66 for most people, though it is rising gradually to 67 by April 2028 for those born on or after 6 April 1960. Use the State Pension age calculator on GOV.UK to find your exact eligibility date.

The pass gives you free travel on local bus services in England from 9:30am to 11pm on weekdays, and all day at weekends and bank holidays. It does not cover coaches, trains, or trams, but is valid across all of England, beyond your own local area.

In Wales and Scotland, the free bus pass is available from age 60. In Northern Ireland, also from age 60.

Simple action: Apply for your bus pass online or through your local council up to four weeks before you reach eligibility age.

Pension Credit

Pension Credit is a means-tested top-up for people on a low retirement income. It becomes available from State Pension age and is one of the most underclaimed benefits in the UK.

The Guarantee Credit element tops your weekly income up to at least:

• £238.00 if you are single
• £363.25 if you have a partner

(2026/27 rates)

Pension Credit is worth claiming even if you think you earn too much to qualify. The thresholds are higher than many people expect. It also unlocks other benefits including a free TV licence (if you are 75 or over), help with NHS dental and eye care costs, and a Cold Weather Payment.

Simple action: Check your eligibility and apply at gov.uk/pension-credit or by calling the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.

Winter Fuel Payment

The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment to help with heating costs over winter. From 2026, it is available to pensioner households in England and Wales with an income of £35,000 a year or below. You do not need to apply. Eligible households are paid automatically in November or December.

The payment is:

• £200 for households including someone between State Pension age and 79
• £300 for households including someone aged 80 or over

Scotland has its own equivalent payment administered separately. Check mygov.scot if you are based in Scotland.

3. From age 75: free TV licence

If you are 75 or over and you (or your partner at the same address) receive Pension Credit (either Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit), you are entitled to a free TV licence.

You can apply for the free licence from age 74 if you are already receiving Pension Credit. Contact TV Licensing on 0300 790 6117 or apply at tvlicensing.co.uk.

If you are 75 or over but do not currently receive Pension Credit, it is worth checking whether you are eligible. Claiming Pension Credit would also unlock the free TV licence.

Simple action: If you are approaching 75 and already receive Pension Credit, contact TV Licensing now so your free licence is in place before your 75th birthday.

4. Council tax: discounts worth checking

Council tax discounts are not age-specific, but two are particularly relevant for people in their 60s and 70s.

Single person discount

If you are the only adult living in your home, you are entitled to a 25% reduction on your council tax bill. This applies regardless of age. If you have recently separated, had a partner move into care, or become widowed, check whether you are now eligible.

Simple action: Contact your local council to apply. This discount is not applied automatically.

Council Tax Reduction

Council Tax Reduction (sometimes called Council Tax Support) is a means-tested reduction available from your local council if you are on a low income. The rules vary by council, but if you are receiving Pension Credit you may qualify for a significant reduction; in some areas this covers the full bill.

Apply directly through your local council's website or in person at a council office.

5. How to check what you are missing

The benefits system is fragmented, and the overlap between different entitlements is not always obvious. The easiest way to get a full picture of what you could be claiming is to use the free Age UK benefits calculator, which covers the main national benefits as well as many local ones.

You can also call the Age UK Advice Line on 0800 678 1602, which is free and open Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm.

There is no downside to checking. These benefits exist to support you, and claiming them does not affect your tax position or other entitlements. 💛

For more detail on Pension Credit, including how it interacts with other income and how to make a claim, see our guide to Pension Credit. For a plain English guide to what the NHS provides free once you reach 60, see our guide to free NHS prescriptions. If you are based in Ireland, our guide to free benefits for over-60s in Ireland covers the equivalent entitlements there. Browse more Una guides for plain English help with money and benefits in retirement.