Free Things for Over-60s in the UK
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
Quite a lot is genuinely free once you are 60 or over: NHS sight tests across the UK, prescriptions in England, bus travel from 60 or from State Pension age depending on where you live, and a long list of things open to everyone that are easy to overlook. None of them arrives automatically, so this page tells you how to claim each one.
Free from age 60
| What | Where | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| NHS prescriptions | England (prescriptions are free at any age in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) | Tick the age box on the back of the prescription form; the pharmacist may ask for proof of age |
| NHS sight tests | UK-wide (free for all ages in Scotland) | Tell the optician you are 60 or over when you book |
| Bus travel | Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland; within London for London residents | Apply for your nation's concessionary travel card or the 60+ London Oyster photocard (which has a fee) |
More detail: free prescriptions and eye tests, free bus pass, 60+ London Oyster and the full list on what you get at 60.
Free from State Pension age
- Bus travel in England. The older person's bus pass gives free off-peak travel on local buses throughout England. Londoners move to the Freedom Pass.
- Help with heating. The Winter Fuel Payment is paid to people over State Pension age, subject to the current eligibility rules. These have changed more than once recently, so see our Winter Fuel Payment page.
- Pension Credit. Not a freebie but a top-up to a low income, and the key to many other free things: see below.
State Pension age is 66 and rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. Check your own date at GOV.UK, and see what you get at State Pension age.
Free if you receive Pension Credit
Pension Credit acts as a "passport" to other help. Depending on which part of Pension Credit you receive and where you live, this can include:
- a free TV licence if you are 75 or over (see free TV licence);
- help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and travel to hospital;
- help with council tax and rent;
- the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments;
- cheaper broadband and phone "social tariffs", and help with water bills.
Many people who are entitled do not claim. A ten-minute check could be worth a great deal. See Pension Credit and the benefits checklist, or ask Citizens Advice or Age UK for a free benefits check. We cannot give financial advice.
Free NHS health services
The NHS offers a range of free services aimed at older adults, including seasonal vaccinations, screening programmes and health checks. Who is invited, and at what age, differs between the four nations and changes from time to time, so we have not listed ages here. Your GP surgery or pharmacist can tell you what you are due, and the NHS website has the current schedules. If an invitation arrives in the post, it is worth taking up.
Also free, and often missed:
- NHS hearing tests and hearing aids, including batteries and repairs, through your GP or local audiology service. See hearing aids buying guide.
- A medicines review with your pharmacist or GP practice.
- A care needs assessment from your council's adult social care department, which can lead to equipment or small adaptations at home.
Free safety help at home
- Home fire safety visits. Fire and rescue services offer free visits to people at higher risk, and often fit smoke alarms free. Contact your local fire service.
- Priority Services Register. A free register kept by energy and water companies so that you get extra help in a power cut or supply problem, bills in large print, and a password scheme for callers. See Priority Services Register.
- Call blocking. Registering with the Telephone Preference Service is free and reduces sales calls.
Free learning, reading and company
- Public libraries. Free membership brings books, large-print and audio books, e-books and digital newspapers, internet access and, in many libraries, free help with computers and smartphones.
- Digital skills help. Libraries, local Age UK branches and community centres run free sessions for people getting started online. See online shopping for beginners.
- Museums and galleries. National museums are free to enter. See days out discounts.
- Health walks and park activities. See gym and swimming discounts.
- Friendship and advice lines. Charities including Age UK run free telephone friendship services and advice lines for older people.
- Free advice. Citizens Advice, Age UK and MoneyHelper all give free, impartial guidance. People aged 50 and over with a defined contribution pension can book a free Pension Wise appointment through MoneyHelper.
What is not free, despite what you may read
- TV licence at 60 or at State Pension age. The free licence is only for people aged 75 or over who receive Pension Credit.
- Glasses. The sight test is free at 60; glasses are not, unless you qualify for an NHS voucher. See optician discounts.
- Dental treatment. Not free on age alone in England.
- The Senior Railcard. It gives a discount but has to be bought.
How to claim and what ID to take
- Proof of age (passport, driving licence or birth certificate) for prescriptions, sight tests and travel passes.
- Proof of address for anything run by your council.
- Your National Insurance number and details of income and savings for benefit claims.
- Benefit award letters to show entitlement to linked help.
Common questions
Are prescriptions free at 60 everywhere in the UK?
Prescriptions are free for everyone in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England they are free from 60.
Do I get a free TV licence at 60?
No. It is for people aged 75 or over who receive Pension Credit.
Do free things start automatically on my birthday?
Mostly not. You usually have to apply or ask, which is why a checklist helps.
Where can I check I am not missing anything?
Use our benefits checklist and the main over-60s discounts guide, or ask Age UK or Citizens Advice for a free check.