What you get at 75: free TV licence and a benefits check
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
The one national entitlement that starts at 75 is the free TV licence, and only if you or your partner get Pension Credit. Nothing else changes automatically on your 75th birthday, which makes it a good moment to check you are not missing help you have been entitled to for years.
The free TV licence
You can get a free TV licence if you are 75 or older and either you receive Pension Credit or you live with a partner who does. The licence then covers everyone at your address. This applies across the UK.
At the time of writing (November 2026), a standard colour licence costs £180 a year, so this is a worthwhile saving. But you have to apply to TV Licensing: it is not issued automatically. If you already get Pension Credit you can apply at 74, and you stop paying at the end of the month before your 75th birthday.
If you are 75 or over and do not get Pension Credit, you pay the full fee like anyone else. Free licences for everyone over 75 ended in 2020. The steps are set out in our free TV licence guide, and the official page is Get a free or discounted TV licence on GOV.UK.
What does not change at 75
It helps to be clear about this, because friends and relatives often assume otherwise.
| Entitlement | Does it change at 75? | When it does change |
|---|---|---|
| State Pension | No | Rises each April for everyone |
| Winter Fuel Payment | No | Higher rate from 80 |
| Pension Credit | No | Depends on income, not age |
| Attendance Allowance | No | Depends on care needs, not age |
| Bus pass, prescriptions, sight tests | No | Already in place from 60 or State Pension age |
| TV licence | Yes, if on Pension Credit | 75 |
A 75th-birthday benefits check
By 75, circumstances have often shifted since you first retired. Savings may have run down, a partner may have died, or your health may have changed. Any of these can open up help you did not qualify for at State Pension age. It is worth looking again at each of the following.
Pension Credit
At the time of writing (November 2026), Pension Credit tops up weekly income to £238 for a single person or £363.25 for a couple, and more if you have a severe disability or care for someone. If your income has dropped, for example because a partner's pension stopped when they died, check again. Besides the TV licence, Pension Credit can bring the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments and help with Council Tax.
Attendance Allowance
If getting washed and dressed takes longer than it used to, if you need someone with you when you bathe, or if you have had falls, you may qualify. It is paid at £76.70 or £114.60 a week at the time of writing, whatever your income or savings, and you do not need to have a carer. In Scotland the equivalent is Pension Age Disability Payment. See Attendance Allowance.
Council Tax
If you now live alone, make sure you are getting the 25% single person discount. If someone in the household has dementia, ask the council about the severe mental impairment discount. Both are explained in our Council Tax guide.
The Priority Services Register
If you have not yet joined your energy and water companies' free registers for extra support in a power cut or supply problem, do it now. See Priority Services Register.
Cheaper broadband and water
If you are on Pension Credit, ask your broadband provider about its social tariff and your water company about help with your bill.
If you live in Northern Ireland
One age-related scheme in Northern Ireland starts a little earlier, at 70: the Lone Pensioner Allowance, which nidirect describes as a 20% discount on domestic rates for people aged 70 or over who live alone. It is not means-tested but does have to be applied for. If you have turned 70 or 75 without hearing of it, see Lone Pensioner Allowance on nidirect.
Making home life easier
Entitlements are one side of the picture. The other is spending wisely on things that keep you safe and independent. A few places to start:
- Preventing falls at home – simple, low-cost changes room by room.
- Personal alarms – how pendant and wrist alarms work and what they cost to run.
- VAT relief on mobility aids – paying 5% or no VAT on equipment and adaptations.
- Mobility aids buying guide – including asking the council for an assessment before you buy.
If you are worried about your health, memory, balance or medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist. They can also tell you which NHS checks and vaccinations are offered to your age group.
Discounts
Commercial discounts rarely have a special rate at 75: most begin at 60 or 65 and carry on. You will find them all in our over-60s discounts section and the discount finder. If you have never asked for a concession on the principle that you did not need one, 75 is a perfectly good age to start.
Common reasons people miss out at 75
- Believing the TV licence is free for all over-75s. It is not, and paying nothing without a valid free licence can lead to enforcement letters.
- Having Pension Credit but never applying for the free licence. The two systems are separate; TV Licensing needs an application.
- Not rechecking Pension Credit after a bereavement.
- Seeing growing difficulties as "just age". Attendance Allowance exists for exactly those difficulties.
Common questions
Is the TV licence free for everyone over 75?
No. Since 2020 it has been free only for people aged 75 or over who get Pension Credit, or whose partner at the same address does.
Does my State Pension go up at 75?
No. There is no increase linked to turning 75.
Does the Winter Fuel Payment increase at 75?
No. The higher rate begins at 80. See what you get at 80.
Who can do a full benefits check for me?
Age UK and Citizens Advice both offer free checks. Our benefits checklist will help you prepare.