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Apply for an older person's bus pass

If you live in england or wales.

In England you can get a bus pass for free travel when you reach the State Pension age .

If you live in London, you can travel free on buses, tubes and other transport when you’re 60, but only within London.

In Wales you can get a bus pass when you reach 60.

Enter your postcode to:

• apply for a bus pass from your local council
• check if you can get one sooner

Find a postcode on Royal Mail's postcode finder

If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland

You get an older person’s bus pass when you’re 60. Apply if you’re in:

• Northern Ireland

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Benefits and Entitlements

If you're 60 or over or you have a disability, you might be eligible for public transport concessions – from discounts on your rail journeys to a free bus pass.

What transport concessions are available?

Can i get a free bus pass, can i get a discount on train travel, can i get a london freedom pass, what if i have difficulty using public transport, what if i'm unable to use public transport, more travel concessions questions.

There are several national public transport concessions available to older and disabled people. Some entitle you to discounts on your fares, while others allow you to travel for free.

Eligibility for these concessions depends on whether you have a disability or your age. 

Depending on your age and your circumstances, you might be able to get one of the following free bus passes, which allow you to travel free on local buses:

• an older person's bus pass
• a disabled person's bus pass

What age do I have to be to get an older person's bus pass?

You can get an older person's bus pass when you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66 for both women and men.

Apply for your older person's bus pass on GOV.UK

If you're 60 or over and live in London, then you can get free travel on buses, trains and other modes of transport in and around London with a 60+ London Oyster photocard.

Apply for your 60+ London Oyster photocard on the TFL website

How can I get a disabled person's bus pass?

There's no central provider of the disabled person's bus pass – to find out if you're eligible and how to apply, you need to get in touch with your local council.

Find your local council and apply for a disabled person's bus pass on GOV.UK

Are there any other discounts if I'm an older person or I'm disabled?

It's a good idea to contact individual transport operators to see if they offer discounts.

For instance, National Express offers Coachcards. These are discount cards for older or disabled customers. You buy them for a set fee of £15.00 and they get you a third off the cost of your travel across the year.

Find out more and order a Coachcard on the National Express website

Depending on your age and circumstances, you might be entitled to one of the below railcards:

• a Senior Railcard
• a Disabled Person's Railcard

Both railcards are discount cards. You buy them for a set fee to last either 1 or 3 years and they get you a third off the cost of your train travel.

Can I get a Senior Railcard?

The Senior Railcard is available for anyone aged 60 or over to buy.

You can apply on the Senior Railcard website using a valid passport or UK driving licence as ID. Or, you can apply in person at most staffed railway stations.

Find out more about the Senior Railcard and apply online

Can I get a Disabled Person's Railcard?

The Disabled Person's Railcard is available to you if you meet one of the following criteria:

• you're registered as deaf or use a hearing aid
• you're registered as having a visual impairment
• you have epilepsy
• you receive a disability-related benefit, such as  Personal Independence Payment
• you receive War or Service Disablement pension
• you receive Attendance Allowance
• you receive Severe Disablement Allowance
• you receive War Pensioner's mobility supplement

Find out more about the Disabled Person's Railcard and apply online

Freedom Passes give London residents free travel in the city – including National Rail services, the Underground, buses, river services and trams – and free local bus journeys nationally.

If you live in London, you can apply for a Freedom Pass if one of the following applies to you:

• you've reached State Pension age
• you have a disability.

Find out more about Freedom Passes and apply on the London Councils website

National Rail has an interactive tool called Stations Made Easy, designed to help people find their way around stations and find more accessible routes, avoiding potential difficulties like stairs. This may be helpful if you have difficulty using public transport because of your health. 

Find out more and use the tool on the National Rail website

If you're disabled, you can't use public transport, or you don't have access to a car, you might also be able to use a community transport scheme – such as a social car, dial-a-ride, or taxicard scheme.

Shopmobility schemes help people shop in town centres by lending out wheelchairs and scooters. Some local councils also offer concessions on local public transport.

To find out what's available in your area, you can contact your local council or your local Age UK.

Find your local council on GOV.UK

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No, you can't use a free bus pass on National Express buses. To get senior concessions on National Express you need to buy a senior coachcard, which costs £15 a year.

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Yes, your bus pass will give you free travel on buses across England, including London. However, there may be specific rules about when you can travel for free, so check your local council's free bus pass guidance before travelling.

Find your local council's older person's bus pass guidance on GOV.UK

Want more information?

Apply for an older person's bus pass on GOV.UK

Apply for a disabled person's bus pass on GOV.UK

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Last updated: Apr 09 2024

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Scheduled maintenance:

 some of our online forms will be unavailable on Thursday 2 May between 7:30am and 8:30am. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Mayor of London and GLA elections:

You will need to bring a photo ID to vote at a polling station in the GLA and Mayoral elections on 2 May .

Older Person's Freedom Pass and concessionary fares

Who is eligible for an Older Person's Freedom Pass and how to apply.

Please be aware, a fake website for freedom passes has been reported to the National Cyber Security Centre. To apply for an older person's freedom pass only use this address: www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedom-pass no other website address is valid.

Freedom Passes allow free travel on most public transport services in London, and on most local buses nationally. Read more on what transport you can use on the London Councils website .

Applying for a new pass

Use the Freedom Pass calculator  to find out when you become eligible for free travel. 

Apply for an Older Person's Freedom Pass on the London Councils website

You can apply up to 14 days before the date you become eligible. You can also download an application form , print it and return it in the post.

Assistance completing your form is available from any Croydon library.

60+ Oyster card

Apply for a 60+ Oyster card on the TL website

London residents aged 60 who haven't reached state retirement age can apply for a  60+ Oyster card on the TfL website . It gives you free travel on buses, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London.

60+ Oyster pass holders are not entitled to free travel on services outside of London.

Concessionary fares for older customers

There are a number of options that those aged 60 or over can take to reduce the cost of travel, including:

• Those with an Older Person’s Freedom Pass can travel free on the TfL network after 09:30 on weekdays and at any time on weekends and bank holidays
• The Hopper fare gives unlimited journeys for £1.65, made within one hour of first touching in
• A Senior Railcard discount set on an Oyster card gives a third
• off pay as you go off-peak fares
• Those claiming certain benefits can get a 50 per cent discount on bus and tram pay as you go fares and season tickets
• Those with a Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass can travel free at any time on the TfL network, and on most National Rail services in London after 09:30 on weekdays and at any time on weekends and bank holidays

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News | London

Free early travel for over-60s as Sadiq Khan scraps Friday peak fares

Older Londoners will be able to travel for free early in the morning for the first time in four years as Sadiq Khan announced an expansion of his Friday off-peak fares initiative.

The mayor revealed on Sunday that he plans to scrap peak Tube and train fares in London on Fridays for three months in a bid to attract commuters back into workplaces and boost the night-time economy.

On Monday he said the 1.2 million Londoners who have a 60+ Oyster or Freedom Pass will qualify for free travel throughout Fridays under the off-peak trial, which is due to start in March.

The trial is in addition to the mayor’s partial fares freeze that will leave  all pay-as-you-go Tube and bus fares unchanged until March 2025 - though Travelcards and the “cap” on the total cost of multiple pay-as-you go journeys will increase by about five per cent.

Mr Khan said the Friday off-peak fares scheme was set to launch on March 8. He said it had been funded by "prudent budgeting".

He is spending £123m of City Hall cash on the fares freeze and a further £24m on the off-peak Friday initiative. The mayor told the Standard: "It's a good example of prudence for a purpose. 

"The money comes from business rates. It's really good that we are using business rates money to support businesses."

He said he was "keeping my fingers crossed" that the capital's commuter rail firms agreed to the scheme.

If they refuse, then TfL will have to consider alternatives. Part of the £24m will go to the train firms to compensate them for lost peak fares. 

"We have got to recognise that we all win if passengers come back," Mr Khan said. 

He said the scheme would be considered a success if there was "growth" in the number of passengers and no "unintended consequences" on busier midweek days.

Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall accused Labour mayor Mr Khan of “gimmicks”, amid cross-party anger at City Hall at a “lack of transparency” in how he has managed to fund £147m of transport giveaways so close to the May mayoral elections.

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At present, the 60+ Oyster and the Freedom Pass, which is given to Londoners when they reach the state pension age, cannot be used between 4.30am and 9am on weekdays. Both allow free travel on public transport in the capital .

The pre-9am restriction was introduced at the start of the pandemic in 2020 to aid social distancing, and made permanent last year to boost TfL’s fares income, despite widespread protests from older Londoners.

Students and young people should also benefit from Friday off-peak fares, as their railcards will be valid throughout the day not just at off-peak times, City Hall said on Monday.

Mr Khan said he wanted to “help Londoners of all ages with the cost-of-living crisis”.

He said: “For the 1.2 million Londoners with a 60+ Oyster card or a Freedom Pass, they’ll be able to travel for free before 9am.

“For younger people travelling to college or university using pay as you go, or having to commute early for their job, it will put money directly back into their pockets at a time when they need it most.”

Abigail Wood, chief executive of Age UK London, which had campaigned to reinstate pre-9am use of the Freedom Pass, said: “Free travel is a lifeline to older Londoners and during this cost-of-living crisis it has never been more important.

“As well as calling for a longer term commitment from TfL, we continue to call on the Government to properly fund TfL to help enable a permanent return to free travel before 9am for older Londoners.”

The fares freeze and off-peak Friday schemes were only listed as “transport innovations” in his draft budget – leading to anger from London Assembly members struggling to scrutinise his spending.

Mr Khan has outlined a £512m pre-election spending “uplift” in recent weeks, including £30m for an enhanced pay rise for Tube workers to avoid a week of strikes, a second year of free primary school meals and more cash for the Met police.

This spending splurge has been largely funded by raiding City Hall reserves and due to a windfall in higher than anticipated income from business rates.

But the mayor is hiking his share of council tax bills by 8.6 per cent – meaning a typical household will pay £471 a year to City Hall from April, almost £200 more than when he came to power in 2016.

Critics say Mr Khan was unduly pessimistic with his early financial projections – thus creating a pre-election “war chest” as he seeks a record third term of office.

City Hall Conservatives transport spokesman Keith Prince said: “With just three months until the mayoral election, Sadiq Khan is becoming increasingly desperate.

"After asking Londoners to lend him their votes last week, he has now announced a temporary three-day weekend on the Tube.

“In the past few weeks, Sadiq Khan has found £177m down the back of the City Hall sofa for TfL to stave off Tube strikes, temporarily freeze fares this year and pause peak fares on Friday for three months."

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Freedom passes for older people

The Freedom Pass for older people gives free travel on most public transport in London 24 hours a day (after 9.30am on most National Rail services within the London area), including all day at weekends and on public holidays.

This pass may also be used to travel on local bus services in the rest of England under the terms of the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007.

Freedom Passes are funded by your local  council.

Who can apply

You can apply for a Freedom Pass pass if you meet the age criteria and your sole or principal residence is in the London Borough of Bromley. You can  find out if you are eligible  on the Freedom Pass website.

If you are aged 60 or over, but not yet eligible for the Freedom Pass, you can still get free travel in London by applying for a  60+ London Oyster Photocard .

How to apply

You can apply for the Older Persons Freedom Pass online at  www.freedompass.org

More information about what documents you will need when you apply online can be found on the Freedom Pass website. 

If you need help applying online please visit your  local library  or Bromley Civic Centre.

If you are unable to apply online, you can pick up a paper application form, which you will need to complete and return in the post. Application forms can be picked up from your local Library or Bromley Civic Centre.

You will need to provide proof of your identity, proof of your address and one colour passport-sized photograph.

Details of the type of documents required .

Lost, stolen, damaged or faulty passes?

Visit the Freedom Pass website for  information about how to replace your pass .

Freedom Pass holders who lose or damage their passes will be charged £10 for replacements.

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Older Persons Freedom Pass

You can apply for the Older Persons Freedom Pass if you meet the age criteria and your sole or principal residence is in the London Borough of Wandsworth.

The scheme is managed by London Councils on behalf of the London boroughs.

How to apply

Visit the London Councils website to find out more and apply for an Older Persons Freedom Pass .

Up to Freedom Passes

Updated: 24/05/2023

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Freedom Pass eligibility

Eligibility checker.

To have an Older Person's pass you must meet the age criteria. You can calculate your eligible date using our Eligibilty checker.

Please enter your date of birth:

Calculated dates:

is the date you become eligible for a Freedom Pass

is the earliest date you can apply for a Freedom Pass

Using your Freedom Pass

Using your Freedom Pass is straightforward. You don’t have to take it out of its wallet or insert it into any machines.

Card readerOn the gates at most stations and when boarding buses you will see a yellow circle which is a card reader. Keep your pass in its wallet and then touch the pass flat onto the yellow card reader.

• When travelling on Underground and train services you will need to touch your card on the reader when entering and exiting stations
• On buses, trams and Docklands Light Railway you will only need to touch your card on the reader when boarding
• On buses with more than one entry door, e.g. bendy buses, you must touch your card on a reader at the earliest opportunity.

Politics latest: Polls set to open across England and Wales as voting takes place in local elections

England and Wales are holding a series of elections on Thursday, with several regional mayors and police and crime commissioners being decided as well as council seats up for grabs. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.

Wednesday 1 May 2024 23:28, UK

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Guto Harri, the former Number 10 director of communications under Boris Johnson, has said it is a "realistic prospect" the Conservatives could move against Rishi Sunak if the results of the local elections are bad.

"I think that would be mad and unfair, but I think it's a realistic prospect now," he tells Sophy Ridge .

"It's clear that one or two mayoral contests could be read as the trigger. It could be that the overall number is so bad that that is the trigger."

'It can be very brutal'

Mr Harri says that, by Sunday, there could be conversations across Westminster on whether Tory MPs could move against Mr Sunak.

"It can happen very, very quickly, and it can be very brutal," noting the speed at which his old boss Mr Johnson was toppled.

Andrew Fisher, former head of policy for Jeremy Corbyn, says that, in contrast, Thursday could be a good night for Labour.

"It's clearly going to be a bad night for Rishi Sunak," he says.

We'll be back from 6am as polls prepare to open in local elections across the country, with mayoral and police commissioner votes also planned.

Until then, here are the headlines:

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf has resigned – days after he cut the SNP's powersharing deal with the Scottish Greens.

It followed a bitter row over the SNP's climbdown on climate targets as he said the agreement between the parties had "served its purpose".

As a result, his former Green allies teamed up with the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats to get behind two no-confidence motions, one in himself as leader of Scotland and another regarding the entire Scottish government.

Now attention turns to another SNP leadership contest and what the divisions in Scottish politics could mean for the future of the independence campaign.  

On the Sky News Daily , Matt Barbet speaks to Paul Hutcheon, political editor of the Daily Record, and Shona Craven, from The National, about how the SNP can move on after Mr Yousaf's resignation.

Plus, Connor Gillies , our Scotland correspondent , explains how the leadership election will unfold.  

Sir Keir Starmer told Sky News today he doesn't "believe" in the government's Rwanda scheme.

He said Labour would ditch it, vowing not to "flog a dead horse".

His plan would be to "stop the gangs that are running this vile trade" of smuggling people across the Channel, working with law enforcement in Europe.

"And that's why I've already had discussions in The Hague (including with EU law enforcement agency Europol) about how quickly we can share data intelligence to do that," he said.

"I'm absolutely determined to tackle this problem because the government has lost control of the borders."

Watch more below:

It's been three years since the 2,600 council seats up for grabs this week were in play - and Sir Keir Starmer couldn't be in more different place as he goes into polling day.

Back in 2021, facing an ascending Boris Johnson, Sir Keir lost the Hartlepool by-election, hundreds of councillors and a clutch of councils.

It was, Sir Keir tells me on his final election rally in the Essex town of Harlow - where Labour wants to take the council off the Tories this week and win the constituency back at the general election - a "low point", as he confirmed for the first time that he considered quitting as the results came in and the Johnson inflatable blimp flew high over Hartlepool.

"I did [consider quitting] because I didn't feel that I should be bigger than the party and that if I couldn't bring about the change, perhaps there should be a change," he said.

"But actually in the end I reflected on it, talked to very many people and doubled down and determined no it is the change in the Labour Party we need."

You can read more from Beth below:

A trade union representing senior civil servants has submitted an application for a judicial review against the government's controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda.

The FDA said its move related to the relationship of the Civil Service Code with the government's Safety of Rwanda Act.

The union said that under the act a minister could determine whether to comply with an order made by the European Court of Human Rights.

A direction to ignore such an order would breach international law, which conflicts with the duty of civil servants under the Civil Service Code to act in compliance with the law, which includes international law, said the FDA.

General secretary Dave Penman said it was not a decision the union had taken lightly, adding: "The government has had plenty of time to include an explicit provision in the act regarding breaking international law commitments which would have resolved this but it chose not to.

"Civil servants should never be left in a position where they are conflicted between the instructions of ministers and adhering to the Civil Service Code, yet that is exactly what the government has chosen to do.

"This is not an accident, or down to poor drafting. It's a political choice from the government, made not for the good of the country but to avoid upsetting either of the warring factions within its own party."

Mr Penman said the union had to protect the interests of its members and the integrity of the Civil Service Code.

A government spokesperson said: "The Home Office already sought advice from the director general of proprietary and ethics in the Cabinet Office on the issue of the Civil Service Code and claims over the legality of implementing the Rwanda deportation scheme under the new legislation."

The week has kicked off with a huge political story - the resignation of Humza Yousaf - and will end with another, as voters across England and Wales turn out for the local elections.

Sky's political reporter Alexandra Rogers   has looked ahead to a potentially defining night for Rishi Sunak's premiership, when hundreds of council seats, police and crime commissioner jobs, and mayoral posts will be up for grabs.

Read her full explainer below:

The Tory mayor of the West Midlands is sending voters an endorsement from Boris Johnson which urges people to "forget about the government", Sky News can reveal.

Andy Street's campaign website makes no mention of Rishi Sunak on its homepage and is coloured in green rather than Conservative blue, suggesting the mayor is trying to run on his credentials as an independent campaigner rather than under the unpopular Tory brand.

Other campaign literature - including the front page of a campaign "newspaper" seen by Sky News - makes no mention of the Conservative leader.

You can read more from Sky News below:

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local election campaign well under way, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

By Sam Coates , deputy political editor

More than 2,600 seats are up for election in 107 English councils on Thursday.

Now, YouGov has made its final calls for some key contests using the MRP polling method after interviewing almost 9,000 people over two weeks.

Here, exclusively on Sky News, are the headlines. 

We'll start with two key battlegrounds...

By Tomos Evans , Wales reporter

Calls for an investigation into a £200,000 donation to Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething have intensified in recent weeks.

A motion calling for an independent probe into the money was debated in the Senedd on Wednesday and defeated by 27 votes to 25.

But former deputy climate change minister Lee Waters said Mr Gething should do "the right thing" and return the donation.

Mr Gething was elected leader of Welsh Labour in March and succeeded Mark Drakeford as Wales's first minister.

Opposition parties launched a bid to appoint an independent advisor to check whether there was any conflict of interest over the donation during the leadership campaign.

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