Age UK, the charity that represents the interests of Britain’s older generations, has expressed its firm opposition to any suggestion that Londoners should lose their Freedom Pass concessionary travel.
On the buses: the societal benefits of providing travel passes outweigh the costs, according to Age UK
The Freedom Pass provides free travel on all Transport for London services and national rail services within Greater London (except during the morning rush hour).
The Freedom Pass is paid for by Croydon and the other 31 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation out of parking permit fees and traffic fines, but in the next financial year, 2026-2027, its cost will hit £372million – up by almost 12%.
More than 1.2million Londoners have Freedom Passes. London Councils, the umbrella organisation for the 33 councils in the capital, has estimated that they will be paying for 279million journeys from April – 221million on the buses and 44.7million on the Tube.
Options could include increasing the age at which Londoners receive the Freedom Pass, making it means-tested or excluding national rail services within Greater London.
“Age UK London are opposed to any cuts or changes to the Freedom Pass,” the charity said.
“Age UK London believes that any cuts or changes to either the Freedom Pass or the 60+ Oyster will significantly impact many older Londoners.”
And Age UK London says that concessionary travel “makes a significant difference to the 24% of Londoners aged 60 to 64 that live in poverty”. They say that over the last 10 years poverty rates among older Londoners have increased from 18% to 22%, according to the Trust for London, while for all other age groups it has decreased.
“We know that older people can make savings on their weekly grocery shop when using their concessionary travel cards. They can shop at larger supermarkets making significant savings,” Age UK says.
Any cuts to the Freedom Pass or 60+ Oyster are “also a cause for deep concern when it comes to health”, the charity says.
“People need to have a social life to be well, and without one they risk becoming isolated and lonely. Transport is key to this, it includes people travelling to meet friends, family or to visit a community or social group. It is also vital in helping people to access GP, hospital or other health appointments.
“Concessionary travel can lead to wider health benefits. Research has found that people using public transport because they have a concessionary pass are likely to walk more.”
The charity lists a range of people who would be affected by the loss of the Freedom Pass, including unpaid carers, job seekers, volunteers and key workers.
And Age UK London also stresses that the 60+ Oyster is not free.
“There are 383,000 active users of the 60+ Oyster photocard offered to Londoners aged 60 to 66. There is an application fee of £35 and a £16 annual renewal fee.”
Age UK London estimates that for the 2026-2027 financial year, the amount generated by application and renewal fees will be around £10million – representing 12% of the cost of the scheme.
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2026, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for an EIGHTH time in nine years, in Private Eye magazine’s annual round-up of civic cock-ups
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Data from HMRC – as quoted in Lebedev’s Izvestia last June – showed that the UK missed out on £46.8bn of tax liabilities in the 2023-2024 financial year. That was up by £7bn from the previous year.
The largest part of the gap by tax type was uncollected Corporation Tax (41%), followed by Income tax, National Insurance contributions and a Capital Gains Tax gap. Uncollected VAT amounts to nearly a fifth (19%) share of the overall tax gap.
Plug that gap instead of telling us we can’t afford social goods
Just walking to the hospital and at the bus stop queuing to get on the bus I saw at least 6 pensioners using their bus pass.
the pass is a life line for people who don’t drive any more because of age related illnesses or ability’s otherwise they would be stuck in doors which is a killer in its self we should be like robin hood take from the rich and give to the poor.
At the worst it would be reduced to buses only which would align with that provided in the rest of the UK which could be seen as fair.
Another possible equalisation could be to get rid of the 60+ Oyster Card altogether which is only available within the London boroughs. And a large majority of people aged 60 – 66 are likely to be still working.
This Government is obsessed with means-testing benefits which were previously available to all over pension age. With that in mind, I strongly suspect this is where we will end up with the Freedom Pass.
While no-one is suggesting that the seriously rich need free travel any more than they need the winter fuel allowance, setting the bar much lower impacts many people who are not especially well-off. If they are going to go down this route, then the most sensible and simple approach would be to exclude those whose pension and other income takes them into the higher rate of income tax.
I live by myself and do not drive at all. I rely on my bus pass so I can carry my shopping back from the shops. I am 78 and really need my pass.
Pensioners in other areas don’t get free transport only free bus travel with the concessionary pass.
A council paid for free transport pass just for London which seems very unfair.
Oh the green-eyed monster of envy strikes again.
If it is our councils, using our money, paying for this benefit, how is that “unfair”?
You should seriously ask your council to do the same. Time to start punching up and stop punching down.
I would like to see ALL Governent/politions live on a government pension for at least 8 weeks, no other income, no cars at their disposal, no drawing any extra money from their fat bank accounts. They have absolutely no idea how the other half live.
probably don’t even know the price of bread. Councils have wasted money over the years and now want pensioners that have worked most of the life to give up a little independence. Shame on all of you.