MILLIONS of pensioners could be in line for free cash, discounts and freebies worth up more than £11,600.
Brits who have reached state pension age can grab the freebies under various schemes from companies and the government.
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State pension is a weekly payment from the government to men and women aged over 66 at the moment.
It’s intended to give anyone a retirement income to support them as they get older.
The amount pensioners get from the state rises every year to keep up with the cost of things like food and household bills.
The triple lock system sees the state pension rise in line with whatever is highest out of: wages for May to July, 2.5% or September’s inflation figures.
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State pension is paid every four weeks and the day you’re paid usually depends on the last two digits of your NI number.
The full rate of new State Pension is £221.20 a week, or £11,501 a year.
But, there’s even more help available for people who get the payment, from discounts to free cash.
We’ve put together a list of the nine freebies and discounts worth £11,668 you could get with your state pension.
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But it’s important to note, however, that might not be eligible for all of them.
1. Pension Credit – £3,900
Pension Credit is available to people over the State Pension age, currently 66, who live in England, Scotland or Wales.
What are the different types of pensions?
To qualify, tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single and £332.95 if you are in a couple.
If your income is lower than this, you should be eligible for the benefit.
It can be worth around £3,900 a year on average and unlocks many other benefits, such as council tax reductions and help with energy costs.
Below is a list of circumstances that impact how much you’re entitled to:
- Your State Pension
- Any other pensions you have saved, for instance, workplace or private pension savings
- Most social security benefits, for example, carer’s allowance
- Any savings or investments worth over £10,000
- Earnings from a job
You could get the “Savings Credit” part of Pension Credit if both of the following apply:
- You reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016
- You saved some money for retirement, for example, a personal or workplace pension
This part of Pension Credit is worth £17.01 a week for single-person households, or £19.04 for couples.
You may also get additional pension credit if you are disabled, have caring responsibilities or have to pay certain housing costs such as mortgage interest payments.
You can find out more about Pension Credit including how to apply in our guide.
How does the state pension work?
AT the moment the current state pension is paid to both men and women from age 66 – but it’s due to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046.
The state pension is a recurring payment from the government most Brits start getting when they reach State Pension age.
But not everyone gets the same amount, and you are awarded depending on your National Insurance record.
For most pensioners, it forms only part of their retirement income, as they could have other pots from a workplace pension, earning and savings.
The new state pension is based on people’s National Insurance records.
Workers must have 35 qualifying years of National Insurance to get the maximum amount of the new state pension.
You earn National Insurance qualifying years through work, or by getting credits, for instance when you are looking after children and claiming child benefit.
If you have gaps, you can top up your record by paying in voluntary National Insurance contributions.
To get the old, full basic state pension, you will need 30 years of contributions or credits.
You will need at least 10 years on your NI record to get any state pension.
2. Free prescriptions – worth £119
Once you reach 60, you can get free prescriptions from your local pharmacy – prescriptions usually cost £9.90 each in England.
So if you usually buy a single prescription each month you could save £118.80 over the year.
This benefit is automatic and there’s no need to apply.
If you’re 60 or over you’re also entitled to a free NHS sight test, so you should let your optician know when you reach 60 if you haven’t already.
Eye tests can usually cost between £20 and £30.
3. Benefit boost – £5,644.60
If you’re on certain benefits, you might be eligible for top-ups, or what’s called a disability premium.
Roughly six million people across the UK receive disability benefits which are exempt from tax.
But you’ll need to be receiving PIP alongside Pension Credit to qualify.
You should get in touch with the DWP if you’re not sure what help you’re entitled to.
You may need to send them a copy of your PIP award letter.
When you reach state pension age (currently 66) you may also be entitled to attendance allowance if you have health conditions.
Attendance Allowance can be worth up to £5,644.60 a year.
4. National Insurance cut – £1,394.40
When you’ve reached state pension age, you no longer pay National Insurance (NI), even if you’re still working.
This can mean a pretty big cut to your annual tax bill.
The threshold for NI payments is currently £12,570 a year for employed workers.
If you’re earning £30,000 a year you would save £1,394.40.in the 2024/25 tax year.
NI only applies to employment income – so if you retire before state pension age, and you only earn an income from pensions, you won’t have to pay it.
5. Cold weather payment – £25
When temperatures plummet, households across the country could be entitled to extra cash through the cold weather payment.
The cash from the government is worth £25 and people on Pension Credit are eligible.
It is dished out when temperatures are recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or below, on average, for seven consecutive days.
You get £25 for each seven-day period where the weather is below zero Celsius on average during this time frame.
You don’t need to apply for the cold weather payment as it’s paid automatically to those who are eligible.
6. Discounted rail fare – £142
Pensioners with a Senior Railcard can get discounted rail fares.
There is an annual cost of £30 for the card and gets you 1/3 off train travel.
People with a Senior Railcard save on average £142 a year, according to the government.
The Senior Railcard is available to travellers aged 60 or over.
You can apply for the card on the National Rail website.
7. Discounted days out and cinema tickets – £20
People aged over 60 can get discounted days out and cinema tickets.
If you’re an existing National Trust member aged 60 or over, and you’ve been a member for at least the last three years, you can ask for 25% off your subscription.
This means that you’ll pay £63 for individual senior membership instead of £84 and £104.40 for joint senior membership instead of £139.20.
Empire has special Senior screenings for over-60s every Wednesday morning and tickets cost £3.75.
Odeon also holds weekly Silver Cinema screenings for over-60s with ticket prices starting at £3.50.
Both cinemas also provide free refreshments too.
Plus, Vue cinemas senior screenings are discounted for over 60s and include a cup of tea and a biscuit.
While Showcase offers senior admission every Monday to any standard film starting before 12pm and it costs £5.
You can find your nearest branches using the locator tool on the website.
8. Free bus pass – £128
In England, you can get a bus pass for free travel when you reach the State Pension age.
Plus, 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.
You get an older person’s bus pass when you’re 60 if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
You can apply for the pass via your local council’s website which will have more information.
Make sure to check the website or phone your local council if you have any questions.
How much you save will depend on how much you use the pass.
But the average person with a concessionary bus pass made 64 journeys in the year to March 2022.
That’s the equivalent to an annual saving of a £128, with the average bus ticket currently costing £2.
9. Football discounts – up to £295
Watching your favourite football team can be pretty costly, especially if they’re in the Premier League.
But many clubs in the UK offers discounts for people over the age of 65.
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For example, Newcastle United offers over 65s a 25% discount on the standard price of a ticket.
Seasons tickets for Everton in the 2022/23 season were priced at £330 for fans who are 65 and over, whilst a full-priced adult season ticket ranges from £465 to £625.
How do I apply for pension credit?
YOU can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age.
Applications for pension credit can be made on the government website or by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
You can get a friend or family member to ring for you, but you’ll need to be with them when they do.
You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:
- National Insurance number
- Information about any income, savings and investments you have
- Information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually three months ago or the date you reached state pension age)
If you claim after you reach pension age, you can backdate your claim for up to three months.
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