Help only available to older Brits
There are loads of perks, discounts and incentives reserved for older Brits.
Even a little bit of extra financial help can make a huge difference, so we've rounded up loads of extra perks you can take advantage of.
Note that some will be available from just 50 years old, while others are only for those aged 60 and upwards.
If you've taken advantage of all the assistance you can get and are still struggling, take a look at this guide to boosting your income in retirement.
Claim Pension Credit & benefits
Top up your pension income
Pension Credit is made up of two parts, namely Guarantee Pension Credit and Savings Credit.
The purpose of Guarantee Pension Credit is to top up low incomes, bringing them up to a minimum of £201.05 for single people and £306.85 for a couple.
Savings Credit is an additional payment for people who saved some money towards their retirement, such as a workplace pension.
It is worth up to £15.94 extra for individuals or up to £17.84 for couples.
Take a look at this page to see if you can benefit.
Claim Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit can be used to help pay your rent if you have passed State Pension age and you have a low income or are claiming other benefits.
There’s no set amount that you can claim ‒ there are a host of different factors that influence that, such as whether you are renting council housing or privately, your household income, and your circumstances.
For example, if you are renting privately, the amount of rent that you can claim help with is either your Local Housing Allowance rate or your actual rent, whichever is lower.
You can apply through your local council or as part of a Pension Credit claim, and you can get more info from this section of the Gov.uk website.
Get help with your Council Tax
You could get a helping hand with your Council Tax through the Council Tax Reduction scheme. In fact, your bill could be reduced by up to 100%.
What you can get will come down to a host of factors, including your location (each council runs its own scheme), your household income and what level of savings you have.
You can apply for Council Tax reduction through this section of the Government’s website.
Free prescriptions
It costs £9.65 for an NHS prescription but if you’re aged 60 or over and living in England, you won’t have to pay anything.
If you live somewhere else in the UK, you're obviously entitled to free prescriptions regardless of your age.
Save on pharmacy meds with ChemistDirect
Help with your heating
The Government has a few long-standing initiatives in place to help cover your heating in the bitter winter months.
Winter Fuel Payment
The Winter Fuel Payment helps those born on or before 26 September 1956 keep warm during the winter.
The amount of money you get depends on your age and who lives in your house, ranging between £250 and £600 a year.
The deadline for claiming payments for the winter is 31 March each year.
Those who have received it in previous years shouldn’t have to make another claim – it’ll be given to you automatically.
What’s more, you should receive it automatically if you meet the age and residence criteria and receive another Government benefit including State Pension, Pension Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance.
Learn more here, or ring the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm to claim.
Cold Weather Payment
You’ll receive a £25 payment when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days between 1 November and 31 March each year.
If you’re entitled to other income-related benefits like Pension Credit, you’ll be eligible for Cold Weather Payments. It’ll be paid automatically too.
If it isn’t, tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus office or if you’re getting Universal Credit, contact 0800 328 9344.
Warm Homes Discount
You can also get £150 off your electricity bill through the Warm Homes Discount scheme.
It won't be paid to you directly: it's a one-off lump sum that will be taken off your electricity bill at some point between September and March.
You can qualify for the discount if all of the following apply:
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your electricity supplier is part of the scheme
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your name is on the bill
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you are getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
Insulation and heating schemes
You can free loft insulation and other energy efficiency improvements from your energy supplier under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme and sometimes through other grants.
In fact, from 2023 the Government is introducing an ECO+ scheme, to help thousands more homes benefit from free insulation, as well as other efficiency improvements.
Contact the Energy Saving Trust (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and Nest (Wales) for more information.
There is also a full list of participating energy suppliers on the Ofgem website.
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Health
Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payments (PIP), formerly the Disability Living Allowance, will cover you if you have long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64.
The financial support you receive depends on how the condition affects you, not the actual condition itself, but you’ll get between £26.90 and £101.75 a week.
Find out how to take advantage on the Government's website.
Attendance Allowance
People who are over 65 could get help with personal care if they’re physically or mentally disabled. It’s paid at two different rates (higher and lower) and the amount you get is dependent on how much care you need.
Other benefits that you already get may be increased on top of it, but you could get £68.10 or £101.75 a week as standard, depending on whether you need lower or higher rate care.
Over 60s can also get free eye tests and there’s 20% off glasses at Specsavers on ranges for over 60s to boot. Boots also offer 20% discounts for the over 60s, as well as all additional pairs being half price.
You could also get help towards dental treatment as well as travel costs to the hospital.
Travel
Free bus pass
Those living in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland qualify for a free bus pass when they reach the age of 60.
In England, it’s slightly more complicated. Women will get a bus pass when they reach State Pension age, whereas men will only qualify when they reach the pensionable age of a woman born on the same day as them.
There are some regional differences too though ‒ over 60s can travel for free on public transport in London for example.
Get more information on how to apply here.
Senior Railcard
A Senior Railcard will give you a third off standard and first class anytime, off-peak and advance fares and it costs just £30 for the one-year card or £70 for the three-year option.
Free passport
British nationals born on or before 2nd September 1929 could get a free passport, saving you up to £95.
Entertainment, shopping and culture
Silver screenings
Odeon holds cheaper screenings for 'seniors' during the week, complete with a cup of tea and a biscuit.
See How to get cheap and free cinema tickets for more details.
Museums
A lot of museums offer money off for senior citizens. The National Trust offers reduced-price membership too.
War pensioners and widows
If your partner died as a result of their service in the Armed Forces or during a time of war, then you may be entitled to a War Widow’s or Widower’s Pension.
Get your claim form from Veterans UK by phoning 0808 1914 218.
Home repairs
Age UK offers handyperson services across most of the country to give older people help with small practical jobs.
You can enter your postcode on this page to see if this is available where you live.
They can help with small repairs, installing safety measures like a smoke alarm, home security and energy efficiency checks.
You can call Age UK to see what services they can help you find on 0800 678 1602 or search for your local centre online.
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