Pensioners face losing free travel perks in this major UK city | UK | News
Pensioners may see their cherished Freedom Pass benefits reduced as the cost of providing freebies has soared to £372 million. Passes, which allow the capital’s senior citizens to use London’s entire transport network for free, have become a lifeline for millions and have resulted in reduced daily costs across the city.
London Councils, the body responsible for regulating passes, is launching a review that could effectively turn the Freedom Pass into a bus-only pass and eliminate the rail travel aspect. The plan has always included Underground and Overground journeys, but this may change.
Other options being considered include raising the age limit at which Londoners can claim the pass to 66, or removing national rail services in Greater London from the pass. The annual cost of the taxpayer-funded scheme across the capital’s 32 councils is expected to rise by more than 11.8 per cent in 2026, The Standard reports.
Councils gear up for 279 million free rides amid spending restrictions
Councils expect to pay for more than 279 million free journeys from April as they face spending constraints in other departments, including special needs and social care. Narrowing the scope of the Freedom Pass could ease this financial pressure by around £148 million a year, according to Stephen Boon, London Council’s chief operating officer, the Daily Mail reports.
The regulation would require parliament to amend the Greater London Assembly Act 1999. London’s plan is one of the most comprehensive in the country; many towns and cities instead offer free bus rides only during off-peak hours.
Freedom Pass is different from the 60+ London Oyster card
The Freedom Pass differs from the 60+ London Oyster card, which is managed by Transport for London (TfL), which only provides free travel during off-peak hours. These cards have been written off by TfL as a loss of revenue and the organization is believed to have missed out on £125 million in tickets for 60 to 65 year olds in 2025 alone – a figure expected to rise to £180 million by 2027.
Costs have increased thanks to Freedom Pass users taking more trips on the network and adjustments to how Elizabeth Line fares are calculated.
TfL will also charge London Councils directly for Oyster cards, which have been added to passes for the first time this year; each card will cost £1.50 and have around $400,000 in circulation.
Richest counties face funding cuts amid financial crunch
Mr Boon told a meeting of London Council’s transport and environment committee that the Association of London Treasurers, made up of the boroughs’ chief financial officers, had “expressed concerns about the rising cost of the Freedom Pass scheme”, the Mail reported.
He added that his officials “will continue to work to determine what other policy options can be used to control the cost of the plan in the future.”
Some of London’s wealthiest boroughs are bracing for funding cuts as councils continue to feel the financial strain. Richmond is bracing for a 16.2 per cent increase in the cost of financing the switch, while Brent expects its share of the bill to rise by more than £2 million. London Councils and TfL declined to comment.
