Access to free public transport for older Londoners could be scaled back after London Councils confirmed it is reviewing the cost of the Older Person’s Freedom Pass.
London Councils, which represents the capital’s 32 boroughs and the City of London, said it is becoming increasingly concerned about the rising expense of delivering the scheme. While no immediate changes are planned, options are being examined as part of a wider review.
One proposal that has been suggested is restricting free travel for over-66s to buses only. London Councils has indicated that such a change could save boroughs more than £100m a year.
The Freedom Pass currently allows people aged 66 and over to travel free on buses, the Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground, the Elizabeth line and most National Rail services within the capital. The scheme is funded by London’s borough councils and the City of London Corporation.
Alongside the Freedom Pass, Transport for London funds the 60+ London Oyster card, which offers similar travel benefits to people aged between 60 and 65, until they become eligible for the Freedom Pass.
The cost of providing the Older Person’s Freedom Pass has risen sharply in recent years. London Councils expects spending to increase by almost 12% in the next financial year, from just under £333m in 2025–26 to around £372m in 2026–27.
Papers from a December meeting of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee show that limiting the scheme to bus travel only would reduce annual costs to about £224m.
However, any significant change to the Freedom Pass would require new legislation. Under the current Greater London Authority Act, the scheme must include all Transport for London modes, including the Tube, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line.
According to London Councils, more than 1.2 million Freedom Passes are currently in use. The cost of each journey is effectively charged to the borough where the trip begins.
Stephen Boon, chief operating officer at London Councils, said the Freedom Pass offers more generous benefits than those available elsewhere in England.
“It’s more than a bus pass, which is what it is in the rest of the country,” he told the Standard. “It’s costing more than boroughs can afford.”
The discussion comes amid broader debate about the long-term affordability of age-related benefits, as England’s population continues to age. Almost one in five people in England are now aged 65 or over, with older age groups projected to grow faster than any other segment of the population in coming decades.
By 2065, it is estimated that more than a quarter of England’s population will be aged 65 and over, raising further questions about how free or subsidised public services can be sustained over the long term.
