10 freebies and discounts for pensioners worth £7,437 in May including free passports and cinema tickets
MILLIONS of pensioners can ease pressure on budgets with free cash, and discounts stacking up to thousands of pounds worth of value.
Britons reaching state pension age can unlock a range of freebies through various schemes from companies and the government.
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Making the most of perks can help ease cost pressures as well as enhancing the quality of life without spending more.
The range from public transport helping you to get out and about, to council tax discounts which keeps more cash in your budget each month.
Here's guide to the freebies and discounts available for pensioners this May.
Discounted days out and cinema tickets - £24
If you're over 60, you can get discounted days out and cinema tickets.
Empire has special Senior screenings for over-60s every Wednesday morning and tickets cost £4.50.
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.
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.
Existing National Trust members aged 60 who have been a member for the last three years or more can get 25% off the price.
This means that you'll pay £72 for individual senior annual membership instead of £96 for an adult membership, saving £24.
Discounted travel - £1,084
In England you can get an older persons bus pass for free travel when you reach state pension age, for both men and women.
In Wales and Scotland you can get a free bus pass when you reach 60.
Anyone over the age of 60 who lives in London can claim an Older Person's Freedom Pass.
This allows you to travel free on TfL services anytime Monday to Friday, except between 04:30-09:00. You can travel free anytime at weekends and on bank holiday
There are further other schemes that run across the country, check with your local council to see what financial support is available.
The value depends on how much a bus pass is in your local area. In London an annual bus and tram pass is £988.
If you often travel on trains, the Senior Railcard offers a third off train fares.
It costs £30 but the average cardholder saves £96 annually, add that to the cost of bus travel and you see savings of more than £1,000.
Free passport - £94.50
British nationals born on or before 2 September 1929 can skip the charges of a passport and get one for free.
This saves a pensioner up to £94.50.
However, if you need to use the fast track service you'll still need to pay.
Free prescriptions – worth £114.50 annually
Once you turn 60, prescriptions are free across England, Scotland, and Wales.
If you need regular prescriptions and buy an annual prepayment certificate, you can save up to £114.50 annually.
Free Eye Tests - £25
All over-60s qualify for free NHS eye tests, which typically cost between £20 and £25.
You should schedule a check-up once a year, as well as testing your eyesight, it also checks overall eye health.
National insurance exemption – £1,851.20
Many choose to keep working past state pension age, but as you have reached entitlement to the state pension you no longer need to pay National Insurance.
The amount you save depends on how much you earn.
But to give you an idea, someone earning £20,000 a year currently pays £594 in primary Class 1 NICs, while an employee earning £40,000 this year will pay £2,194, according to data from Tax.org.uk.
And the average weekly wage in the UK according to the ONS is £687 for total earnings which would mean a typical £1,851.20 in National Insurance, which you save after State Pension Age.
Pension Credit - £3,900
When you reach state pension the benefits you are entitled to change.
It's important to claim what you can as these are often the gateway for getting further discounts and freebies.
This is particularly the case with Pension Credit, which hundreds of thousands of eligible pensioners are failing to claim.
It tops up the income of pensioners on lower earnings.
It will take weekly income up to to £218.15 if you're single or joint income to £332.95.
The exact value will depend on your income but DWP says the average reward is worth more than £3,900 a year.
It's not difficult to apply for Pension Credit, you can do it up to four months before you reach state pension age through the government website or by calling 0800 99 1234.
Once you get pension credit you qualify for a while host of extra freebies, which we lay out below.
Free TV lic ence - £174.50
If you're 75 or over and you receive Pension Credit you can claim a free TV licence, saving you £174.50 a year.
Free NHS dental treatment – save £26.80
If you or your partner claim Pension Credit, you're entitled to free NHS dental care.
Depending on the treatment, this could save you anywhere from £26.80 for a routine check-up to £319.10 for dental work such as crowns or dentures.
Tell your dentist about your eligibility before receiving treatment.
Discounted broadband – save £142.92
Many broadband providers offer discounted social tariffs for those on low income.
Often you may need to be on certain benefits such as Pension Credit to qualify.
These plans often cost as little as £14.99 per month, compared to the average broadband cost of £26.90 per month, and they usually include line rental too.
Over the year, this could save you £142.92.
Discounted water bills
If you're on a low income, ask your water provider about social tariffs, which can knock hundreds of pounds of your bill.
Discounts vary depending on the provider, and some offer a flat rate, while others will give a percentage discount.
Contact your supplier to find out what's available.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
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