Overview
The older persons Freedom Pass allows free travel across London and on free local bus journeys nationally. The scheme is administered by London Councils on behalf of the London boroughs.
Any older person whose sole or principal residence is in a London borough and who meets the age criteria can receive a pass. Eligibility can be checked on: www.freedompass.org, and proof of age and London residency is required by applicants.
2024 renewal of older persons Freedom Pass
By law, the Freedom Passes must be renewed every five years. Therefore, residents whose pass expires on 31 March 2024 will need to renew their pass in order to keep using the scheme.
London Councils wrote to those pass holders who they believed have changed their address in January 2023, asking them to renew their pass. The letter contains a unique renewal number and instructions on how they can renew their pass online in four easy steps.
Pass holders are encouraged to renew online, but those who are unable to do so can complete a paper form, which is also provided in the letter1.
Freedom Pass holders do not need to have an email address to renew online. However, the benefits of setting up an account using an email address include: receiving an update when the new pass is sent out and being able to update the account online in the future.
Disabled Freedom Pass
Holders of the disabled person’s Freedom Pass with an expiry date of 31 March 2024 will receive their new pass in February once their eligibility has been checked by their local council. Therefore, holders of the disabled persons Freedom Pass will not receive a letter and may not need to actively re-apply. However, their local borough may contact them to confirm their continued eligibility for the scheme. Disabled passes are only valid for as long as the pass holder meets the eligibility criteria for the scheme. If someone’s circumstances change before the expiry date of the pass, their pass may be stopped. If they do not respond to borough correspondence inviting them to be re-assessed, their pass may be stopped.
Receiving the new pass
Residents will receive a new pass in the post from February 2024, as long as their application is successful. They will only be contacted by the Freedom Pass team if there is an issue.
The status of their Freedom Pass renewal can be tracked online at: www.freedompass.org/tracker
Once the new Freedom Pass is received, it can be used immediately and the old pass destroyed.
Why are we encouraging people to go online?
We anticipate that approximately 100,000 older people will need to renew their passes before 31 March 2024 and online renewal is the easiest route for pass holders and the cheapest option for boroughs. In 2023, 88 per cent of respondents renewed online.
Address changes
Older person’s pass holders whose details are not correct can update their details online by providing proof of identity and/or address. A list of documents which will be accepted is listed as part of the Frequently Asked Questions sheet enclosed with the letter.
If someone with a Freedom Pass expiring on 31 March 2024 has not received a letter by the end of February, they should contact the Freedom Pass Team on: info@freedompass.org or 0300 330 1433.
1 Any residents in the London Borough of Sutton who are not renewing their pass online can visit their local library for assistance