Westminster Freedom Pass: Apply at State Pension Age

A Westminster Freedom Pass gives you free travel on London’s buses, Tube, DLR, Overground, Elizabeth line, trams and most National Rail services in the capital, and on local buses across England. Westminster residents qualify in one of two ways: by reaching State Pension age, or at any age with one of the disabilities set out in law. The pass is free; the only thing you pay for is a photograph.

The two routes work differently. Older person’s passes are handled online by London Councils, which runs the scheme for all 32 boroughs and the City. Disabled person’s passes are assessed by Westminster City Council itself, on a paper form. And one change catches people out: if you have a 60+ London Oyster photocard, it no longer turns into a Freedom Pass on its own. You have to apply.

Older Person’s Freedom Pass

Who qualifies

According to London Councils’ Freedom Pass site, you need to:

• have reached State Pension age. You become eligible on the date you reach it, and can start your application up to 14 days before;
• live in Westminster (or another London borough or the City of London) as your sole or main home. Working or studying in Westminster does not count.

State Pension age is no longer simply 66. It is rising to 67 for people born on or after 6 April 1960, so many people now become eligible some months after their 66th birthday. Check your exact date on the GOV.UK State Pension age calculator, which also shows your bus pass date.

If you qualify for both the older person’s and the disabled person’s pass, London Councils says to apply for the disabled person’s pass.

What you need

Three things, uploaded online or sent as photocopies by post (never originals):

1. Proof of name and age: a current passport, birth certificate (if your name has not changed), current driving licence, a letter confirming your State Pension entitlement with your date of birth, or a European ID card.
2. Proof of address, dated within the last three months: a council tax bill or letter, a council or housing association rent statement or tenancy agreement, a TV licence, a home utility bill, or a letter from HMRC, the DWP or an occupational pension. Bank statements, bank letters and mobile phone bills are not accepted. A printout of an online bill is fine.
3. A colour passport-style photo, 45mm by 35mm, taken in the last 12 months, full face, no hat, against a plain pale background.

Apply through the Freedom Pass website. If you cannot post or email documents, the Freedom Pass helpline is 0300 330 1433.

Moving from a 60+ Oyster photocard

The 60+ London Oyster photocard is a separate scheme run by TfL that gives free travel in London from 60 until you qualify for a Freedom Pass. It costs £36 to apply and £18.50 for each yearly address check. Westminster City Council’s Freedom Pass page warns that a 60+ Oyster will not transfer automatically: apply for your Freedom Pass as your State Pension date approaches so there is no gap.

Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass

Who qualifies

There is no age limit. You need to live in Westminster as your main home and have one of the statutory disabilities in the Transport Act 2000. In short, people who:

• are blind or partially sighted;
• are profoundly or severely deaf;
• are without speech;
• have a disability or injury with a substantial, long-term effect on their ability to walk;
• have no arms, or long-term loss of the use of both arms;
• have a learning disability (as defined in the Act);
• would be refused a driving licence on medical grounds, other than for drug or alcohol misuse.

How to apply in Westminster

Westminster residents apply to the council, not to London Councils. Download the right form from the council’s Disabled persons Freedom Pass page: there is one form for a mental health disability and one for a physical or learning disability. Complete only one; both include guidance notes. You will need proof of your Westminster address, and the guidance notes explain what evidence of the disability to send.

To request a paper form, report a change of circumstances or ask about an application, email freedompass@westminster.gov.uk or call the council’s Freedom Pass team on 020 7823 4567 (option 3, permits and disabled badges).

If you also need help with parking or taxis, see our guides to the Westminster Blue Badge and the council’s Taxicard scheme, which subsidises taxi journeys for people with serious mobility problems.

Where and when you can use it

For the older person’s pass, from London Councils’ validity rules:

The pass is not valid on Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express, LNER, East Midlands, Grand Central or Hull Trains services, on Southeastern high speed trains to and from St Pancras and Stratford International, on most intercity coaches, on trams outside London, or on buses in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. For journeys beyond the London boundary, buy an extension ticket from the boundary before you travel. Freedom Pass holders also get 50% off Uber Boat by Thames Clippers fares.

Renewals, lost passes and moving away

• Renewal: passes carry a five-year expiry, which London Councils says is the life of the card’s chip, not a guarantee of entitlement. Older person’s passes that expired on 31 March 2026 were renewed automatically and posted out. Keep your address up to date with the Freedom Pass office, or the new card goes to the wrong place.
• Lost, stolen or damaged: report it and order a replacement through your Freedom Pass online account.
• Moving out of London: you stop being eligible for a Freedom Pass. Your new council may offer an English concessionary bus pass instead.
• Moving within London: update your address. An older person’s pass stays valid. A discretionary disabled pass issued by one borough is not valid once you move to another borough, so you would need to reapply.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can I get a Freedom Pass in Westminster? At State Pension age, which is 66 for people born before 6 April 1960 and rising to 67 for people born after that. You can apply up to 14 days before. From 60, a 60+ London Oyster photocard covers free travel in London until then.

How do I apply for a Freedom Pass in Westminster? For the older person’s pass, apply online on the Freedom Pass website run by London Councils. For the disabled person’s pass, download the application form from Westminster City Council’s website and send it to the council with your evidence.

Does my 60+ Oyster card turn into a Freedom Pass? No. Westminster City Council says a 60+ Oyster pass will not transfer automatically. Apply for your Freedom Pass as you approach State Pension age.

Can I use my Freedom Pass before 9am? On weekdays, the older person’s pass is valid on TfL services from 9am and on National Rail within London from 9.30am. At weekends and on bank holidays it is valid at any time.

Is the Freedom Pass free? Yes, the pass itself is free. You need a recent passport-style photo. The 60+ Oyster photocard, a separate TfL scheme, costs £36 to apply for plus £18.50 a year.

Who do I contact about a disabled Freedom Pass in Westminster? Westminster City Council’s Freedom Pass team: freedompass@westminster.gov.uk or 020 7823 4567, option 3.