The Freedom Pass is the most generous concessionary travel scheme in the country. It allows free travel across London and free local bus journeys nationally to older or disabled people who are eligible for the scheme. The scheme is funded by the London boroughs and administered by London Councils.
You may be contacted by constituents who need help to renew their Freedom Pass. Freedom Passes must be renewed every five years and approximately 100,000 older person Freedom Passes will expire on 31 March 2024. The below briefing summarises this year’s renewal process.
Older persons Freedom Pass
Residents whose Freedom Pass expires on 31 March 2024 will need a new pass to keep using the scheme. Any older person whose sole residence is in London, who has used their pass in the last two and a half years and who meets the age criteria can receive a pass.
Receiving the new pass
If a person has used their pass in the last two and a half years and has not changed address, they will receive a new pass automatically from February. They do not need to contact anyone.
If a person has used their pass in the last two and a half years and has changed address, they will receive a letter in early January 2024 asking them to renew their pass.
Residents who have had to actively renew their pass will receive their new pass in the post within around three weeks of completing the renewal. Once the new Freedom Pass is received, it can be used immediately, and the old pass destroyed.
Renewing online
London Councils is encouraging Londoners to renew their Freedom Pass online which is easier and quicker, and more cost-effective for the boroughs.
In 2023, 88 per cent of people with expiring Freedom Passes renewed online; and of those, 88 per cent thought it was very easy or fairly easy to renew online and 87 per cent completed the online renewal by themselves.
Londoners can renew online by doing either of the following:
- Going to https://freedom-pass.co.uk/ OR
- Following the link and instructions included in the letter they received about their renewal.
Note: Residents living in the London Borough of Sutton who are not renewing their pass online can visit their local library to renew their pass.
Disabled persons Freedom Pass
Holders of the disabled persons Freedom Pass will receive their new pass in February once their eligibility has been checked by their local council.
Their local borough may contact them to confirm their continued eligibility for the scheme. Disabled persons Freedom Passes are only valid for as long as the pass holder meets the eligibility criteria and if they do not respond to borough correspondence inviting them to be re-assessed, their pass may be stopped.
