Check Pension Credit first: it unlocks the free TV licence and other help.
Quick facts
- 60+ SmartPass
- Age 60 to 64
- Senior (65+) SmartPass
- Free all-Ireland and cross-border travel
- Residence
- Three months in Northern Ireland
- Free TV licence
- 75 or over, on Pension Credit
- SmartPass valid for
- Five years
SmartPass
To apply for a 60+ SmartPass you must be aged between 60 and 64 and permanently resident in Northern Ireland for a minimum of three months. The Senior (65+) SmartPass is for people aged 65 or over who meet the same residence rule.
As free all Ireland and cross-border travel is only available to holders of a Senior (65+) SmartPass, you will have to wait until the end of your 65th birthday calendar month before you can use it. SmartPasses are only valid for five years, so check the expiry date.
Free and half fare travel for disabled people
Free travel is also available for people who are registered blind and war disablement pensioners. Half fare travel is available for people who get the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), have had a driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds, have a recognised learning disability, or are partially sighted.
To be eligible for any of the above concessions, you must apply for and receive a concessionary travel card, called a SmartPass. Getting the care component of PIP by itself does not make you eligible for a SmartPass.
Free TV licence
You can get a free TV licence if you’re 75 or older and you either get Pension Credit or live with your partner who gets Pension Credit. You can apply when you’re 74 if you already get Pension Credit.
Tax in retirement
When you get money from a pension you pay tax on any income above your tax-free Personal Allowance. If you think you've paid tax on your savings interest when you didn't need to, or paid more than you should have, you can claim it back on form R40 or by contacting HMRC.
If you move into a care home
Your local Trust will expect you to claim any Pension Credit that you are entitled to and will help you apply. If your stay is temporary, you can continue to claim Pension Credit for up to 52 weeks. See care home fees.
Common questions
Is travel free for over-60s in Northern Ireland?
Yes, with a 60+ SmartPass from 60 to 64, and the Senior SmartPass from 65, which adds free all-Ireland travel.
Who gets a free TV licence in Northern Ireland?
People 75 or over who get Pension Credit, or live with a partner who does.