State pensioners being handed 15 freebies and discounts worth £10,870 in December

16 state pension freebies and discounts you can get in December worth up to £10,864 have been revealed. State pensioners can get freebies and discounts worth THOUSANDS - despite losing the Winter Fuel Payments cruelly.

Many people have recently become aware of Pension Credit, which can provide up to £3,900, thanks to new Winter Fuel Payment eligibility rules. However, Pension Credit also serves as a "gateway" to other benefits, freebies, and support, such as the £200 or £300 Winter Fuel Payment.

Over the next five years over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pension increase by thousands of pounds as a result of the commitment to the Triple Lock. And the Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament.

READ MORE State pensioners to get free £150 handout on TOP of Winter Fuel Payment

DWP Christmas bonus - £10

The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) will soon send out its Christmas bonus, worth £10. In previous years, it has been paid to eligible households during the first week of December. It is tax-free, does not affect any other benefits you're claiming, and should come through by January 1 at the latest. You have to be claiming certain benefits to get the DWP Christmas bonus.

Pension credit – £3,900

Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you're over State Pension age and on a low income. The average Pension Credit award is worth over £3,900 per year and it opens doors to other support, including the Winter Fuel Payment, help with housing costs, council tax and heating bills.

You can claim Pension Credit if you’re of State Pension age and on a low income. You must live in England, Scotland or Wales to qualify. Pension Credit is separate from your State Pension, and savings, a private pension or owning a home are not necessarily barriers to receiving it.

When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together. If your income is higher, you may still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, care for someone, or have housing costs.

Savings credit – £884.52

You might be eligible for the ‘Savings Credit’ part of Pension Credit if you reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, and saved some money for retirement. If you're single, you can get up to £17.01 a week; for couples, it's up to £19.04 a week.

You don’t need to get the guarantee element of Pension Credit to get the savings part. You can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age or any time after you reach State Pension age, but your application can only be backdated by three months.

This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time. You can also claim over the phone or via post. A friend or family member can call for you if you cannot use the phone.

National insurance exemption – £1,851.20

Most people stop paying National Insurance contributions after reaching State Pension age. If you’re self-employed, your Class 2 National Insurance contributions will no longer be treated as paid. You stop paying Class 4 National Insurance from 6 April (start of the tax year) after you reach State Pension age. You only pay Income Tax if your taxable income - including your private pension and State Pension - is more than your tax-free allowances (the amount of income you’re allowed before you pay tax).

Free prescriptions – £114.50

Certain groups of people are automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions, including in this case any adult over the age of 60. Under current eligibility rules, pensioners are able to receive medication free of charge on a standard NHS prescription.

If you have taken early retirement however and aren't quite at that threshold, you can still apply for certificates that entitle you to free NHS prescriptions - but only if you meet certain criteria, such as suffering from a specific medical condition such as hypothyroidism, diabetes or epilepsy.

Some prescribed items are always free however, including contraceptives and medication given to hospital inpatients. Your prescriber can give you more information.

Free dental treatment – £26.80

n England, you do not have to pay for NHS dental services if you’re under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education, pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, or being treated in an NHS hospital and your treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist.

While most of these criteria don’t apply to pensioners, there is a lifeline if you happen to need dental care, and that is NHS support for people on low incomes. Under the scheme, you're entitled to free NHS dental treatment if you or your spouse (including civil partner) receive:

• Income Support
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit
• Universal Credit (depending on your earnings)

Free eye tests and glasses - £20-£25

If you already know you're eligible for an NHS funded eye test or even if you're not eligible, you can still book an eye test with your local store. The cost of a Specsavers eye test varies, but it's around £20-25.

Free TV licence – £169.50

If you're over 75 and claiming Pension Credit, you can also knock £169.50 off your TV Licence bill, reducing it to zero.

Free council tax – £2,171

You can also get a Council Tax discount of up to £2171 if you claim Pension Credit. The exact amount varies depending on your local council, but it could be anything from roughly £300 for a 25 per cent reduction on a typical Band D bill to around £1,600 for a full 100 percent discount.

Free bus passes - £1007

The government has introduced a scheme capping rural journeys at £2, which would cost £730 if you bought a ticket every day.From the end of December this is rising to £3, which is an annual cost of £1,095 if you travelled daily. If you’re on a route that doesn’t cover the scheme and were getting weekly tickets at the non-capped rates, year-round, that would set you back £1007.24.

Once you reach the State Pension age in England, you're eligible for a free bus pass. If you're a London resident, you can travel for free on buses, tubes and other transport when you turn 60, but only within London. In Wales, you can get a bus pass when you hit 60.

On average, a person with a concessionary bus pass made 64 journeys in the year leading up to March 2023. This equates to an annual saving of £128, considering the current average bus ticket price of £2.

Discounted rail travel – £96

With a Senior Railcard anyone 60 years or over can save 1/3 on all Standard and First Class, Anytime, Off-Peak and Advance fares for £30. There are plenty of ways you can use your Railcard, for both long and short trips. Better still you can use it almost anytime during the week, weekends and public holidays.

The only restriction is morning Peak time services, Monday to Friday (not including public holidays) when journeys are made wholly within the London and South East Network Railcard area. See Time Restrictions for more details.

Now you can also buy a 3-year Senior Railcard, available only online. It's great value at £70, saving you an extra £20 on the cost of renewing your 1-year Railcard for three consecutive years.

Discounted broadband costs- £142

Social tariffs are available from several broadband providers, helping those on benefits access an internet connection at a much lower monthly price. With the cost of living crisis and broadband price hikes driving up everyone's bills, Citizens Advice recently reported that up to one million people cancelled their broadband between May 2022-23. However, a huge number of these households could have actually taken up these much cheaper social tariff broadband deals.

Discounts on energy bills – £300

The vast majority of these payments will land in pensioners’ bank accounts automatically, directly helping vulnerable households with their energy bills. The value of a Winter Fuel Payment is £200 for people born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958, and £300 for those born before 23 September 1944.

The payment will be credited to bank accounts from 25 November with the payment reference beginning with the customer’s National Insurance number followed by ‘DWP WFP’. Those who do not receive a payment by 29 January 2025 should contact the department.

Cold weather payment – £25

If the temperature where you live plummets to 0C or below for seven consecutive days, you'll be eligible for a cold weather payment. This is automatic if you're on an eligible benefit such as Pension Credit, Income Support or Universal Credit.

To be eligible to get the cash you need to be claiming one of the following six types of benefits:

• Pension Credit- If you do not live in a care home
• Income Support - if you have any of the following: disability or pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance - if you have any of the following: disability or pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance - if you have any of the following: severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you
• Universal Credit - if you are not employed or self-employed, and you have a health condition or disability and have limited capability for work, or you have a child under five living with you)
• Support for Mortgage Interest - if you have any of the following: severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element or a child under five living with you

Warm home discount – £150

The Warm Home Discount isn't technically a payment. Instead, it is a discount on your electricity bill. Those eligible, have the money applied to their energy credit account by their energy supplier. If you are on a prepay meter, then you will be sent a top up voucher worth £150.

The Warm Home Discount - which is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero - runs from October to March, and to be eligible, you need to claim one of the qualifying DWP benefits on August 11 of this year.