It really does pay to be old today...

AS MY friend Leonie, who is 80, will testify, it really can pay to be over 60. She took a trip from her home in London to Frome in Somerset and managed to get the whole way there for just £1 thanks to her trusty free bus pass.

‘I started off at 7am and the only hitch was I got charged an extra £1 because I missed the right bus in Epsom, otherwise I would have got the whole way there for free,’ she told me.

If you know where to look, there are a whole host of other freebies, grants and discounts available just by declaring your date of birth.

When you’re over 60, you qualify for free NHS prescriptions. but did you know that if you’re picking up your medicines from boots, you could also earn extra points while you’re there as the over 60s get additional rewards on their boots Advantage Card, earning eight points per £1 on boots brands instead of the usual rate of 4 points per £1.

You can get free eye tests on the NHS at various places, including boots and Vision Direct. At Specsavers, you can save money on your glasses, too, with a 20 per cent discount on all glasses and lenses over £69. (It’s worth asking your local independent optician about any deals for over-60s as well.)

For those who like to travel, the free bus pass is a no-brainer. You can apply in England and Wales once you reach state pension age. In London, Scotland and Ireland it’s available for the over-60s.

In England and Wales, over-60s can also buy a Senior Coachcard at NationalExpress. com for £12.50 (plus £2.50 P&P) for a third off all National Express coach fares. (You can also bag extra discounts with £15 ‘anywhere’ returns on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays if you book three or more days in advance.)

Save on train journeys, too, with the Senior railcard, which is £30 per year or £70 for three years, and gives you a third off the price of all train tickets, including peak times and first class. buy it at Nationalrailcard.co.uk.

Another friend of mine, Tira, a globetrotter who is in her 70s, stresses there are some great discounts available on the continent for older travellers, so ask when buying tickets.

You can run your home for less, too, in later life with discounts and grants. Contact your energy provider to find out if it offers a free gas safety check to over-60s.

Those born on or before September 25, 1956, qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment. That means money off your winter heating bills. If you need home repairs, local trades may offer an over-60s discount, so always ask.

Check out Age UK’s handyperson service for contacts. Over-60s who need to make adaptations to their homes could qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Find out more at gov.uk or contact your local council. Also, people in receipt of Pension Credit or Attendance Allowance, or can prove a low income (such as living off the state pension), could even get a free boiler. Find out more a Boilergrants.info.

If you’re surviving on just the state pension, you may be able to get help with paying your council tax through claiming Council Tax reduction. Also, if you are a tenant you may be able to get help with paying your rent through claiming Housing benefit. both Council Tax reduction and Housing benefit are paid by your local council so speak to them about your situation. And if you are receiving Pension Credit or Housing benefit, you may be entitled to help with funeral costs should your partner die. The Funeral Expenses Payment offers up to £ 1,000 and can cover burial or cremation fees, go to gov.uk.

You can often benefit from cheaper home insurance, too, if you’re 60 or over. Many companies offer special discounts to this market, as older people make fewer and smaller claims.

Travel insurance can be harder to get when you’re over 60 but there are deals to be found. For instance Staysure offers tailored travel insurance to cover any pre-existing medical conditions. AllClear also accepts over-60s with medical conditions for both single and multi-trip cover.

Many cinemas have ‘ silver screen’ matinee showings at a discounted rate. The Odeon Silver Screen offers viewings at quieter times from only £3.50 per ticket, including a hot drink and a biscuit. London’s National Theatre has £20- off midweek matinees for the over-60s.

Lots of restaurants offer an early dinner discount for the over-60s. Look for special offers like a ‘5pm dinner deal’. And the National Trust gives over60s a 25 per cent discount on its membership.