free passport if born before 1929

surfsister

just noticed that if you were born before 1929 you can get a free standard passport.

www.direct.gov.uk/passports or call 0300 222 1999 (no details of how much this is).

yangptangkipperbang

surfsister wrote: »

just noticed that if you were born before 1929 you can get a free standard passport.

Wonder how many, IF any, they issue - have you seen the cost of travel insurance at that age ?

surfsister

that's probably why it's free as few older people travel or can get insurance, and also maybe nobody knows about it!! I didn't until now!

3010

At last a scheme that makes sense. This is good as all of these people have lived through world war 2. don't get me started on the bus pass scheme. There are people in my office that come to work on their bus passes which I think it totally unfair as they are still working. Why do they need a bus pass at 60 anyway. Thanks for this info OP.

melorablack

My guess is they're only doing this because anyone born before 1929 is not likely to get the full 10 years out of a passport.

Cook_County

melorablack wrote: »

My guess is they're only doing this because anyone born before 1929 is not likely to get the full 10 years out of a passport.

Sadly this was a political move by the last government to buy votes from older people who on average are more likely to be Conservative voters.

The 1929 date has not moved since Parliament introduced the legislation, so over time fewer and fewer people can use this benefit.

It is a myth that older people use passports simply for travel. Just like those of us of younger generations, they need passports for identification.

In fact the older generation tell me frequently they would prefer to pay for passports, buses, train fuel etc - rather than be given these for free. To replace the freebies they would prefer a proper level of State pension. For example the 5 shillings of extra State pension given on achieving the age of 80 has not increased once through my entire lifetime.

Sally22_2

The Post Office offer a free check and send service alongside the free passport (usually £8.75 for the check and send service)

StumpyPumpy

Cook_County wrote: »

Sadly this was a political move by the last government to buy votes from older people who on average are more likely to be Conservative voters.

The 1929 date has not moved since Parliament introduced the legislation, so over time fewer and fewer people can use this benefit.

To be fair, it was introduced in 2004 specifically to help WWII vets wanting to travel to 60th anniversary commemorative events in 2005, such as those held at Normandy.

The cut off was set at the 2nd September 1929 as anyone born then would have been 16 or over at VE day. There was never an intention to have a rolling date granting anyone reaching the age of 75 a free passport. Its introduction was warmly welcomed at the time, by all political parties.

SP

quoia

StumpyPumpy wrote: »

To be fair, it was introduced in 2004 specifically to help WWII vets wanting to travel to 60th anniversary commemorative events in 2005, such as those held at Normandy.

The cut off was set at the 2nd September 1929 as anyone born then would have been 16 or over at VE day. There was never an intention to have a rolling date granting anyone reaching the age of 75 a free passport. Its introduction was warmly welcomed at the time, by all political parties.

SP

Absolutely correct - they were issued as " FREE PASSPORTS FOR WARTIME GENERATION "

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_4019479

I actually posted these details almost 7 years ago to the day

19th June 2005

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/65499

Incidentally OVER 700,000 of these FREE passports had been handed out as of February 2011

wallbash

My Mother missed out by 6 months .
And to reply surfsister #3 , she is using it now , will use it again next month and will have a third foreign holiday in November.
Thinking about taking her passport away from her ...... she is spending my inheritance!

surfsister

wallbash wrote: »

My Mother missed out by 6 months .
And to reply surfsister #3 , she is using it now , will use it again next month and will have a third foreign holiday in November.
Thinking about taking her passport away from her ...... she is spending my inheritance!

glad to hear it all for people spending the kids inheritance!!!