Public Services/Free Travel Card - Application or Renewal

You’re over 70 and don’t have or your Free Travel/Public Services card has expired. It’s advisable you get one or renew by 1st September 2025. I don’t know why the date is so important, but Mrs Lep received a reminder which she nearly discarded.

The application/renewing can be done online. It involves supplying an online photo not over six months old. The process is not difficult and Social Welfare says it will take five mins. The instructions advise not to use a selfie. But, a selfie worked for me - Don’t tell @Purple !!! Or he’ll call in the Feds.

If you need to acquire the services of a 14 year old to do the job, do so. Don’t delay.

There are changes from Sept 1st

Budget 2025: Free Travel companion pass
From September 2025, all people aged over 70 will be entitled to get a Free Travel Companion (FT+C) Public Services Card. This means someone aged 70 or over can have another person, aged 16 or older, including their spouse or partner, travel with them for free on all transport services provided as part of the Free Travel scheme.

If you are aged 70 years or over and you currently have a Free Travel ‘Personal’ (FT-P) PSC or ‘Spouse’ (FT+S) PSC, the DSP will write to you before September 2025 to explain how you can get the Free Travel Companion (FT+C) PSC:

• If your PSC expires after 31 August 2025 a new PSC with FT+C (Free Travel Companion) on it will be sent to your home address. You don’t need to apply. The DSP will start to issue these (FT+C) PSCs from July 2025.
• If your PSC has already expired or will expire before 1 September 2025, you will need to renew your PSC online or at a PSC Intreo Centre. At that point, a new PSC (FT+C) will be sent to your home address.

For the record:- From applying online renewal to home delivery of my Public Services/Free Travel Card took only seven days recently.