A free passport scheme was introduced as a special concession to second world war veterans who were attending 60th anniversary commemorative events in 2004. This was extended to cover all those who may have made a contribution to the overall war effort, whether or not they had served in the armed forces. It therefore applies to those who were born on or before 2 September 1929 and so would have been aged 16 or over at the end of the war.
The present free passport scheme is not an age-based concession and there are no plans to introduce free passports for people aged 75 or over. This would be considerably more expensive and could require an increase in passport fees for other applicants.