Senior Citizen Helpline Numbers, Rights and Government Schemes in India

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The short answer

The national senior citizen helpline in India is Elderline 14567, free from 8 am to 8 pm every day; for emergencies, call 112. Under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, parents and people aged 60 or above who cannot support themselves can claim up to ₹10,000 a month from their children through a Maintenance Tribunal. Everyone aged 70 and above also gets PM-JAY health cover.

• Elderline 14567 is free, nationwide and open 8 am to 8 pm every day, for guidance, emotional support and field help.
• Under the 2007 Act, a Maintenance Tribunal can order children to pay up to ₹10,000 a month.
• The 2019 bill to remove that ceiling lapsed, so the ₹10,000 limit still applies.
• Everyone aged 70 and above can get ₹5 lakh a year of hospital cover under PM-JAY, whatever their income.
• A gift of property made on condition of care can be declared void if that care is refused.

This guide is for senior citizens, their children and anyone who helps older people: the helpline numbers worth saving, the rights the law gives people aged 60 and above, and the central government schemes they can claim. It ends with a summary table you can print and keep by the phone.

What is the national helpline number for senior citizens in India?

The national helpline for senior citizens is Elderline, 14567. It is toll free, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and open from 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week, in all states and union territories. It was dedicated to the nation on 1 October 2021, with Tata Trusts and NSE Foundation as technical partners.

Elderline helps with:

• Information on hospitals, old age homes, day care centres, caregivers and elder-friendly products
• Guidance on legal issues, pensions, government schemes and maintenance disputes
• Emotional support for loneliness, anxiety and family conflict
• Field intervention in cases of abuse or neglect, and rescue and reunion of homeless older people

Elderline is not an emergency line. For a medical emergency, a crime in progress or a fire, call 112, or 108 for an ambulance in most states. For online or phone fraud, call 1930, the national cyber crime helpline, or report on cybercrime.gov.in.

Which police helplines and cells help senior citizens?

Several city police forces run dedicated senior citizen schemes, usually with registration for people who live alone. They differ by state, so ask at your local police station what exists where you live.

• Delhi: the Delhi Police Senior Citizen Security Cell runs helpline 1291 and registers people aged 60 and above who live alone or only with a spouse. Registered seniors get regular calls and visits from local police.
• Chennai: Greater Chennai Police's Bandham scheme, launched in 2024, supports people aged 75 and above whose children live elsewhere, on 94999 57575.
• Kolkata: Kolkata Police's Pronam programme registers older people who live alone through the local police station.
• Bengaluru: Nightingales Medical Trust runs an elders helpline in partnership with Bengaluru City Police.
• Pune: Pune City Police's Bharosa Cell offers counselling and assistance to senior citizens, women and children.

For practical safety steps at home, from grab bars to scam rules, see our guide to keeping elderly parents safe when they live alone.

What does the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 say?

The Act gives any Indian citizen aged 60 or above, and parents of any age, who cannot maintain themselves from their own earnings or property a legal right to claim maintenance from their adult children, or, if they have no children, from adult relatives who hold or would inherit their property. Under Section 2(b), maintenance includes food, clothing, residence, and medical attendance and treatment.

The key provisions are:

• Who can apply (Section 5): the senior citizen or parent, or, if they cannot, any person or registered voluntary organisation they authorise.
• Where (Section 7): a Maintenance Tribunal presided over by an officer not below the rank of Sub-Divisional Officer.
• How much (Section 9): a monthly allowance set by the Tribunal, up to a maximum prescribed by the state government that cannot exceed ₹10,000 a month.
• How fast (Section 5(4)): applications are to be decided within 90 days of notice, extendable once by 30 days in exceptional cases.
• No lawyers (Section 17): parties cannot be represented by a legal practitioner, which keeps the process simple and inexpensive.
• Appeal (Section 16): to the Appellate Tribunal within 60 days of the order.

Has the ₹10,000 ceiling been removed?

No. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which would have removed the ceiling, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 11 December 2019 but lapsed when the Lok Sabha was dissolved. In December 2025 the government confirmed in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that the bill had lapsed, and we found no replacement passed as of October 2026. The ₹10,000 ceiling therefore still applies.

How does the law protect a senior citizen's life and property?

Chapter V of the Act deals with protection of life and property, and it has three provisions every family should know.

• State action plans (Section 22): every state government must prescribe a comprehensive action plan to protect the life and property of senior citizens.
• Property given on condition of care (Section 23): if a senior citizen transfers property by gift or otherwise on the condition that the person receiving it will provide basic amenities and physical needs, and that person refuses or fails to do so, the Tribunal can declare the transfer void at the senior citizen's option.
• Abandonment (Section 24): anyone who has the care of a senior citizen and leaves them somewhere intending to abandon them can be punished with imprisonment of up to three months, a fine of up to ₹5,000, or both.

The Act also lets states set up old age homes, beginning with at least one in each district for a minimum of 150 indigent senior citizens (Section 19), and requires state governments to ensure that government hospitals provide beds and separate queues for older people (Section 20). If an older person faces violence, theft or threats, they can also report the crime to the police; our guide to Zero FIR and e-FIR explains how to report from anywhere in India.

What government schemes are there for senior citizens in India?

The main central schemes cover health, income, savings and day-to-day support. States often add their own benefits on top, so check with your state social welfare department as well.

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY for everyone aged 70 and above

Since the cabinet decision of September 2024, every Indian aged 70 and above is eligible for cashless hospital cover of up to ₹5 lakh a year under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, whatever their income. Seniors in families already covered get an additional top-up of up to ₹5 lakh a year for themselves. People on CGHS, ECHS or Ayushman CAPF can keep their scheme or choose PM-JAY, and those with private insurance or ESI are also eligible. Each senior gets a separate Ayushman Vay Vandana card, registered through the Ayushman app or the PM-JAY portal with e-KYC.

Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY)

AVYAY is the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment's umbrella scheme for older people. Its components include the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens, which funds homes providing shelter, food and medical care for indigent seniors; State Action Plans for Senior Citizens; the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana; and Elderline.

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

This scheme provides free physical aids and assisted-living devices, such as spectacles, hearing aids, walking sticks, walkers, dentures and wheelchairs, to senior citizens with age-related disabilities whose monthly income is not more than ₹15,000. It is implemented by ALIMCO, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry.

Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme

Run by the Ministry of Rural Development under the National Social Assistance Programme, it gives people aged 60 and above from below-poverty-line households a central pension of ₹200 a month from age 60 to 79, and ₹500 a month from 80. Most states add their own share, so the amount received varies by state.

Senior Citizens Savings Scheme

A government-backed deposit for people aged 60 and above, or 55 and above for those who retired under a voluntary or superannuation scheme and invest within a month of receiving retirement benefits. Deposits are up to ₹30 lakh for five years, extendable by three. The rate is set every quarter and is 8.2 percent a year for October to December 2026, paid quarterly. It is available at post offices and banks.

Senior citizen helplines and schemes at a glance

Save 14567, 112 and 1930 on every older relative's phone. If they use a personal safety device such as Kavach, which puts 112 one tap away on its alert screen while it notifies family, keep the helpline numbers on paper too.

How do you claim maintenance or get help quickly?

1. Call Elderline 14567 for free guidance on the next step, including help from a field worker if needed.
2. Find the Maintenance Tribunal for your sub-division. It is headed by an officer of at least Sub-Divisional Officer rank, and the local SDM's office or the district social welfare office can tell you where to file.
3. Write a simple application naming the children or relatives, their addresses and the support needed. No lawyer is required, and someone you authorise, or a registered voluntary organisation, can apply for you.
4. Keep copies of the application, any property documents and proof of expenses.
5. If you are in danger, call 112 first. Abandonment and violence are matters for the police as well as the Tribunal.

This article is general information, not legal advice; for your own situation, speak to a lawyer, your District Legal Services Authority or Elderline.

If you or someone near you is in immediate danger, call 112. It works across India.

Questions people ask

What is the senior citizen helpline number in India?

The national helpline for senior citizens is Elderline, 14567. It is toll free, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and works from 8 am to 8 pm every day in all states and union territories. It helps with information, legal and pension guidance, emotional support and field help in cases of abuse or neglect. For any emergency, call 112.

How much maintenance can parents claim from children in India?

Under Section 9 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, a Maintenance Tribunal can order children or relatives to pay a monthly allowance of up to ₹10,000, or a lower ceiling set by the state government. A 2019 bill to remove the ceiling lapsed when the Lok Sabha was dissolved, so the limit still applies.

Can parents take back property gifted to children in India?

Under Section 23 of the 2007 Act, if a senior citizen transferred property by gift or otherwise on the condition that the person receiving it would provide basic amenities and physical needs, and that person refuses or fails to do so, the Maintenance Tribunal can declare the transfer void at the senior citizen's option. The details depend on the facts, so take advice.

Do I need a lawyer to file a case in a Maintenance Tribunal?

No. Section 17 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 says no party before a Maintenance Tribunal or Appellate Tribunal shall be represented by a legal practitioner. A senior citizen can apply directly, or authorise another person or a registered voluntary organisation to apply on their behalf if they cannot do it themselves.

Is Ayushman Bharat free for all senior citizens above 70?

Yes. Since 2024, every Indian aged 70 and above is eligible for health cover of up to ₹5 lakh a year under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, whatever their income. They get a separate Ayushman Vay Vandana card, registered through the Ayushman app or the PM-JAY portal with e-KYC. People on CGHS or ECHS can keep their scheme or choose PM-JAY.

What is the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme interest rate?

The government sets the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme rate every quarter. For October to December 2026 it is 8.2 percent a year, paid quarterly. The scheme is open to people aged 60 and above, takes deposits of up to ₹30 lakh and runs for five years, with an option to extend by three years, at post offices and banks.

Sources

1. Tata Trusts: Elderline 14567, India's national helpline for senior citizens
2. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (bare act)
3. PRS Legislative Research: Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2007
4. Outlook Money: Status of amendments to the Senior Citizens Act (December 2025)
5. Moneylife: Cabinet approves ₹5 lakh health cover for all senior citizens aged 70 and above
6. Delhi Police: Senior Citizen Security Cell
7. TaxGuru: Small savings interest rates for October to December 2026

Checked on 3 October 2026. Helpline numbers and rules change, so confirm with the official source before you rely on them.

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