Reaching 60 soon

What a great idea Knowsley I will turn 60 in June next year. If I come across anything useful I will post it.

Knowsley - Find this a good idea. We're hoping to move back to the UK in the next year or so, and having been away for almost 11 years, these issues will be useful to know. I've already found that the age for bus passes changes from county to county.......which was news to me.

'Bus passes are a bit more complicated, you can get one once you reach state pension age...... not 60 any more.
But on the upside, if we're prepared to make the mental leap to be called "senior citizens" or something similar, over 60s can get reduced entrance rates to exhibitions, gardens, historic buildings etc. (Believe me, it really was difficult to make that admission the first time I tried it!)

Knowsley yes everything now changed from 60 to tie in with new retirement age,I waited until I was 60 and 6mths because I was born in the September after the new cut off date in April 1950.
I'm not sure if you are entitled to free prescriptions at 60 across the board as it still has a box to tick on the back of "scripts" asking if you are 60 ?.
mr.glamma found out this week if he shows his bus pass in one of the local pubs near to us he would get 40p off a pint of beer he is now calculating how much he may have lost out on !!!
Local restaurants also have between 15/20% discount for 60's depending on the day/night.
Its well worth hitting the big 60 when it comes to matters of the purse strings.

At the moment once you reach 60 it's free prescriptions. I had a big surprise the first time I went to pick up my 'script' - It had marked on it that I was 60. I've been to the cinema on Tuesday evenings for half price as well.
I'm just hoping that by the time I get to retirement (next September) they haven't lifted the free bus pass. I haven't anymore useful info to add at the moment, except that I'm very excited by the prospect of retiring - I could be outside today enjoyed the good weather

As far as I know, ffin, the bus pass age is the same everywhere - state pension age. You can use your bus pass on local transport anywhere in England no matter which authority issued it. Scottish and English bus passes are not reciprocal. Not sure about Wales.

We found the gov.uk site helpful also age.uk.org

Free travel depends on where you live. In London once you reach 60 you can get an Oyster 60 Plus card which entitles you to free travel. This converts to a Freedom Pass once you reach state pension retirement age. Prescriptions and eye tests are free once you reach 60 but you still have to pay at the dentist. Also many places give a discount on admission prices on you reach 60. Local authority run leisure centres often give half price discounts to over 60s if you use the facilities off peak. Just a few of the things I have found out about recently but I am sure there are many more.

I will be 60 in January. I started a thread about bus passes just recently.
I am surprised to find I'm not entitled to mine till May 2019.
DH has been getting discount entry to cinemas, museums and events since turning 60. He's never been asked for proof of age, I hope I will be

You can get 10% off at B & Q on a Wednesday if you are over 60. You just need to take proof of age into a store and they give you a card to use to get the discount.

Always worth asking about concessions when buying tickets. My friend and I went to the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park a couple of years ago. We asked what seats were available and, as an afterthought, asked if there was any reduction for pensioners. We were told we could have any seats we wanted for £10! Nearly hadn't bothered to ask.

You get extra points with your Boots card when you're 60 as well; just need to fill in a form I think. Theatre tickets vary..some things will give a discount, others won't; probably depends on how popular the play/concert is. My bus pass says that I get discounts at various shops as well, but I don't know which ones they are. Does moneysupermarket.com have an over 60 section I wonder?

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I did find this webpage -

www.moneymagpie.com/article/perks-for-the-over-60s

but I'm not sure of all the data though as the Railcard does start at 60 but costs £30 not £28. My local public transport authority, Merseytravel, does issue travel passes (you can use on the bus, train & Mersey Ferry) at 60 with a restriction that they cannot be used before 9:30 am. The bus drivers call the card owners 'Twirlies' if they try to use them before 9:30 (Twirly = too early).

Loft theatres and museums round the country give concession army prices to over -60s.

You can get a bus pass at 60 in Wales. You do not have to wait for retirement age

If you have a National Trust card, there is a big discount for over 60s on the annual fee. X

Almost worth getting old for! Notice I said 'almost'.

You have to have been a National Trust member for 5 of the previous 10 years before reaching 60 to get the discount. I find the National Trust realy difficult to deal with, even though we are all members [ I buy my son and daughter membership each year as their birthday present].

I find the NT really helpful Tegan. Their helpline seems to be manned by Liverpuddlians who are very friendly and extremely helpful.

Agree you do have to have 5 years continuous membership to get a discount. If you add grandchildren to your membership it costs £5 regardless how many you add. I renewed my membership in September and asked about adding DGD who would be 5 the following month. I had to apply again on her birthday and they waived the £5 until I renew next year.