Where You Live: What Over-60s Get in Each Part of the UK
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
What you are entitled to after 60 depends a good deal on your postcode. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each set their own rules on bus passes, prescriptions, winter payments and care, and several English city regions add trams, trains or earlier travel to the standard bus pass. This section sets out the differences, place by place.
Why the rules differ
Many of the things that matter in later life are "devolved". That means the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive decide them for their own nation, while the UK government decides them for England. Transport, health and social care are all devolved, which is why a 60-year-old in Cardiff, Glasgow or Belfast has a free bus pass and free prescriptions while a 60-year-old in most of England is still waiting for the bus pass.
The headline differences at a glance
| England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free bus pass from | State Pension age (60 in London for travel within London) | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Prescriptions | Free from 60 | Free for everyone | Free for everyone | Free for everyone |
| NHS eye tests | Free from 60 | Free for everyone | Free from 60 | Free from 60 |
| Main winter payment | Winter Fuel Payment | Pension Age Winter Heating Payment | Winter Fuel Payment | Winter Fuel Payment |
| Local property tax help | Council Tax Reduction (rules set by each council) | Council Tax Reduction (Scottish scheme) | Council Tax Reduction (Welsh scheme) | Rates, not council tax; Lone Pensioner Allowance at 70 |
Each row is explained, with its official source, on the nation pages below. For the detail on a single entitlement across the whole UK, see free bus pass, free prescriptions and eye tests, Winter Fuel Payment and Council Tax Reduction.
English city regions: more than a bus pass
In England the national pass covers local buses only, from 9.30am on weekdays. The combined authorities that run transport in the big city regions are allowed to add to that for their own residents, and they have each done it differently. One gives free bus travel at any time of day; one issues its own pass from 60 that covers trains and ferries as well; others offer free trams, half-fare trains or a low-cost yearly add-on for the local Metro. None of this happens automatically if you move in from elsewhere: the extras are tied to a pass issued by that authority.
Guides in this section
The nations
- Over-60s in Scotland – free bus travel at any time of day from 60, free prescriptions and eye examinations, Scotland's own winter payments and free personal care.
- Over-60s in Wales – the Concessionary Travel Card at 60, free rail lines, free prescriptions and the weekly cap on charges for care at home.
- Over-60s in Northern Ireland – the 60+ and Senior SmartPass on buses and trains, free prescriptions, and help with rates including the Lone Pensioner Allowance.
City-region travel
- Greater Manchester – free bus travel at any time inside the region, and a yearly add-on for trams and trains.
- Merseyside – Merseytravel's own Over 60s pass, valid on buses, Merseyrail trains and the Mersey Ferries.
- West Midlands – free off-peak buses, trams and local trains for pass holders.
- Tyne and Wear – the Metro Gold Card, cheap ferry and local rail tickets.
- South Yorkshire – free trams as well as buses, and half-fare local trains.
- West Yorkshire – free buses and half-fare off-peak trains with the Senior Pass.
Common questions
I live in England. Can I get a Scottish or Welsh bus pass at 60?
No. Each scheme is for people whose main home is in that nation, and you will be asked for proof of address. In England, check your date with our State Pension age checker.
Does my English bus pass work in Scotland or Wales?
Generally not. The English pass is for local buses in England, and each of the other nations has its own card. Some cross-border bus routes are covered at the edges; ask the operator.
My area is not listed. Are there no local extras?
Many councils add something to the national pass, such as earlier start times. Check your council's bus pass page, and see driving in later life for community transport and taxi voucher schemes.