The qualifying age for free bus passes in England rises from 66 to 67 from April 2026, in line with state pension age increases
The Department for Transport has confirmed that from April, residents in England will need to wait an additional year before receiving their free bus pass. A significant campaign calling for the same concessionary travel entitlements as those in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – where free bus travel is available from age 60.
In England, free travel is only offered from age 66, in line with the state pension age. This applies unless local authorities, including those in London and Merseyside, choose to fund the provision themselves.
From next year, the qualifying age for a free pass in England will rise by a further 12 months. This change coincides with the planned increase in the State Pension age from 66 to 67, set to be fully implemented across the UK by 2028 for both men and women.
The adjustment to the official retirement age has been scheduled since 2014, with a subsequent increase from 67 to 68 expected between 2044 and 2046. The Pensions Act 2014 brought forward the rise in the State Pension age from 66 to 67 by eight years.
The UK Government also altered the phasing of the State Pension age increase, meaning that rather than reaching State Pension age on a specific date, people born between March 6, 1961, and April 5, 1977, will be entitled to claim the State Pension upon turning 67.
The same will apply to their concessionary bus passes. The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that concessionary bus passes will also be affected.
A spokesperson stated: “We fully recognise bus passes are vital to many older people, providing access to essential services and keeping people connected through free local travel. We’re already in the process of making ambitious reforms to improve bus services for all passengers and supporting local areas to improve reliability and affordability.”
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme offers free off-peak bus travel to those with qualifying disabilities and individuals who have reached state pension age (as per the Pension Act 2014). It operates between 9.30am and 11.00pm on weekdays and throughout the day on weekends and Bank Holidays, reports the Mirror.
State Pension age is set to rise from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028, as outlined in the State Pension Act 2014. The DfT added: “Local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, for example, by lowering the age of eligibility. These are additional local concessions provided and funded by local authorities from local resources, depending on the needs and priorities of each area.”
Individuals become eligible for free bus travel in England when they reach state pension age, currently 66 but due to increase from next year. In January, a discussion on concessionary travel occurred following a petition that garnered over 100,000 signatures.
Labour’s Tony Vaughan stated: “There are many areas of our country where there is free bus travel for the over-60s: London, Liverpool, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In our country, there is a growing misperception that if someone is over 60, they are somehow financially blessed, with a house on which the mortgage has been paid off, and they have plenty of assets and capital washing around. Many people think that the over-60s do not need free bus travel. I challenge that narrative.
“A new report from Standard Life identifies a substantial rise in financial insecurity among people in their early 60s, after the increases in the state pension age since 2010, and highlights that there are a quarter of a million more people aged 60 to 64 in relative income poverty than there were in 2010.
“There is already free bus travel for the over-60s in several parts of the UK, so this policy can work. The 60+ London Oyster photocard, operated and funded by TfL, is available to London residents over 60. There are 383,000 active users of that photocard, which I know makes a positive difference to the lives of the 24% of Londoners in that age group who live in poverty.”
Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed stated: “The fact that more than 100,000 people signed it shows how strongly the public feel about the issue and how far it reaches into people’s everyday lives. People’s access to free travel should not depend on where they live or how stretched their council’s budget happens to be. National problems require national solutions.”
Labour’s Mohammad Yasin remarked: “Free bus travel for over-60s would not only provide much-needed financial relief, but help to reduce social isolation, support access to healthcare and enable continued engagement in work, volunteering and community life.”
In his response, Mr Lightwood explained: “For many people in their early 60s, buses are a lifeline to work, caring, volunteering and staying active in their communities. However, eligibility for an older person’s bus pass in England is set in legislation at the state pension age, which is currently 66. That link reflects changes in longevity and helps to ensure that the scheme remains equitable and affordable over time. Any change to national eligibility would therefore need to be considered carefully.
“The concessionary travel scheme is a significant national entitlement. Local authority spending on concessionary travel, supported by the Government, is around £795 million a year. Changing the national statutory eligibility would carry substantial additional recurring costs.
“At the end of last year, we confirmed long-term investment of more than £3 billion over the next three years to support local leaders and bus operators across the country, in order to improve local bus services for millions of passengers over the remainder of this spending period.”