Free bus pass: age to rise as UK State Pension increases – who qualifies, are disabled people still eligible?
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Campaigners warn it could leave older people cut off from shops, friends, and services 🚌
- Free bus pass age in England will rise from 66 to 67 from April 2026
- The change is linked to the increase in State Pension age under the 2014 Act
- Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will still offer free travel from 60
- A petition for over-60s in England gained 100k+ signatures, and is awaiting debate
- Local councils can fund earlier access, but this varies across the country
Millions of older people in England will have to wait longer for one of the most popular perks of retirement: a free bus pass.
From April 2026, the age at which pensioners can access free local bus travel outside London will increase by a year, reflecting changes to the State Pension age. Here is everything you need to know about it.
What’s changing?
Currently, people in England are eligible for free off-peak bus travel once they reach 66, the State Pension age.
But next year, that threshold will rise to 67, in line with the State Pension age increase planned between 2026 and 2028.
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The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed the change, and said that concessionary bus passes are directly affected by this adjustment.
For those living in London, free travel already extends beyond buses to the Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground, and most National Rail services, thanks to the Oyster photocard scheme.
But other areas are less generous, and only local councils that choose to fund additional concessions, such as in Merseyside, offer earlier access.
Why is the free bus pass age changing?
The rise in the age of eligibility stems from legislation introduced under the Pensions Act 2014, which accelerated the increase in the State Pension age from 66 to 67 and phased it over time.
This means people born between March 6, 1961 and April 5, 1977 will now reach State Pension age - and become eligible for free bus passes - at 67.
Looking further ahead, the State Pension age is expected to rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046.
This shift has sparked frustration among campaigners, who argue that free bus travel should be available to people from the age of 60, matching Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
They say that waiting an extra year could worsen isolation for older adults, particularly in rural areas with limited transport options.
Can I still get free bus travel?
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) currently provides free off-peak travel to eligible individuals on weekdays from 9.30am to 11pm, and all day on weekends and Bank Holidays.
Eligibility is tied to reaching the State Pension age or having a qualifying disability, such as:
- Being blind or partially sighted
- Being profoundly or severely deaf
- Being without speech
- Having a disability that makes it hard to walk long distances
- Having a learning disability (defined by specific criteria)
- Having had your driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds
A petition advocating for a national expansion of the ENCTS to include all over-60s gained more than 101,000 signatures before closing, and a parliamentary debate is expected to follow.
While the national statutory age is rising, local authorities retain the flexibility to offer additional concessions from their own budgets.
This means councils can provide free travel to people in their early 60s if they choose, though this varies widely across the country.
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