Retirement

[teamsaint]

Bus pass age is now 65 for most people in England, outside London.

The park and ride buses in Oxford are indeed very nice, wifi, usb, tables upstairs and sofa style seats.

[Petrushka]

I thought that you had to be receiving the State Pension to qualify for the bus pass?

There's not long to go for my long anticipated retirement. Officially December 31, I should be able to make the actual date as December 18. Wondering what appropriate music to play in celebration once the day arrives.

[Bryn]

I thought that you had to be receiving the State Pension to qualify for the bus pass?

No.you can apply as soon as you approach close to the qualifying age (it takes a few days to process the application). I was lucky enough to get mine at 60, a year or two before the qualifying age started to climb. I did not retire and claim my State Pension until I was over 70, by which time it had accrued a deferral increase of somewhat over 50%.

[BBMmk2]

I hope the government won’t raise the pension age again.

[Bryn]

I hope the government won’t raise the pension age again.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/proposed-new-timetable-for-state-pension-age-increases

[LMcD]

I thought that you had to be receiving the State Pension to qualify for the bus pass?

There's not long to go for my long anticipated retirement. Officially December 31, I should be able to make the actual date as December 18. Wondering what appropriate music to play in celebration once the day arrives.

May I suggest one of the many fine recordings of Michel Legrand's 'What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?'

[gurnemanz]

Bus pass age is now 65 for most people in England, outside London.

The park and ride buses in Oxford are indeed very nice, wifi, usb, tables upstairs and sofa style seats.

Slightly annoying that they make you pay to park at Oxford Park and Ride. Bath P & R has free parking.

[Mal]

Bus pass age is now 65 for most people in England, outside London.

Are you sure about that "most people"? I thought it was 66 now, for most, ... it is for me! Anyway, you can calculate it exactly for yourself here:

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-age/y

[Bryn]

For those not up on the subject, please also note that the 'national' bus pass is valid only for journeys starting in each of England, Scotland and Wales, when travelling between any two of them. The 'nations' is not the U.K., it is either England, Scotland or Wales. Londoners get a different card, the Freedom Pass valid on Buses, Underground, Overground and some of the National Rail Network within Greater London. It also acts as a national bus pass within England. Those Londoners over 60 and below the qualifying age for a national bus pass can pay £2O for a 60+ Oystercard, valid only within Greater London.

[Pulcinella]

Do you mean starting and ending, Bryn?

It might also be worth mentioning that there are some restrictions on the type of service they can be used on (generally not express/long distance).
The Stagecoach X5 from Oxford to Cambridge qualified as it stopped frequently enough to be considered a local service.
The express York—Leeds ZAP service fortunately qualifies too (I'll be using it to get to Opera North in Leeds), not just the slower (but still pretty fast) Coastliner service.

[alycidon]

My wife and I are 75 and 76 respectively so it doesn’t affect us but I think that it is a crazy idea. Something as massive as this would have to be done incrementally - perhaps raised by one year in every five years. Although it is not my immediate concern I do wonder how all those unfortunates without pension provision are going to live.

[Bryn]

Do you mean starting and ending, Bryn?

No. If the journey starts, say, in England and ends on Scotland, you can use an English national bus pass. However, you cannot use it for a return journey.

[Pulcinella]

No. If the journey starts, say, in England and ends on Scotland, you can use an English national bus pass. However, you cannot use it for a return journey.

Ah, I didn't know that.
Thanks for the clarification.

[Bryn]

My wife and I are 75 and 76 respectively so it doesn’t affect us but I think that it is a crazy idea. Something as massive as this would have to be done incrementally - perhaps raised by one year in every five years. Although it is not my immediate concern I do wonder how all those unfortunates without pension provision are going to live.

It is indeed an incremental introduction, though the staging of the increments is mooted to be accelerated.

[Bryn]

Ah, I didn't know that.
Thanks for the clarification.

So much for U.K. unionism. eh? I remember being taken aback when, back in the 1980s, my British Rail Privilege Card did not cover Northern Ireland. I took it as a pretty clear indication f the colonial regard in which the Six Counties were held. The 11 pm curfew on national bus pass holders (except for travel on TfL controled buses) also irks.