Concessions for the retired

in the UK may include:

State benefits. Apart from your state pension, you may be eligible for other benefits, such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Diasabilty Living Allowance. Once you are over 60, you may also be entitled to an annual Winter Fuel benefit. To discover more, consult the Pensioners' Guide that you can get by phoning 0845 6065065.

Reduced rate travel. Discounts on trains and buses. If you live in Birmingham, for example, free passes are available for local travel by both bus and rail as long as you travel out of peak time. Hardly worth moving there, though, just for that! Senior Citizens' railcards save money if you do much travelling by rail. A discount railcard is also available for other European countries.

Reduced entrance fees to some cinemas, theatres, swimming pools, concerts, museums, art galleries, exhibitions and stately homes and gardens- but these may be confined to particular times or days. Don't forget to ask!

Free prescriptions from the National Health Service. All you have to do is fill in the back of the form.

Reduced charges for adult education classes and overdue books at public libraries.

Discounts on home and other insurance policies. But watch out for companies that put a hefty surcharge on travel insurance policies (Saga and Age Concern don't. See here for Saga entry in Fifty Plus, and here for Age Concern). There may also be less to pay on car insurance if you are between 50 and70.

Some shops may give you a discount (e.g. our local B&Q on Wednesday mornings. For information about their favourable employment policy for over 50's, and their Over Sixties Club Diamond Card, go via their home page: http://www.diy.co.uk/.

If you know of any other concessions, please use my guest book to tell me about them!

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