As you enter your 50s and 60s, you’ll be able to take advantage of a whole range of discounts on various services. While more of these are aimed at over-60s than over-50s, it’s still worth knowing what’s out there to look forward to.
Here, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best discounts and concessions in areas such as food and leisure, travel, health and fitness, and more. We’ve also thrown in some special offers available for Rest Less members to take advantage of.
Eating out
Shoppers over 60 can receive a 10% discount at Iceland every Tuesday with no minimum spend, provided they can show proof of age and an Iceland Bonus card (this is Iceland’s loyalty scheme, which is free to join).
Plenty of restaurants and pub chains offer discounts to people aged 60 and above. For example, some Greene King pubs offer a ‘Seniors menu’ offering discounts on meals or a ‘Star Seniors Loyalty Scheme’ where you’ll receive larger discounts for frequent visits. Not all Greene King pubs will offer this however, so check with your local one before you go.
You can find out what the best deals are for takeaways and eating out each month in our article Takeaways, eating out and delivery: what are the best deals this month?
Leisure activities
Many museums, theatres, cinemas and art galleries across the country offer concession prices for over-60s for general entry or exhibition tickets. These include the Beamish Open Air Museum and the Tate Modern.
Most major cinemas offer discounted ticket prices for over-60s too. Empire’s Seniors programme and Odeon’s Silver Cinema offer exclusive screenings to people in this age group, with free tea or coffee beforehand. Memberships with Picturehouse Cinemas are also discounted for those over 60.
If you’re over 65 and a fan of the theatre, then the Royal Shakespeare Company offers discounts on any non-premium seats on Monday and Tuesday evenings, plus any midweek matinees.
Most major UK football clubs offer considerable discounts on season tickets for over-60s. For example, a senior season ticket for Chelsea FC for 2023/24 is at least 50% cheaper than a standard season ticket for almost anywhere in the stadium. Check your team’s website to see whether they offer a seniors discount.
Historic houses and gardens
If you are 60 or over and have held a National Trust membership for at least the last three consecutive years, you will be eligible for a senior discount of 25%. These come to £68.40 a year (normally £91.20), or £113.40 for a joint membership (normally £151.20). Be aware that this switch doesn’t happen automatically when you turn 60, and you’ll have to call and let them know that you want the senior membership instead.
English Heritage also offers a senior membership programme for people over 65, granting access to more than 400 historic sites across the UK for a discounted price. It’s £63 per year (rather than the usual £69), £108 per year for a joint membership if only one of you is over 65, or £96 per year if both of you are over 65. Membership also includes free entry for up to six children.
The Royal Horticultural Society offers a discounted lifetime membership for people over 60, at a cost of £935 (rather than the usual £1,495) or £1,355 for a joint senior lifetime membership (rather than the usual £2,045). This grants unlimited free entry to all RHS gardens and over 200 partner gardens, special access and discounts on tickets to RHS shows, monthly magazines, personal gardening advice and more.
Compare cheap car insurance quotes
Car insurance renewal premiums have a habit of increasing every year, even if you haven’t made a claim. Compare car insurance quotes from over 110 UK providers – you could save up to £490* per year.
*51% of consumers could save £490.26 on their Car Insurance. The saving was calculated by comparing the cheapest price found with the average of the next four cheapest prices quoted by insurance providers on Seopa Ltd’s insurance comparison website. This is based on representative cost savings from June 2023 data. The savings you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances and how you selected your current insurance supplier.
Travel deals
We’re proud to offer some exclusive travel deals to Rest Less members. Find our full list of travel deals on our discounts page.
If you’re looking for travel insurance, we have partnered with Staysure to provide you with first class travel insurance, tailored to suit your needs. There’s no upper age limit and they’ll cover most pre-existing medical conditions. You can also take advantage of their 20%‡ discount, just quote RSTL at checkout.
‡Discount applies to the base premium of the policy only and not to medical screening costs or add-ons where relevant. Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
If you have pets that need looking after while you’re off on holiday, we’ve partnered with TrustedHousesitters to offer you 50% off your first year’s membership. Membership allows you to access thousands of verified and reviewed sitters to look after your pets while you’re away. The sitters don’t charge, so you get pet-sitting absolutely free for 6 months if you sign up.
Train and bus deals
If you regularly travel by train, rail fares can take a big chunk out of your monthly budget.
If you are over 60 and a frequent rail traveller, you may want to consider buying a Senior Railcard, which will save you a third on train fares for a year. This costs £30 for one year and £70 for three years, and includes special offers on holidays and theatre tickets. According to the website, Senior Railcard users save about £76 per year on average.
If you prefer to travel by coach then you might want to think about a National Express Senior Coachcard at a cost of £15 a year (plus £3 postage). This will save you a third of the price of any standard and fully flexible fares (whether peak or off-peak), guarantee £15 day-return tickets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
If you are over 50 and live in Scotland then you could also consider a ScotRail Club 50 Card; for £15 a year you would save 20% on any off-peak train tickets bought online in advance, as well as exclusive, time limited flat fares anywhere in Scotland throughout the year.
If you are over 60 and you live in London then you can apply for a 60+ Oyster Card, which for a one-time payment of £20 will allow you to use all public transport in the city for free.
In England, you should be eligible for an Older Person’s Bus Pass, which entitles you to free bus travel, when you reach the female state pension age, regardless of your gender. If you’re not sure exactly when you’ll reach state pension age, then you can find out with the GOV.uk calculator. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, you will be eligible for the equivalent bus pass as soon as you turn 60.
If you are over 60 and planning an adventure around Europe then you can purchase a Senior Interrail Pass at 10% off the standard price, which covers both 1st and 2nd class rail trips in European countries.
If you prefer to travel by plane, then several airlines offer discounts to people over 60, so it’s always worth double-checking before you book.
Health and fitness discounts
If you are over 50 you can get the flu vaccine for free from your GP surgery, pharmacies that offer the service, or by appointment at the hospital. Find out more on the NHS website.
Anyone aged over 60 who holds a Boots Advantage Card can earn eight points per £1 spent, as opposed to the usual four when buying Boots products as well as gaining access to selected exclusive deals.
Specsavers offer 20% off any pair of glasses over £69 for people over the age of 60.
Your local gym or leisure centre may offer a senior discount or special classes. Better leisure centres, for example, offer discounted senior memberships with unlimited off-peak access to gyms, swimming pools and fitness classes. The age requirement for this will depend on your local centre.
If you are over 60 and live in Wales then you can also swim for free at local, authority-owned swimming pools, except during school holidays.
Discounts for your home and pets
Many local councils offer free handyperson services to people over 60 for small repairs and installing basic home security. These will vary according to where you live, but it’s always worth looking into. People over 60 on low incomes are also eligible for Age UK’s handyperson scheme, which includes free or discounted repairs, smoke alarms, lock installation and other minor services.
If you or someone in your household was born on or before 25 September 1957, then you might be eligible for the government’s Winter Fuel Payment to help you pay your heating bills in the winter. This is typically between £100 and £300.
Some companies, such as E.ON, offer free or discounted prices on home insulation and boiler installation if you receive the State Pension Credit or are on a low income. You will normally be eligible for this even if the company you apply with is not your usual energy supplier.
If you share your home with a pet, trips to the vet can be very expensive, but some practices offer discounts for over-60s. It never hurts to ask! Dogs Trust offers 50% off on membership for over-60s too, for an overall cost of only £12.50 a year. This includes a professional 24-hour advice service and public liability insurance for your dog, among other benefits.
More Rest Less offers
We offer a wide range of discounts on a number of lifestyle products, food and drink packages and more. Have a browse on our discounts page to see what savings you could be making.
Courses
Rest Less has partnered with a range of well-respected and trusted companies and academies to offer our members access to several exclusive deals and offers.
For example, if you’re interested in picking up a new skill, we’ve teamed up with Udemy, the New Skills Academy and the International Open Academy to offer substantial discounts on their courses. These academies offer hundreds of online courses to choose from, on subjects as diverse as growing your own food, boosting your business skills, improving your assertiveness, learning expert make-up techniques and many others.
Money offers
Rest Less also offers a range of money deals, if you’re thinking about sorting out your finances.
If you’re thinking about getting professional financial advice, you can find a local financial adviser on VouchedFor or Unbiased.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for somewhere to start, we’ve partnered with independent advice firm Fidelius to offer Rest Less members a free initial consultation with a qualified financial advisor. There’s no obligation, however if the adviser feels you’d benefit from paid financial advice, they’ll talk you through how that works and the charges involved.
Fidelius are rated 4.7 out of 5 from over 1,000 reviews on VouchedFor, the review site for financial advisors.
If you want advice on your finances more generally, VouchedFor and Unbiased also offer Rest Less members a free financial health check with a trusted, well-rated advisor so you can see if you think advice might be for you.
Cost of living payments
If you are on a low income and receive benefits, you may be entitled to a £900 cost of living payment from the government. This is being paid out in three instalments to anyone receiving any of the following: Universal Credit; income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; income-related Employment and Support Allowance; income support; Pension Credit; Working Tax Credit, and Child Tax Credit.
The first and second payments of £301 and £300 should have been received by everyone who is eligible. The third £299 payment will be made in February 2024. Read more in our article Who receives the Cost of Living payment and how does it work?
If you’re entitled to Winter Fuel Payment, you’ll get an extra £300 Pensioner Cost of Living payment in the winter of 2023/24. This is on top of between £100 and £300 towards energy bills from the Winter Fuel Payment. The amount you receive depends on when you were born, your living situation and benefits entitlement. You should receive this extra payment automatically if you’re entitled to it.
Finally…
Some of the savings you’ll make may seem insignificant, but they can add up very quickly. The most important thing to remember is that it never hurts to ask if you’re entitled to a discount, as sometimes it’s not always obvious that concessions are available.
Rest Less Money is on Instagram! Check out our account and give us a follow @rest_less_uk_money for all the latest Money News, updated daily.