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Original poster

Lifetime membership of the National Trust

27 replies

DreamingofSunshine · 16/07/2019 11:37

I've been offered the opportunity to buy lifetime membership of the National Trust, I'm in my early 30s so would hope to be using it for a few decades.

I live in London and have a 2 year old DS. I have access to a car so can explore further afield. Is it worth the £400?

OP posts:
CalmConfident · 16/07/2019 11:38

Yes

CloudRusting · 16/07/2019 11:40

If you’re going to do it now would be the time. We go a few times a year to local ones and then when we go round the UK see new ones.

DCIRozHuntley · 16/07/2019 11:42

Isn't it closer to £1800?

LoafofSellotape · 16/07/2019 11:42

£400? It's more than that.

MaudebeGonne · 16/07/2019 11:43

Yes, for £400 it is a bargain. We had a years membership for English Heritage and it was great - we went to loads of places that we probably wouldn't have gone to. Even for just having access to the grounds and gardens to take the children for a run around and not worry about it being too crowded.

Runningintothesunset · 16/07/2019 11:44

Life members get themselves and a guest in for free. I was lucky enough to be given mine as a 21st Birthday present from all my relatives. It’s been an amazing gift that we use all the time. If you can get it for £400 I’d bite their hand off...

Alpacathebag · 16/07/2019 11:45

Life time membership to the national trust is much more than £400. I think it’s much nearer to £1800. Also your son will only be free to get into national trust until he is 5. After that you would either have to upgrade to a family life membership or get him his own membership.

I have life membership and love it, it was a gift for my 30th birthday. We use it on holidays a lot and also when we are travelling to see family we sometimes stop at places instead of services.

Alpacathebag · 16/07/2019 11:46

Sorry should clarify he will get in on your individual membership after age 5 as long as you’re not taking another adult with you.

NewSchoolNewName · 16/07/2019 11:46

That sounds very cheap for lifetime membership. We went to a National Trust place a few weeks ago and they were telling us a year’s membership was something like £125 (for a family).

If it’s definitely £400 I’d go for it.

SavoyCabbage · 16/07/2019 11:48

She's not asking how much it is, presumably there is a reason she's been offered the opportunity of it costing £400.

Yes, absolutely it's worth it. You'd save that in just parking over your lifetime!

dontgobaconmyheart · 16/07/2019 11:49

If it were £400 then yes it's worth it, the adult single membership is £72 a year so it's the cost of paying upfront for approx 6 years and then getting anything after that for free- however it depends. If it's a single membership your DS is only eligible to enter free if he is under 5, otherwise he will require a junior membership/adult when he is older and obviously the same applies to any partners or family you want to take with you, who would have to pay the entry fees (which are high IMO) or have their own membership.

Whether it is 'worth' it depends on how often you visit and who with I suppose. How near you are to NT properties you'll visit as part of normal life etc. How are you getting it for £400 though OP! It's a lot more than than to buy at their list price!

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 16/07/2019 11:53

Yes!

Growing up my Dad didn’t have much money but we both had National Trust membership so endless days out (we live in a area with lots of NT properties & we used to go on holiday in an area with lots too, my Mum also lived near by quite a few so I used to take mine with me).

I have 5 dc & the cost of the family membership each year for the 7 of us is tiny compared to the amount we use it!

GrassIsntGreener · 16/07/2019 12:02

Wow, £400? Absolutely yes especially with a 2 year old! How lucky.

Original poster
DreamingofSunshine · 16/07/2019 12:11

Thanks everyone, sounds like it's worth it.

The reason is that I've been left some money by a relative to use on a membership to benefit DS and I. I'd need to pay £400 but it sounds like it could be worth doing (and I'm happy to pay that to a charity). I'll have a think about how it'd work with DH but I'm thinking it'll be great to have in school holidays to take DS out and about, and DH is likely to be at work then.

OP posts:
CakeMonster100 · 16/07/2019 12:32

Double check what sites you have near you within driving distance. And compare those to what English Heritage sites you have in the same distance. The lifetime English heritage membership gets you one adult and up to 6 children (I think that's the right number!) To go in free with you. So you might find it better value and you can then take a friend and their children out for the day with you and your son. Only works if you have enough sites within an accessible distance though so I'd recommend comparing both memberships before deciding which is right for you.

We've found our memberships lovely as you can just pop out for a morning or afternoon without worrying about having to spend a whole day to make the most of a daily entry fee. And agree with previous posters that they also get well used on any family holiday in the UK!

CalmConfident · 17/07/2019 21:45

In 6th form a friend's elderly Aunt bought her lifetime national trust membership as her 18th birthday present. How we laughed!

Now....it seems a totally genius present Smile

PhannyMcNee · 17/07/2019 21:47

Get it!! I too got it as a gift for my 21st and at the time was a bit ‘meh’ about it. 25 years, a dog and 4 dc on, it has paid for itself over and over (I was also gifted the ‘upgrade’ to family when dc1 turned 5).

IggyAce · 17/07/2019 21:52

We pay annually for family membership and enjoy lots of days out especially in the holidays.
We sometimes book holiday locations depending on properties close by and like a pp often stop at a NT place instead of services.

78percentLindt · 17/07/2019 22:02

Bought both DC life membership last year, both early twenties. DC 1 was dead chuffed to get free parking when he was on a stag weekend in Devon.
I am not sure how many NT properties there are in London check the NT website English heritage or the Royal Palaces might get more use at the moment.

GlamGiraffe · 17/07/2019 22:07

Yes. Ots worth it. It's a great contribution to preserving our history and whilstxee don't use ours massively we do often find ourselves out and about somewhere, see a venue and realise we can pop in and have a look around. You can even use it for free car parking in some places.

TheRLodger · 17/07/2019 22:14

Yes!!!!!! My dad got it for my mum almost 40 years ago and it’s the best present he’s ever got her.

SailorGirl3 · 17/07/2019 22:17

It should also give you access to National Trust properties worldwide.

whiteroseredrose · 17/07/2019 22:18

It's great. My DPs bought family life membership for DH and I when I had DS and we've used it a lot.

My only complaint is that I wanted to strop off when they voted to continue to allow hunting on NT land but couldn't!

StCharlotte · 17/07/2019 22:22

My DH got it for me (us) last Christmas. We've already used it a few times and are going this Sunday. There are loads of places round here and we've got a couple of UK holidays coming up so will use it then as well. Also looking forward to visiting places in the run up to Christmas. Do it OP Smile

elfycat · 17/07/2019 22:30

DH and I got lifetime EH 15 years ago resettlement money from the military after 2 moves in under a year. We bought DDs (now 8 and 10yo) lifetime NT memberships a couple of years ago. We can take them in to EH, and until they're older they can take us as guests to NT.

No regrets on it at all. We visit the local places regularly and if we go away in the UK we find places to go to for 'free'.

We found the EH better value - take a guest and loads of children rather than just one guest, but we also prefer castles and ruins to stately homes though we love both . We still got the NT as well though. And you did get a little metal NT leaf pin which DDs love to put on.