I am going to be 60 this year, please tell me what I can get!

[WinterGardening]

Because in my mind I am still 37, it hasn't occurred to me that actually, this year, there is a load of free shit I can get when I'm 60!

Pls inform me of what I can benefit from. Buses? Trains?

Why are you so surprised? Surety you remember the large classes at school and the large numbers of children visible everywhere. I am a little older than you - born in December, 1964. The first baby boom was immediately after the Second World War but there was a second from the late fifties to the mid sixties. The second boom was even larger than the first with my year, 1964, being the peak. Over a million of us were born in that year; the largest number of births since the end of the Second World War. A programme l watched on YouTube about the sixties yesterday said that the post war baby boom reached its height in the sixties. If the numbers of babies born were already high in, say, 1958 and started rising every year until the peak in 1964, it is only reasonable that the numbers would still be high for several years as they gradually fell. I believe that the birth rate fell noticeably in the seventies.

£1 bowl of soup at Morrisons or Asda maybe ? Some places have cinema discount in the week with free tea and coffee ( Odeon cinemas maybe ? )

My dh was surprised about the free prescriptions and eye tests given that he is still working full time and already has very expensive NHS treatments for a health condition monthly. He was previously only paying around £10 a month for a pre-paid certificate.

Thanks for info on NT. I pay mine by direct debit and it has remained as an adult. Will check this out

Just in case anyone reading this thread is under 60 and on HRT you can get a pre-paid certificate for HRT to cover your HRT prescriptions for a year for only £20 anyway. As I have four yearly prescriptions of 3 months worth it halves the price for me.

They do lovely adverts on Channel 5 in all the programs like all creatures great and small that we watch :)

The senior rail card is excellent value for money.
Free prescriptions. I already had them as I am in thyroxine.
I asked somewhere about a discount an was told now 67 as that is pension age.

I'm 60 this year too. 1966 was a good year (and no, I don't mean the football). I feel the same as you, it doesn't seem real somehow. My DH keeps referring to it as my 21st. I'll take that.

@Violinist64

I know there are a lot of us, more surprised to find people here. I didn't have children but found Mumsnet 10 years ago. I don't know anyone my age in real life who has any interest in Mumsnet.

You get the discount on joint membership too, even if your partner (eg your daughter) is under 60

Just checked my council gyms...66+ for discount..I'm still young! 😂

Soup and a roll for £1 in Asda cafe!

B&Q discount should kick in too if you're up for a spot of DIY.

Quite a few local authorities offer reduced price memberships for their gym/sport/pool facilities after an age point in the 60s. Some are 60, others not until 65+. You may find special sessions for maintaining health over 60 etc. In London public transport is free with a 60+ card.

Both types of scheme are popular targets as the current beneficiaries are evil Boomers/Gen Xers and wealthier liberal oldies are happy to jump in and say they don’t need it (so nobody should have it).

In reality both are enlightened self interest. The 60+ gym memberships keep people active, exercising and socialising and consequentially healthier whilst using facilities off peak and helping them stay in business. My GP practice promotes the local gym membership schemes - they have the numbers to suggest both physical and social benefits to those joining.

Free travel helps people get out and about, socialise, stay healthy, reduce car use and justify the service in off peak hours. The money paid to TFL is effectively a subsidy to TFL based on journeys which largely happen due to the card.

These kind of schemes are most cost effective to implement as blanket schemes than means tested, especially when you include their value in maintaining provision of services to all.

Where do you live? In England its 60 for free prescriptions.

Free eye tests at 60 makes sense as early capture of the problems which arise with age can reduce the cost of treatment or potential loss of sight. Any workplace requiring use of screens used to be required to pay the cost of an annual eye test for staff - not sure if that is still the case, my company has always done this and still does.

Thank you. DH are the same age.

I think this only applies if you are already NT members? DH and I were NT members for many years but stopped it a couple of years ago as we never got a chance to visit anywhere when we were working. DH and I semi-retired this year and immediately went to rejoin but sadly we were not eligible for the over 60’s discount so had to pay the full membership fee.

With the Boots card I had to actually phone them and ask them to swap me over to the over 60’s card. They don’t do it automatically which is annoying as I’ve only just realised and I’m 64!

If you have an NHS dentist in Wales you have a free dental check up from age 60

Or local council only issues bus passes to those of state retirement age.

Just checked and it looks like the B&Q over 60s discount scheme has closed.

Congrats, OP.

Keep breathing and you'll be entitled to a free shingles jab from the NHS when you're 65. Best birthday present for me that year.

@ErrolTheDragon im turning 65 as well. We need to start our elderly thread 😊

You can get 10% off in the nice department store opposite Bexleyheath library on a Tuesday!

I too am 37 this year @WinterGardening. I would like to think that I’d present my proof of age and the staff would look REALLY shocked and insist it must surely be fake.

They might even ask colleagues to check, so unlikely is my age compared to my appearance.

Ha ha ha