Yes, you can travel on local buses for free in the UK if you belong to one of two groups: older people and eligible disabled people. In England, the older person's pass is available once you reach State Pension age, while in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland you can apply from the age of 60. Disabled people can qualify at any age if they meet the medical criteria. The pass itself is free, and you apply through your local council.

In England, the scheme is called the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, and it gives eligible older and disabled people free off-peak travel on local buses. The standard national hours are 9.30am to 11pm on weekdays, and all day at weekends and on bank holidays. One point that surprises many people is that an English pass is valid on local buses anywhere in England, not just in the area where you live, so you can use it when visiting another town or city.

The most important change to know about in November 2026 is that the qualifying age in England is rising. Because eligibility for the older person's pass is tied directly to the State Pension age, and that age is increasing from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028 under the Pensions Act 2014, some people turning 66 will now have to wait several months beyond their birthday. People born between 6 November and 5 December 1960, for example, qualify when they reach 66 years and eight months, so someone born on 6 November 1960 will not become eligible until 6 July 2027. People born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977 will generally qualify at 67. The exact date depends on your date of birth, and the government's State Pension age checker at gov.uk/state-pension-age will tell you precisely when you qualify.

That change does not affect anyone who already holds a free bus pass, and it does not affect the disabled person's pass, which is based on disability rather than age. It also does not apply in the same way everywhere in England. Londoners can get free travel from 60 through the 60+ London Oyster photocard, and Merseyside runs its own local concession from 60, so people in those areas are not held back by the rising State Pension age. Age UK's advice is to check with your local council, because some councils offer their own concessions for people over 60 on top of the national scheme.

Who qualifies for the older person's pass depends on where you live. In England, you can get one when you reach State Pension age, which GOV.UK confirms on its older person's bus pass page. In Wales, you can get a bus pass when you reach 60. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, you also get an older person's bus pass at 60. If you live in London, you can travel free on buses, tubes and other transport when you are 60, but only within London. The rules are devolved, so each nation runs its own scheme, and the English scheme is separate from the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish ones.

The disabled person's pass works differently. In England, there is no single national provider: you apply through your local council as part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. GOV.UK says you are eligible if you live in England and are eligible disabled, and it directs you to enter your postcode to find the council or travel authority that issues passes in your area. You must generally be five years old or over, and your condition must be permanent or expected to last at least 12 months.

The medical criteria for a disabled person's pass in England cover seven broad situations. You may qualify if you are blind or partially sighted, profoundly or severely deaf, without speech, have a disability or injury that has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to walk, have no use of both arms, have a severe learning disability, or would be refused a driving licence on medical grounds. Citizens Advice lists these as the standard grounds, and notes that the driving licence ground does not cover refusals linked to drug or alcohol misuse. Some councils accept evidence from a Personal Independence Payment award, for example if you scored eight points or more for moving around or for communicating verbally, but the evidence each council asks for can vary, so it is worth checking your own council's requirements before you apply.

Applying for an older person's pass is straightforward. GOV.UK's older person's bus pass page asks you to enter your postcode, and it then sends you to your local council to apply or to check whether you can get a pass sooner. You can usually apply online, and many councils also accept paper forms or applications in person at a council office or library. You will normally need proof of your age, such as a passport or driving licence, proof of your address, such as a council tax bill, and a recent colour photograph. Some councils let you apply shortly before your qualifying date, so you do not have to wait until the day itself to start the process.

Applying for a disabled person's pass follows a similar route, but you will also need medical evidence. Start with the GOV.UK disabled person's bus pass page, which covers England only and links onward to the separate schemes for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Enter your postcode to reach your local council, then gather the evidence it asks for. That may include a benefit award letter, a certificate of visual impairment, or a letter from a health professional describing your condition and how it affects you. Councils decide applications on the evidence provided, so include everything that shows you meet one of the qualifying criteria.

If you live in Scotland, you apply for the National Entitlement Card through mygov.scot or your local council, and the older person's card starts at 60. Scotland also runs a separate free bus travel scheme for people under 22. In Wales, the older person's pass is available from 60 and applications go through your local council or Transport for Wales. In Northern Ireland, the older person's pass starts at 60 and you apply through nidirect. In London, the Disabled Person's Freedom Pass is applied for through your borough or the Freedom Pass website, and the 60+ London Oyster photocard is run by Transport for London.

It is worth knowing exactly what the pass covers and what it does not. The national scheme in England covers local bus services, and it covers them at off-peak times on weekdays and all day at weekends and bank holidays. Some councils add local extras on top of the national minimum, such as travel at peak times or on trams and local trains, so check what your own council offers. The pass does not cover long-distance coaches or tourist services, which sit outside the local bus scheme. And because the schemes are nation-specific, an English pass does not give you free travel on buses in Scotland or Wales, and a Scottish or Welsh pass does not give you free travel in England.

Passes do not last for ever. They carry an expiry date, and you will need to renew yours through your council when it runs out. If you move house, you should apply to your new council, because passes are issued by the council for the area where you live. If your pass is lost or stolen, contact your council to ask about a replacement. If you are applying for the first time and are not sure whether you qualify, your council can tell you which local concessions exist in your area, including any that start earlier than the national scheme.

Can I use my free bus pass anywhere in England? Yes. An English pass is valid for free off-peak travel on local buses anywhere in England, not only in the area that issued it. The usual weekday hours are 9.30am to 11pm, with all-day travel at weekends and on bank holidays.

Can I get a free bus pass at 60 in England? Not through the national scheme, which starts at State Pension age. But some local schemes start earlier, notably the 60+ London Oyster photocard in London and local concessions in places such as Merseyside, so check what your council offers.

Does the rising State Pension age delay my bus pass? In England, yes, if you were born after 5 April 1960. Your qualifying age rises in monthly steps in line with your State Pension age, reaching 67 for people born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977. Use the GOV.UK State Pension age checker to find your exact date.

Can I get a disabled bus pass if I receive PIP? Possibly. Some councils accept a PIP award as evidence, for example where you scored eight points or more for moving around or for communicating verbally, but each council sets its own evidence rules. Contact your council to confirm what it will accept.

Can I use an English bus pass in Scotland or Wales? No. The schemes are separate, so an English pass covers local buses in England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each run their own concessionary travel schemes with their own passes.

Free bus travel is one of the most widely used concessions in the UK, but the rules are not the same in every part of the country, and the qualifying age in England is moving. Check your eligibility on GOV.UK or your nation's government site, gather your documents, and apply through your local council. Rules and qualifying ages change over time, so confirm the current position on the official service before you act.