The National Trust has been accused of imposing “grossly unfair” price rises on people over 60 after increasing its prices by a third over the last four years.
It has been criticised by pensioner groups for hiding discounted deals and raising prices by almost 10 times the rate of inflation in five years.
Membership for the Trust costs £48 each for the over 60s, which has risen by 32 per cent since 2012.
This is compared to just a 19 per cent increase in the cost of a standard adult membership over the same period.
Dot Gibson, of the National Pensioners Convention, told the Times: “Many older people enjoy spending a day out at a stately home, beautiful garden or historic building – and many more volunteer at these places – so it seems grossly unfair that their loyalty and interest is being rewarded with huge increases in membership fees.
“More than 6.5 million older people have an annual income of less than £11,000, and it would be wrong to see access to these wonderful places as simply for the better-off.”