I will shortly be in a similar position. 55 yrs old, nearly 10000hrs mostly in heavies, made redundant and just finishing a short term contract.
I have been banging my head against the wall for the last 9 months looking for another permanent job and all I have had is rejection after rejection. Just about every UK airline only wants 14 year olds with no experience, BA turned me down flat for the 744 despite fitting the profile almost to the letter, ditto FR as they want Captains or cadets only and at 55 I am too old for the ME and China, not that I particularly want to go there.
I would love to jack in long haul and return to turboprops, I could afford the pay cut and used to fly them years ago but the normal reaction is either to be totally ignored (Flybe) or a total disbelief that anyone would want to swap a 747 for something smaller , as if it makes any difference. I would happily swap my RHS for a Q400 or Jetstream, unfortunately no one takes you seriously when you are over 50, in the RHS or express a desire to "downsize".
Most recruiters seem to have had continuous careers, have never been redundant and give the impression that they achieved command whilst still at school. When confronted with someone older who has not done the same they seem to immediately assume that you have screwed up somewhere and the cv goes straight into the trash folder.
Like you, I am looking at something in IT, not because I want to stop flying, I don't, but because I have to keep working as multiple redundancies shredded my pension savings. I would suggest that you either burn your logbook and pretend to be a cadet again although despite the law, there is most certainly age discrimination practised in this industry, or carry on in IT and fly for fun after work. The real problem is that once in your 50's it is difficult to get a job doing anything, you are assumed to be senile and to have no aspirations higher than a supermarket checkout or an orange apron at B&Q.
Flying is a great job but the industry is utterly vile, full of overinflated egos promoted beyond their wildest dreams due to seniority and arrogant teenagers who would sell their parents for a chance to appear on facebook in a pilots uniform.The union is bloody useless having failed to even slow down the race to the bottom and exists soley to protect BA pilots and sell financial services. It will be hard to stop, I'm sure it was hard for you, but if you are successful in something else, I would caution against rejoining this snakepit. It really isn't worth it unless you are born lucky.
All the very best of luck,whatever you decide.