Free bus pass under threat?

Liquorice_Twirls

Lost2 wrote: »

Well said SDW. :T When I had my children you didn't even get family allowance for the first child

Yes but didn't you (or your husband) get a tax allowance for your child at that time which is no longer available to parents?

Isn't it about your ability to pay today that is the most relevant thing? Perhaps your child went to University and had no fees to pay and possibly even received a grant to go. We can't base today on yesterday, just picking out the bits that suit.

Why should all pensioners be treated the same? Whilst I agree that there are many pensioners who are not well off at all, I don't see how it's fair that on things like bus fares and free eye tests everyone is treated the same.

The ones that could pay and don't are surely reducing the money available to be spent on those who have very little income. We are all living longer and I think there needs to be some equity based on ability to pay, not on how old you are.

Errata

Why should all pensioners be treated the same? Whilst I agree that there are many pensioners who are not well off at all, I don't see how it's fair that on things like bus fares and free eye tests everyone is treated the same.

It may well be cheaper than the vast bureaucratic costs involved in means testing every pensioner, every year.

HellsGranny

I can understand a lot of the resentment the free pass for over 60's has caused, I should have one, but I havent applied yet.

I really don't see what was wrong with the half price pass, if that had been rolled out all over the country for disabled people and pensioners, it should, IMO, have been enough.

And No, I am not a 'rich' pensioner, I'm struggling to pay bills and I am just entering my third winter without heating or hot water.

Cheers, HG

alared

I`ve long suspected that the bus concession has more to do with EU rules than the generosity of this crappy government, who frequently waste vast amounts of taxpayer`s money on a whole load of people who have never paid a penny towards anything in their lives.
The over 60`s have earned this meagre handout for all the rubbish we`ve put up with for years.
Charity begins at home for those that have paid all their lives.

seven-day-weekend

Liquorice_Twirls wrote: »

Yes but didn't you (or your husband) get a tax allowance for your child at that time which is no longer available to parents? Not as much as tax credits

Isn't it about your ability to pay today that is the most relevant thing? Perhaps your child went to University and had no fees to pay and possibly even received a grant to go. We can't base today on yesterday, just picking out the bits that suit. My son is 29 and didn't go to University at all. Had he have done so, he would have had a student loan.

Why should all pensioners be treated the same? Whilst I agree that there are many pensioners who are not well off at all, I don't see how it's fair that on things like bus fares and free eye tests everyone is treated the same.

The ones that could pay and don't are surely reducing the money available to be spent on those who have very little income. We are all living longer and I think there needs to be some equity based on ability to pay, not on how old you are.

I've contributed to the system all my life and never had any Benefits (apart from Child Benefit at around a fiver a week, which everyone with a child got). So I don't think my bus pass or eye test is about to break the bank.

Indie_Kid

[QUOTE=sunshinejoclaire;24467771_but_it_would_be_so_nice_if_they_went_back_to_after_9:30_-_everyone_was_happy_then_:)[/QUOTE]

Apart from those of us who depend on our bus passes who need to travel before 9.30am. And before anyone says anything, I don't drive, (hence the pass) I can't really walk the route I need to go and do need constant supervision (due to safety) when out - getting supervision isn't always possible. My only options are bus or taxi and taxi is far too expensive. When I had to travel before 9.30am, I only paid child fare as I was 17 and still in school.

Yeah, ok I live in London and bus fare (with oyster card) is only £1 per journey; but that's a lot of money - espeically when sometimes I need to take two buses and use buses nearly every day.

zygurat789

Quote:
Originally Posted by Liquorice Twirls
Yes but didn't you (or your husband) get a tax allowance for your child at that time which is no longer available to parents? Not as much as tax credits Maybe less for the rich and not that much more for the poor

Isn't it about your ability to pay today that is the most relevant thing? Perhaps your child went to University and had no fees to pay and possibly even received a grant to go. We can't base today on yesterday, just picking out the bits that suit. My son is 29 and didn't go to University at all. Had he have done so, he would have had a student loan.This in no way covers the cost

Why should all pensioners be treated the same? Whilst I agree that there are many pensioners who are not well off at all, I don't see how it's fair that on things like bus fares and free eye tests everyone is treated the same.

The ones that could pay and don't are surely reducing the money available to be spent on those who have very little income. We are all living longer and I think there needs to be some equity based on ability to pay, not on how old you are.

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I've contributed to the system all my life and never had any Benefits (apart from Child Benefit at around a fiver a week, which everyone with a child got). So I don't think my bus pass or eye test is about to break the bank.

So you never went to the doctor, dentist, hospital, state school ?

I too have a bus pass which I use whenever I can instead of the car it saves on CO2. Yes if it wasn't free I wouldn't use the bus, how much am I costing the LA? How do they even know I took a ride I've only once been issued a free ticket.

seven-day-weekend

zygurat789 wrote: »

Quote:
Originally Posted by Liquorice Twirls







So you never went to the doctor, dentist, hospital, state school ?

I too have a bus pass which I use whenever I can instead of the car it saves on CO2. Yes if it wasn't free I wouldn't use the bus, how much am I costing the LA? How do they even know I took a ride I've only once been issued a free ticket.

Of course I did, like everyone else, so I don't think you can count those as Benefits!

I will use my bus pass a lot; I use the bus anyway when I'm in the UK, even though at the moment I have to pay, as it is easier than taking the car if I'm going to the city centre.

margaretclare

HellsGranny wrote: »

I can understand a lot of the resentment the free pass for over 60's has caused, I should have one, but I havent applied yet.

I really don't see what was wrong with the half price pass, if that had been rolled out all over the country for disabled people and pensioners, it should, IMO, have been enough.

And No, I am not a 'rich' pensioner, I'm struggling to pay bills and I am just entering my third winter without heating or hot water.

Cheers, HG

I've never seen what was wrong with the half-price pass. We had one in our local authority area and it seemed to work quite well. I used mine maybe 5 or 6 times in 10 years. DH used his when he worked shifts at the call-centre - the bus stop was right outside his office. As for the free pass, I've never used it.

nexuss

The govt are simply not paying the councils the subsidy they promised for the free bus travel.The councils cannot afford to pay the bus companies so they are close to scrapping the system.