Concessionary Bus Pass

skgarg

Please clarify, if anyone knows
[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
Is a National Bus pass, issued to a disabled person after a GP's medical recommendation, classed under the definition of 'No recourse to public funds' as per immigration rules and the person is therefore not entitled for the Bus Pass?
[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT] If so, please also mention under which rule and section of any relevant act it is covered by.

briona

skgarg wrote: »

Please clarify, if anyone knows

Is a National Bus pass, issued to a disabled person after a GP's medical recommendation, classed under the definition of 'No recourse to public funds' as per immigration rules and the person is therefore not entitled for the Bus Pass?
If so, please also mention under which rule and section of any relevant act it is covered by.

Concessionary bus passes are not listed on the UK Border Agency's website (or in their downloadable PDF – see right hand side on link) as "public funds". See http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/while-in-uk/rightsandresponsibilities/publicfunds/

According to DirectGov's website, eligibility for them seems to be based on being resident in the UK and of "eligible age" and/or "eligible disability". I would therefore expect that you are eligible. See http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Publictransport/BusAndCoachTravel/DG_10036264

Briona

skgarg

Thanks for the Info. I saw all that also. But please see this on Oxford city council website (the only council website mentioning this)


You will NOT be entitled to a bus pass if:

• Your main residence is outside of Oxford
• You have a second home in Oxford which you do not occupy permanently or
• You have a visa limiting your stay in the UK, where you have no recourse to public funds.

Comments please.

I have searched the whole internet for any link between Buspass and Home office list. But nothing relevant comes up.

Is Oxford Council denying wrongly?

glider3560

Why not contact Oxford council and ask them under what basis they are refusing the pass to people who have no recourse to public funds?

skgarg

Tried over phone but they said it is a public fund and that's that.
Even Citizen advisory service office confirmed this fact that it is public fund.

But None would comment on that under which rule it is denied to persons with 'no recourse to public fund' visa stamp.

briona

Hmmmm... Interestingly I can't find any definitive answers on the web either. I would not have thought that a concessionary bus pass came under "public funds" but according to Stoke-on-Trent City Council for example, it does.

"Stoke-on-Trent City Council processes your personal information in order to process your concessionary travel fare. We have a duty to protect the public funds we administer and to this end may use the information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud."

I guess if the issuing Council classes concessionary bus passes as "public funds" (to which you have no recourse) then I don't see that there is much you can do about it. I take it the letter on the link below is yours?
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/bus_is_classed_as_public_fund_un

Briona

briona

skgarg wrote: »

Tried over phone but they said it is a public fund and that's that.
Even Citizen advisory service office confirmed this fact that it is public fund.

But None would comment on that under which rule it is denied to persons with 'no recourse to public fund' visa stamp.

I guess the rule is simply that you have no recourse to public funds, and if the bus pass is classed as one, so be it.

dmg24

briona wrote: »

I guess the rule is simply that you have no recourse to public funds, and if the bus pass is classed as one, so be it.

I cannot find a definitive answer, but as the concessionary scheme comes from public funds and is not a Contributions based benefit, I would agree with this.

skgarg

Thankyou all again for your comments.
The statement
" Council processes your personal information in order to process your concessionary travel fare. We have a duty to protect the public funds we administer and to this end may use the information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud."

is written on almost all council websites.


Please note that not all public funded items are listed on the UKBA banned list.

therefore the question still remains-since BIA website under rule 2.2 states-


2.2 What counts as a public fund?

[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]The following benefits count as a "public fund". These link to a description of each and then a further link to more detailed information supplied by the DirectGov website.

[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]Attendance allowance [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Arial]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Carers allowance [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Child Benefit [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Child tax credit [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Council tax benefit [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Disability living allowance [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Income Related Employment & Support Allowance - ESA (IR) [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Health in Pregnancy Grant [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Housing and homelessness assistance [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Housing benefit [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Income support [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Severe Disablement Allowance [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Social fund payment [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]State pension credit [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Arial]Working tax credit [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Arial]I hope UKBA or ox council responds to my FOI request.[/FONT]
[/FONT][/FONT]

PipsoG

Local Transport Executives are given money from Central Government to make up for concessionary bus passes that are used either by the disabled or senior citizens.

The money given is from taxes collected and the taxes are public funds as are any benefits.

How can you say that there is no recourse to public funds when you are asking to get free bus travel - somebody has to pay and the bus companies are not giving free travel as an act of charity - they are there for profits. Therefore Central Government are paying.

Seems to me that is is a bit of a no brainer, or have I missed something?

skgarg

yes you have missed.

UKBA lists only certain benefits as Public funds. Not all.

Also this restriction is to visas with working permition. The person working has or is working in Uk and paying taxes and Ni contributions too.
I am sorry but we are contributing to the economy and are doing more than the British or EEA citizens as they pay less and take more benefits. SO Yes you ahve missed out on the logic itself.