MSE Poll: What should be means-tested? Free bus passes, the NHS, student loans?

alggomas

Interesting to see how close some of these votes are.
Good to know the financial situation of the voters also


People earning over say £75,000 a year should not have free eye/hearing tests or child allowance [credits]/t.v licence rtc.
Also the income has to be set fairly high because if you have someone "just over" the income level then they may struggle.
I think rich people should have full access to the NHS as they pay in a lot through taxes etc.


What annoys me is the Government saying "we are in in together" and cut the high earner tax by 5%!!!!!
Just protecting themselves and affluent people while scything the less well off.
I also think that Winter fuel payments should be stopped for very wealthy people. I would agree that initially it will cost some money, but once established money could be saved for helping, not just in money , people so they have a job and something to look forward to.
By the way, nothing is free. We pay indirectly through taxes etc. The good thing is that the fortunate help the unfortunate.

borkid

kathrynha wrote: »

The afternoon peak time is an issue too. When your tired after a long day at work, and are lucky to be able to get on the bus never mind get a seat, because of all the passengers that don't pay.
I gave up on public transport and now commute by car. Saves me time, money and sanity.

Not sure if there is a cut off point because my local bus doesn't run in the afternoon peak time. Only 3 a day each way, the last into the city being 9:20 am.

I only use the bus occasionaly when OH might need the car.

Super_Consumer

As an older member of society who has paid his Tax & NI over the years to contribute to many of these I really don't think it fair to have to pay again or pay more just because I've also been putting aside some savings.
It does feel these days that those who pay, pay twice and those that don't, don't.
The current Care Home situation is totally unfair where those paying subsidise those who don't. I've worked hard for what I've got and always been careful with my money and now I find I am being targeted to pay more or pay again for what I've already contributed to. If those of us who did this keep being ripped off like this then why should those comming along behind bother to do the same? A very negative view perhaps but then what we're experiencing is very negative and very unfair too.:mad:

alggomas

I do not think that part of the current care rules are fair.
However if you are sitting in a £500,000 house and have substantial savings then you should have offloaded some of this. I do not think the rule of selling a house to pay for care is correct. What if you only live 5 years? I believe a portion of the sale should be used to top up council care and the rest left in your bank account and used pro rata. You would then be able to leave the residual to your next of kin.
Again to repeat. If you are wealthy,does not matter how easy or hard to acquire this people should make arrangements so that ALL their assets are not taken and used for care costs.