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

Nick_C · 24 July 2019 at 6:43PM

johnny_williams wrote: »

Hi, i do get fed up with the phrase free bus pass yes i can get on public transport with out paying but we PAY for the free bus pass in our rates.

The amount of Council Tax you pay is nothing like enough to fund your local Council, Fire Service, and Police Force.

And of course young people who are working and struggling are paying for your bus pass. In many cases, the pensioners getting these benefits - awarded purely on the bases of having reached a certain age - are better off then people going out to work and contributing to the exchequer.

LizK60 · 24 July 2019 at 6:44PM

I couldn’t agree more but quite honestly I don’t think it’s over for our generation yet. I fear the future and how we and future generations will fund a reasonable lifestyle

Kentish_Dave · 24 July 2019 at 7:56PM

None of it should be. Benefits should be in proportion to what you’ve been paying in, too, like private insurance schemes are.

We’ve gone too far the road now of means testing.

tgroom57 · 25 July 2019 at 8:12AM

Passport costs ? What do you propose? I'd like to see a concession on passport costs to the unemployed, because employment agencies won't consider someone unless they have a current passport. It's impossible to find a £75 passport fee when your weekly food budget is £15.

Squire_Fulwood · 25 July 2019 at 8:16AM

The first item that struck me was that parents get means tested to decide what the child gets. Presumably this is so that the bank of Mum and Dad gets used. I suspect there may be parents who might have shut their bank leaving the child abandoned. Students in particular might feel the draught.

If you want the aged to feel lonely and broke then take their bus passes and TV licenses away. I thought there were initiatives to make them feel more included.

Maggie had her pension holiday and Tezzer had her snap election which included the intention to cap the triple lock and to impound the house of people admitted to care and allow them to keep £16000. None of these
proposals did well for the proposer. With the increase in the number of pensioners I can't help wondering if it is wise to keep hitting on them.

Mishomeister · 25 July 2019 at 12:08PM

Why most people voter for the student loan to be means tested on the parents income? Why there is an assumption that if the person's parents are well off the person is well of himself?
The parents may not provide any support for the grown up child for whatever reason.

Also, I strongly believe that although it is right to have certain things means tested the thresholds need to be mucgh higher.

Legal aid is a typical example. The governmebnt believes that some one on 15k PA income can have a legal aid which will amount to say 20K.

But some one on 20k PA is well off to pay solicitors himself.

NaughtiusMaximus · 25 July 2019 at 12:18PM

tgroom57 wrote: »

Passport costs ? What do you propose? I'd like to see a concession on passport costs to the unemployed, because employment agencies won't consider someone unless they have a current passport. It's impossible to find a £75 passport fee when your weekly food budget is £15.

An alternate solution is the government introduces a seperate VOLUNTARY ID card available to any UK citizen for a nominal fee which proves your citizenship and therefore eligibility to work in this country.

Murphybear · 25 July 2019 at 1:01PM

borkid wrote: »

I'm 10 years younger, working class family but went to uni because I got grant (not a full one)and worked in the holidays not a penny from my family. There were no tuition fees then. Back then though there were fewer courses and places so unless you wanted to do an academic subject uni wasn't the right place. I do remember people studying HNCs though.

I went to University in London in 1971. The fees were paid but the maintenance grant was means tested. My father was supposed to make up the amount I got but he told me he couldn’t afford to so I managed. Fortunately London wasn’t so expensive in those days and one of my circle of friends happened to be the manager of the St George’s Medical School all night bar :rotfl:

borkid · 25 July 2019 at 2:30PM

Murphybear wrote: »

I went to University in London in 1971. The fees were paid but the maintenance grant was means tested. My father was supposed to make up the amount I got but he told me he couldn’t afford to so I managed. Fortunately London wasn’t so expensive in those days and one of my circle of friends happened to be the manager of the St George’s Medical School all night bar :rotfl:

Same time and place as me then.

Fitzmichael · 25 July 2019 at 4:18PM

The problem is that banks and all sorts of places will insist you present it. I've lived in several EU countries, which all have ID cards. Not all require you to carry your card with you, but you'll probably be asked for one. For the police, this is a way of showing their authority, esp to people who don't 'look right', who they can amuse themselves by detaining.
Of course, our bobbies wouldn't do that, would they? Be careful what you wish for.

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

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