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Original poster

Are English people treated worse than the rest of the UK?

86 replies

Haruka · 30/10/2025 07:22

Not a goady thread, I am foreign-born and reading the new rules on bus passes today has once again thrown up this question for me. Perhaps there are other systems in place and someone can shine a light on this and educate me.

But why is it that English people seem to constantly have worse conditions than the rest of Britain, and are we thus subsidising the other nations?

  • Bus passes: new rules will link eligibility in England to state pension age, while old people in Scotland and Wales will remain eligible from age 60
  • University fees: no tuition fees for Scots, but the other nations pay fees of almost 10k.
  • No prescription charges in Wales or Scotland, but English people pay £9.90 per item. We all use the NHS.
I'm sure there are more. I do not mean to insult anyone; these are just current rules. So why is it that in all 3 examples the English are worst off? Do people in the other nations pay more through taxes?
OP posts:
NotEnoughKnittingTime · 30/10/2025 07:35

twinklystar23 · 30/10/2025 07:34

Was just going to say the Barnett formula, last time I read it was about 7k per head in England £¥k in Wales and 11k in Scotland. This is money from the government. It was a rough formula brought in about 1970s I struggle to see the fairness tbh

I agree. That needs changing.

Namechangeforthis88 · 30/10/2025 07:35

It's democracy.

The other nations vote differently.

Scottish Government tends to be quite left leaning, so there is more universal provision, like free prescriptions. That's what people in Scotland voted for, and accept paying more tax.

dottiehens · 30/10/2025 07:35

WonderingWanda · 30/10/2025 07:31

I suspect it's because of the difference in population size. England is 58.6m, Scotland 5.5, Wales 3.1 and NI 1.9.

When you have a larger population costs rise e.g. crime rates and road maintenance, etc. The overcrowding can impact quality of life and therefore more social problems. So less money to spend on things like free tuition.

Spot on. This is why is so frustrating some do not get the perils of the immigration problem.

twinklystar23 · 30/10/2025 07:34

Was just going to say the Barnett formula, last time I read it was about 7k per head in England £¥k in Wales and 11k in Scotland. This is money from the government. It was a rough formula brought in about 1970s I struggle to see the fairness tbh

TofuEater · 30/10/2025 07:34

Londoners and Liverpudlians get free travel (with some exceptions) at 60.

Trentdarkmore · 30/10/2025 07:33

TeenagersAngst · 30/10/2025 07:29

Its up to the individual nations what they spend on public services- read up on devolution and the Barnett formula, OP.

England could offer all the same things but doesn’t because it has made different spending decisions. It’s not directly to do with Scotland charging more income tax as Wales doesn’t.

This.

WonderingWanda · 30/10/2025 07:31

I suspect it's because of the difference in population size. England is 58.6m, Scotland 5.5, Wales 3.1 and NI 1.9.

When you have a larger population costs rise e.g. crime rates and road maintenance, etc. The overcrowding can impact quality of life and therefore more social problems. So less money to spend on things like free tuition.

TeenagersAngst · 30/10/2025 07:29

Its up to the individual nations what they spend on public services- read up on devolution and the Barnett formula, OP.

England could offer all the same things but doesn’t because it has made different spending decisions. It’s not directly to do with Scotland charging more income tax as Wales doesn’t.

springintoaction2 · 30/10/2025 07:27

Yep - true. Although living in Scotland must be very cold, so they have extra heating bills.

aintnospringchicken · 30/10/2025 07:26

The income tax rate in Scotland is higher than the rate in England

Original poster
Haruka · 30/10/2025 07:23

Sorry, I forgot to disable the poll. I am simply after information.

OP posts: