to be annoyed that pensioners are discriminated against getting on the bus before 10

[mattsmith]

This bus pass really annoys me that it only works after 10am, lots of pensioners still work full time and need the bus to get to work.

I have a disabled one which I can only use after 9am so useless for work. I either walk or pay for the bus. Annoying but not a lot I can do about it.

redexpat - More pensioners now work than ever before. I have many friends who are pensioners, and still work full time. They can't afford not to.

And they can pay for the bus like everyone else.

Children may get free bus travel in London broken, but I can assure you that they don't elsewhere.
Round here children pay 75% of the full fare.

Oh...I see you mean under 5's.

yes my over 5's have to pay - so that's only a reflection of where you are

I would have asked for a seat if I was unable to stand btw

Ok, Lets rise to the bait. WHY pay for any form of child care/support? Your decision to breed, you play, you pay. if you can't afford them its your problem. I'm 66 by the way and still pay tax so don't tell me that I get a jammy life for no effort.

Op, are you my mil??

Yabu

They fought in 'the war' you know!

My MIL says she would happily pay half fare and no free bus pass. She is not wealthy and very much dependent on her state pension but is frank about her pensioner friends. They go into town free of charge and wander round the shops and sit in cafes - because they can. Some she says just do it to avoid having heat their homes during the day.

I never understand why school age children and people out of work have to pay bus fairs.

What's wrong with wandering round the shops? Or sitting in cafes?

^if they are working then why do they need a free bus pass (and plenty of pensioners, working or not, don't need it, but that's a whole other thread). They can pay, like anyone else going to work in the rush hour.

Also, how do you know they have been paying 'stamp' there whole lives? And so what - they will have benefitted from a whole swathe of things that current workers will not - and it's those workers who are paying for pensioners' benefits Your NI contributions don't sit in a pot with your name on it, waiting to be accessed when you hit pension age.^

This ^^
Your current NI contributions are paying for the current pensions etc. by the time my generation reaches retirement (ha ha) I see the state pension being abolished and many of these perks being unavailable. Be grateful you have a free bus pass.

5foot5 he wasn't a bus driver in the north east was he ? DH used to be a bus driver and twirlies was the expression they used too

Oh and you can use the bus pass earlier if you have a hospital appt - just show the driver the letter.

Stupid italics fail

Don'tcha just love it when people disappear after no one agrees with them?

I'm sure he's got enough for his article

If you live in Wales there is no restriction on time of day!

My job used to consist of issuing the bus pass to Over 60s and disabled people. The majority of Over 60s were surprised that it was still available (from 60 for men and women in Wales). Lots mentioned that they thought there should be a yearly charge or a reduction in fare rather than it being free.

Then you had the ones who couldn't believe that if their birthday was a Sunday (when we were closed) we couldn't issue it on the Saturday morning. Also those who asked if they could have a refund on their bus ticket which they'd bought to get to our office (they left with the pass so only had to pay one way!)

The first thing my mum did on her 60th was buy a single ticket into town to get her bus pass. She uses it constantly, we're also in Wales so no time restrictions.

I think there's definitely a case for the pass to be means tested. Same goes for the winter fuel allowance.

Means testing is a very bad idea. It removes the incentive to save for retirement.

Also on economic efficiency grounds a reduced bus fair for pensioners at off peak times and full rate at peak times is the best solution.

The off-peak reduced fair would encourage more use of buses when they are not full but makes a contribution to cover fuel and driver and wear tear but at peak times the full fair covers the capital cost of buying the bus. That said the free pass means buses are jam packed with pensioners at 10 am.

Still we all know why the free bus pass was introduced - to buy pensioner votes, as was Winter Fuel Allowance. Now no politician dares to take them away. Instead they took (some) Child Benefit instead because no child votes and there are relatively few people with children compared to pensioners.

I don't get child benefit as I earn above threshold but the free bus pass better be still there in 9 years time when I get there.

I have a disabled bus pass and I can, along with the pensioners use it on any bus, any time, anywhere in Scotland.

Only ones I can't use it on are the "Night Buses" which run from 12.30am to 3am. As I never go out, this is not a problem!

Why doesn't it work before 10?

In England the rules are 9.30 am to 11.00 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and bank holidays.

Anyone ever encountered a pensioner who thinks a bus pass entitles them to a seat if the bus is full?

I have.

Governments listen to pensioners because they vote. It's very simple. Stop blaming pensioners and get off your arses, people

Means testing is a very bad idea. It removes the incentive to save for retirement.

I really doubt people aren't going to save in order to get a bus pass. It's not a very good pay off. That's as silly as saying that something like gov benefits removes incentive to work. It doesn't. No one likes living off the bare minimum.

But if they really want the bus pass and other benefits so badly that they trade vacation money and the ability to live comfortably, let them have it. I wouldn't trade for those personally though.