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AIBU?

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Original poster

Fuming that they are talking of taking away pensioner bus passes and the triple lock

313 replies

jdoe8 · 15/12/2016 08:21

I'm still 40 years before I will get these, but I think we need to fight to keep these for future generations.

For many people they will have left school at 16 and worked until they were 65. Now after all those years of paying their taxes they aren't getting much back so the very least we need to do is allow them to travel and guarantee that their income will rise every year.

OP posts:
allegretto · 17/12/2016 20:41

Pensioners are currently the wealthiest group in society so whilst I wish it wasn't necessary, I would rather the money came from them than from the disabled, for example. Also Brexit is going to cost billions - and as a group they tended to vote for it so perhaps it's right that they shoulder the costs. yes, I know not all pensioners voted to leave!

user1471545174 · 17/12/2016 20:51

Why would you suggest they shoulder the cost, then? That makes no sense. You know it takes 66 years to become a pensioner, perhaps when they were younger they voted in a way that's more to your taste?

orangeyellowgreen · 17/12/2016 20:58

Nobody uses buses if they have any alternative. If old people lose their bus passes they will carry on driving long after they should have given up, causing danger to themselves and others.

LovelyBranches · 17/12/2016 22:01

Orange yellowgreen that's not true. My mother drives, she just sometimes can't be arsed or doesn't want to pay for parking so she takes the bus for free instead.

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/12/2016 22:34

My mum drives. She just swans around London with her pass because it's cheaper and easier!

Bananabread123 · 17/12/2016 22:45

Nobody uses buses if they have any alternative

Nonsense... both my parents and in laws drive. They both frequently use the bus to get into town!

Bananabread123 · 17/12/2016 22:45

And yes, both sets could readily afford to pay for parking if they so chose.

merrymouse · 17/12/2016 23:06

Bus services vary.

The 22 bus in London runs every 10 minutes and connects Harvey Nichols to Peter Jones.

I am sure many people use it by choice.

OlennasWimple · 17/12/2016 23:30

Why do politicians court the "grey vote"? Because they actually bother to turn out and vote....

LarrytheCucumber · 18/12/2016 06:24

Does anyone know how bus pass funding works? I rarely use mine because there isn't a good bus service here, but am I still costing the same whether I use it or not? I only ask because I used my bus pass in a neighbouring county and the bus driver said that county would claim it back from my county suggesting that there was some kind of 'per journey' funding.

Catlady1976 · 18/12/2016 08:36

I suspect it's per journey too as I have seen drivers issue tickets to people in possession of a bus pass.

Oldsu · 18/12/2016 09:31

LarrytheCucumber its per journey, there is no cost unless its used, its an electronic system now so they can capture the data, since 2009 the pass has been extended so that it can be used in any area not just in the area that is was issued in, Southern Vectis my bus company charge the IOW council 48.3% of any journey taken.

woodhill · 18/12/2016 10:31

My DM loves her freedom pass and do dc and dsm living in London.

Dmil and fil don't use or have one, they could apply for pension credits but they don't want to give the information required on the forms. I suspect some pensioners feel the same as them.

dreamingofsun · 18/12/2016 11:04

i suppose there is a lesson for the younger people on this thread. If you all make sure you vote in elections, then this will help focus politicians brains and you might get a better deal going forwards

Talkingmouse · 18/12/2016 13:20

The pensions system was designed post WW1. The average life expectancy was around 60/65: the system was designed such that only around 50% of people ever received a pension. There is a logic to this as tax receipts from wealth creators are needed to fund pensions and other 'entitlements/benefits'.

This logic has been ignored by all governments for decades, as raising the retirement age or cutting pension payments is a huge vote loser.

We are now in a position that the current system is not sustainable.

Don't expect the state pension to be around for much longer.

Free bus passes are the least of your worries.

rookiemere · 18/12/2016 13:36

Exactly talkingmouse. It's a hard situation to be in and there are no easy answers.

Frankly now is exactly the time we should be questioning these benefits as realistically whilst people are living longer, are people going to be any more able to work into their late sixties and potentially seventies than folk are now. I suspect not - particularly in physically or mentally demanding jobs.

I'm probably a bit more extreme as I also believe we need to look at the NHS now as we simply cannot afford free health care for all, particularly at the level we are providing it. I'd be happy to pay for doctors appointments and private insurance ( which I have through work anyway) and I think we now need to look at means testing some of that.

Perhaps though the government could have got themselves a bit more money if they hadn't chosen to raise the higher rate tax paying level above inflation. A disgusting move in the current climate. I'm kind of glad I live in Scotland as even though I don't agree with all of what the SNP does, even though it means we personally lose out a bit, I'm glad that they pegged the higher rate to inflation.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 18/12/2016 14:10

Come to that, it isn't even necessary to bring in yet another system ... what's wrong with restricting these benefits to anyone receiving pension credit, a system which already exists and which could presumably serve as a gateway?

The difference for someone just turned pension age on pension credit compared to someone not on it could be as little as 5p a week

It is not as simple as saying oh you have 5p a week more than x that means x is broke you are not

NeedsAsockamnesty · 18/12/2016 15:26

Oh and don't forget if you are going to make pensioners pay full whack they would have every right to travel any time they want without the 9.30am restriction (In most national concession areas apart from London) so that's going to make buses more congested at peak times when people are going to work, school or college, isn't it better to have pensioners traveling at off peak times

In the area I live children can not purchase half fares before 9:30am any bus pass is not a concession priced and under 5's do not ride for free they pay full adult prices.

I'm not sure what the point of me telling people this but it jumped into my head

heartskey · 18/12/2016 15:42

Don't expect the state pension to be around for much longer.
That's a scary thought. I now have visions of homeless pensioners wandering the streets begging for food. Sad Surely the government wouldn't want that. Mind you, nothing would surprise me with this lot.

Bananabread123 · 18/12/2016 17:18

Don't expect the state pension to be around for much longer.

Ridiculous scaremongering... the government has been improving state pensions year on year for decades. If there's one area of government spending that's not been cut is this! Of course the retirement age has increased... 60 yo for women may have made sense when life expectancy was 60 something. Those who think it should rigidly have stuck at 60 while life expectancy approaches 80, are completely unrealistic.

dontcrynow · 18/12/2016 17:19

What a mean minded little thread.
I know, lets issue all pensioners with a cyanide pill: after all they contribute nothing to society

OurBlanche · 18/12/2016 17:31

dontcrynow I'm thinking of looking up figures to see at what age we start to become net takers and issuing my own Soylent Green/Logan's Run laws Smile

Speaking of which.... how many posters here are net givers? It would be fun to know if any of the more mean minded are / have ever been net contributors to the national economy!

Rule of thumb is that your household income should be between £35,000 and £38,000, gross (2014 figures as I can't find any for this year).

allegretto · 18/12/2016 18:39

It's not a question of being mean just fair. Cuts are going to have to be made so why shouldn't the only group who hasn't so far been subject to many cuts be targeted? Especially as they are the most well off group in society.

merrymouse · 18/12/2016 18:47

its very difficult to calculate a net giver figure as people consume services so differently depending on where they live, life style, health, dependants, age etc.etc.

OurBlanche · 18/12/2016 19:27

Hence the use of the term "rule of thumb". But it does indicate the approximate levels of income needed before you might be a net giver!

Obviously some of the factors you list will make a difference, but lifestyle? That makes no sense!

As a 2 adult household that claims no benefits, no discounts, nothing, it is likely that we are net givers, probably have been for quite a while. How many others here are/ever have been? How many who are shouting the odds about 'fairness' have never been net givers?

Especially as they are the most well off group in society. Mmm! That's a statistics thing... I think you'll find that rich people of any age are the most well off group in any society! And cuts are being made... well, they are all on the table. It is, as I said pages ago, obvious that ALL benefits need to be revised!