To think free bus passes for the old should be abolished?

[Bumpitybumper]

Statistics show that on average wealth peaks at age 65-74 in the UK, why then do we give these people free bus passes? It makes absolutely no sense at all and is just an unnecessary expense. The idea that 'young' pensioners are a relatively poor group of people is completely incorrect and it only serves to enhance the already massive intergenerational wealth gap between baby boomers and everyone else.

Well, I am sure you are not expecting to live long enough for a free pass, but if you do, please feel free to refuse it.
Along with any other benefits/uc, etc you are currently recieving

It should be means tested, as the people that drive either don’t, or rarely use their pass. This pass costs money & if they’re not frequent users they could just have a pass for a few trips a week, so it would cost less. That way the people that need a pass would get one, again, even if it only paid for a few trips out a week. Or we all paid a quid a journey. I’m all for getting the cars off the road.

Around here, at least, they help to keep a good many cars off the road. I have a car, but I use it largely for longer journeys, e.g. the 60 miles to a dd. Locally I use public transport, and I know many other people who do the same.

What? I am so confused. You think I must be planning on dying before 65 because I don't think this age group should get a free bus pass? Do you not think that people can have thoughts and ideas on how benefits and taxation could be reformed even if it could impact them adversely one day?

Anyone is free to refuse any benefits. Most people will take what they can get. That's why reform can't happen on an individual level relying on people doing the right thing and not taking something that they don't need. Policy change is almost always necessary.

Ok I’m less horrified that you’ve concede they should be available from 75 plus. So we’re really just quibbling about the age cut off. I think there’s a reasonable/ non-awful case for raising it from 60 somewhat. Personally I’d keep it from 65-70 though.

Ah, the politics of envy: If I can't have it, then nor should you. It snot fair!

It's not a good idea to compare your life with that of others as therein lies misery (and wah wah opening posts)! Stop moaning about what others have that you don't. Life isn't fair. Never was. Never will be.

I do not begrudge anyone in the winter of their years, anything, as their time to enjoy their life is now very limited. Plus, public transport in the UK, (unless you live in London) is dire!

@Bumpitybumper "Remind me again why I owe them such a debt of gratitude?"

The midwife who attended your birth; the healthcare staff who looked after you as you grew to be an adult; the teachers who taught you; the schools you attended; the bus driver who drove you to school; the roads on which the bus or your family car drove, and the bus itself; the house you lived in; the infrastructure for the utilities (gas, electric, telephony, water, sewerage etc) that serve your house .... all these were trained, built and paid for by the generations that came before you. Until you began to work and pay taxes, you had between 16 and maybe 25 years of being a "net beneficiary" and it will take you until you're almost a pensioner yourself before you ever repay this debt.

Oh here we go, another 'baby-boomer' bashing thread.

Haven't you got anything better to do?

Liquidate my house so I can pay for bus rides?
This is yet another ill thought out thread to wind up the ‘anti pensioner’ posters into a frenzy. So sad.

Oh wait Have you started disability benefit bashing yet?
I've just come home in an uber using my PIP.
Guess you resent paying for mine out of your taxes?
I'm heartily sick of posters like you, who misrepresent statistics and are ignorant of situations other people face
It's rife on Mumsnet at the moment

@AdaStewart

It should be means tested, as the people that drive either don’t, or rarely use their pass. This pass costs money & if they’re not frequent users they could just have a pass for a few trips a week, so it would cost less

So means test it and place limitations on its use. You do know that would cost much more money to implement than the current system?

We have free public transportation here for 65 and up and it's a good idea. Seniors aren't limited to their homes if they don't drive anymore. They can get to health care and hospitals and go around to local attractions or get to work.

It's funded by state lottery proceeds, but even those with high incomes have paid employment and or business taxes to support their communities. I don't begrudge them access to free public transportation.

Does he even get the bus?

Although, I have to say my FiL does, this is the person who buys a big new car every couple of years and it sits in the drive with barely 4 figures on the clock.

I think I've explained in words of maybe two syllables already. The subsidy is to the bus company. Every time a senior citizen uses the bus the bus company is paid by the government. That subsidy for old people keeps young people's fares lower. The Conservatives were happy with giving old people bus passes and they are not exactly in the constituency that likes giving freebees for nothing. But we and the Conservatives need people without cars to have transport. It's a win-win from the government's pov, buses run, fares are not too enormous for most people and the old codgers think the government is so nice! Then people like you rock the boat. It's the same with the ones who moan about foreign - it's bribes, it's soft power. Machiavelli must be turning in his grave.

But "the people that drive either don’t, or rarely use their pass" are not costing the taxpayer anything - because they don't use the pass, preferring to pay for their own transport instead.

If you want to get cars off the road there are many ways of doing so. One way is to make public transport cheap, frequent and reliable, and even free.

No the government want to stamp out the ageism and belief that all over 60’s are wealthy.

‘MPs found clear evidence that ageist stereotyping, including portrayals of older people as frail, helpless or incompetent, or conversely as wealth-hoarding "boomers", is highly prevalent across the UK media and is a significant contributory factor to the normalisation of ageist attitudes’

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/328/women-and-equalities-committee/news/205314/new-strategy-and-legal-protections-needed-to-tackle-pervasively-ageist-culture-the-women-and-equalities-committee-says/

😂

That’s good but not all placements get funding. Some placements that have had funding previously aren’t getting it this year. Things are getting worse. I don’t begrudge older people free travel but I just wish it was extended to other groups who need it.

Why not though? If you need money, and have assets the obvious solution, and the one that would be forced upon anyone else, is to liquidate them.

I'll be looking forward to getting my free bus pass.

Unfortunately for me I am still only 58 so won't get it for another 9 years yet (I get to state pension age at 67).

It's a pretty goady thread really!

Why should those now approaching retirement with worse pensions and later than ever before be denied this tiny benefit. Also later in life you tend to have more hospital appointments so you use the bus

People on UC are not forced to sell their house, so why would it be different for pensioners to be made to sell their house to get a bus pass. It is ridiculous.

😂

Not any people, but old people. Tsk! How very dare they!

@Cunningfungus

Where we live it's aligned with state pension age already

The wealthiest group of people in our country? Now that is a ridiculous response.