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.

They seem to be moving that way, don't they? Soon it will be like that film Logan's Run.

But it's not costing extra to use them. The buses are running anyway. Bus passes are not compulsory both dh and I could have one but we don't need them so haven't bothered. But if I'm left alone with only one pension and can no longer afford my car I'll get one if that's okay with the pensioner basher.

There is a lot of poverty amongst retired people - the image of the cruise-going rich pensioner is not typical.

The bus passes are used a lot by the people around me - it is a very rural area with very few buses - twice a week - and the passes are part of the way in which elderly people here with no cars can get around.

Means testing would cost more than the passes because of the general admin costs.

Probably doesn't use it?

Asset wealth is still wealth. It is all very well claiming it isn't but try telling a young person that will never be able to buy their own home that they don't need to worry because asset wealth doesn't count anyway. Everyone knows assets can be liquidated if needed and it's really patronising to pretend otherwise.

Several PP making great points about the wealthiest of the pensioners not actually using their free bus pass. So why does it matter that they hold one? Is the argument about the principle?

Gets cars off the road, some older drivers aren't very safe so good to get them off the road, the money bus companies get might keep some services running that would otherwise end.

Probably other reasons but off the top of my head that was all I could come up with.

Surely the wealthy younger pensioners can still afford to drive so wouldn't have a bus pass anyway.

Do they use them though?

In Wales 16-21 yr old can apply for a My Travel Pass which gives about 30% discount on fares - scheme is run by Welsh govt

Even the maximum maintenance loan often barely covers rent, the minimum maintenance loan certainly doesn’t. My son and his friends are now doing a placement year, mostly unpaid, so they’re doing 40 hours a week unpaid, and have to work on top as they wouldn’t be able to afford their rent and travel to their unpaid placement. I strongly believe they should get free travel.

I think most students will pay their loans off now or at least a good chunk of them. They start paying back once they earn £25k and they aren’t written off for 40 years.

It’s respectful and caring to give free travel cards to older people, it’s the sign of a caring society.

it will probably be abolished.

In Northern Ireland, all train journeys are also free to over 65s.

This also applies to cross border travel.

Anyone over 65 can jump on a train in Belfast and journey to Cork for nothing, and none of it is means tested - has always seemed ridiculously generous to me. Last time I went to Dublin, I had to stand for most of the journey as most of the seats were taken by retired types down for a day out!

There isn't the money to do that

Means test! My DM owned three cars and a boat when she got her free bus pass. She only uses it when she wants to go boozing with her mates and not have to drive home.

Exactly. The phrase 'bus w*nkers' used by snobs would be the sort of attitude wealthy pensioners would have (the one I know of actively turns his nose up at the idea of a bus).

So an older person should just make themselves homeless in order to pay for the bus? That’s surely not what you’re suggesting, is it?

At the risk of sounding like the Bellman (what I say 3 times is true) bus passes for the elderly allow everyone else to use a subsidised bus service. Bus passes for the elderly are subsiding everyone else's travel since they are a subsidy to the bus operator, not the pensioners.

Okay but then you will cry that it’s so unfair that pensioners aren’t leaving their considerable property wealth to their children and grandchildren. Inheritance is the way many people get on the property ladder so that is more beneficial to them than cutting bus passes for the elderly and encouraging people to liquidate their assets.

And in some areas of the country, even small properties are worth a lot so liquidation wouldn’t be an option.

Yes free bus passes for everyone would have advantages or at least heavily subsidised for everyone.

Great idea to stop the small perk for a generation that’s possibly worked longer and harder in physical jobs then any other generation, so as a levelling up shall we stop free childcare , oh and free wraparound care oh yes and long maternity leave paid leave oh and uc to help out .
so yes what a good idea for the hard done by younger generations who seem to have forgotten that us useless greedy homeowners worked darn hard to be able to have a state pension and bus pass without any hand outs and huge company pensions

I'm betting your parents never set foot on a bus.

Being eligible for a bus pass is not the same as having and using one.

Yes. They smell. And go on cruises
The temerity!

Meanwhile young people can't afford their gel nails and Botox. ( I feel offensive generalisations should be met with other offensive generalisations because MN continues to allow ageist threads). And I am not in the age group mentioned, btw.

Not all pensioners live in massive houses. Probably a minority of them do.

You will be "old" one day, op, and I wish you all the "expletive deleted" that you wish on others, you sound like a "expletive deleted"!!!!

Jealousy is not a good look, Op. Jealousy of older people even less so.

Edited for formatting.