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.

Why is it shit posting? I have included robust statistics and suggested that a group of people (those aged 65-74) shouldn't be entitled to a free bus pass. The fact so many people have extrapolated from this that I want all old people euthanised is mad.

We are talking about a bus pass people!

You don't get a bus pass at 65 in most of England.

I need you to dig deeper into your statistics. I have some questions.

If that demographic is the wealthiest in this country exactly what percentage of that demographic is wealthy?

How do you define wealth?

Do you think that owning a home makes someone wealthy?

I come from a very poor background and was encouraged to work hard from a very young age (15 yrs old) to get the deposit to buy a small property. I had no idea then that doing that means sod all, that I would be obliged in old age to liquidate that asset to fund my care. This means that I won't be able to help the next generation to get a leg up so that my family will remain poor for several generations.

It is very different to be an older poor person than a younger poor person. Quite a few elderly people are isolated and lonely. For me a sign of a civilised society is how it treats the most vulnerable.

My old boss did! Day trips to wherever she fancied for free - all well and good but this woman was on £74k! I’d rather the money was used for people who actually needed it.

They don't just send you a bus pass, you apply for one. I have one but my husband, who is older than me, doesn't. Id imagine he isn't the only person who is eligible but doesn't have one.

Yea.
A bus pass YOU begrudge them .

What a pathetic post. Elderly people matter too and many rely on that bus pass to get about and prevent complete isolation. Everyone out for themselves with no consideration for other people!

No. Id say quite a significant proportion of that age group are not well off and have to be quite frugal. And even if they did have money, having the bus free encourages them out and about, or at least is one less barrier. And getting people out of cars and in to public transportation is beneficial fir everyone.

What age are you OP ?

If the absolute hell that is driving across London isn't enough to convince people out of their cars then free public transport certainly wouldn't swing it.

In any case, "free" just means "paid for by someone else" and I'm not sure who would pick up the £5 billion-ish in revenue from fares a year that funds TfL.

The lack of generosity toward elders is nauseating.

Does he have a pass? My dad has a car and has never bothered to apply for the pass.

THIS I agree with.

You know that elderly people still pay tax, right?

It's not a race to the bottom. Maybe you can make an argument - one I wouldn't disagree with - that public transport should be cheaper and/or free for a wider range of people.

That's not a reason to remove it for one group when it's been shown for many people it's a complete lifeline.

This. You took the words straight out of my mouth

how is it ageist? have a bloody word with yourself.

As has been pointed out: the only people who actually use them, given the woeful state of buses in most of England, are the people who don't have an alternative.

Tell you what though, my mum (due to my dad's careful planning) can afford to pay for her bus ticket because she has a nice comfortable pension. She pays tax on it. I think old people shouldn't have to pay tax to pay for schools because they don't use them. I'm going to start up a campaign on that.

The bus pass is from state pension retirement age here and not during rush hour. So if you were still working, you couldn't use it on the 8am bus. I live in a city where driving isn't encouraged. Bus services are pretty good, but not everyone can live 3 mins walk from a bus stop. My dad drove until he was over 90, as my mother was partially sighted, this was right for him.

Bus passes for school aged children using the regular bus services don't seem to be the same as when I was a teenager. Our secondary only went up to year 11 and most of the sixth form settings were on the other side of town. If you were more than 3 miles away you got a free bus pass. This seemed fair enough, although friends who didn't quite fall within the boundary were a bit peeved.

Train travel concessions based on older age start at 60. Again not for use at peak times but I'm enjoying cheaper travel having paid a small fortune in railway travel over the years. Am I a rich not yet pensioner? No and I don't think many of my age group are boomers. I find it faintly insulting to be lumped in with people old enough to have bought property when it cost very little in the 1970s or earlier. Although it has to be said that they might not be well off apart from property wise.

Free prescriptions from 60 too. This is another thing I can't get worked up about. As a long term asthmatic I've had regular prescription charges to pay for a long time. Meanwhile, my diabetic friend and my epileptic friend have never paid charges. I don't begrudge this at all but it highlights the arbitrary nature of the charging system.

Imagine building a home your entire life, working your backside off and then being told that you shouldn't keep it because you need to free up £3 to take you to a hospital appointment.

Another one talking about killing old people because I dared to suggest the 65-74 years shouldn't be issued with free bus passes. What on earth is going on! Is this some weird distraction technique to pretend that free bus passes are somehow linked to someone's existence? If I don't think people should be entitled to a bus pass then I must want them dead? I honestly cant believe what I'm reading.

It would also solve the housing crisis with all of those no longer needed homes coming on to the market. But it would also mean no free child care for parents, and a shortage of volunteers.

@BeanAround pretty much said everything I came on to say. I would add that shops and town centres are dying a death so anything that encourages footfall in those areas can only be a good thing while not clogging up roads and car parks.

@TommyShelbysRazor but presumably he doesn’t use the bus, if he’s got a car and is rich enough to pay for taxis. So he’s not costing anyone anything, except the cost of producing the pass itself.

I'm glad you said that, with all the talk about issuing them I was starting to wonder if I imagined I had to apply for one.

I think every benefit should be means tested.

The "rich" pensioners with their own cars or the money to pay for taxis etc. are not "costing" the taxpayer anything when they are given the option of having a free bus pass. Either they don't actually apply for the pass because they don't need it, or they don't use it anyway.

Those travelling on a free bus pass don't really "cost" the taxpayer anything either. The bus runs regardless of whether there are 5, 15 or 50 people on it with free passes. The additional cost involved in carrying one additional "free" pensioner is miniscule.