More deprivations perhaps 😏

I think a more sensible thing to do with bus passes is to charge a small, annual fee for one.

M0nica

I would be quite happy to see the pension rise tied to the rises in wages only.

I felt very uncomfortable when wages were stagnant or fslling to get bigger rises because of inflation. I fht erst of the population suffer, why shouldn't we?

I'm guessing you have a private pension and your own property in addition to state pension ??......I don't know how any one survives on state pension alone and not be miserable .....UK state pension is one of the lowest in first world countries .....the working population are generally fitter than those of pension age...they are generally able to get promotions or work overtime to boost their income....I can't understand why you feel uncomfortable, unless you have a good amount of private pension.....but many don't....there are charities you can donate to to help struggling pensioners

The Government can afford to pay triple lock increases.

There was £86 billion* in excess funds sitting in the National Insurance Fund at 31 March 2024.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-fund-accounts/great-britain-national-insurance-fund-account-for-the-year-ended-31-march-2024

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) just yesterday published the 2025 Up-rating Report.

The report sets out how the Fund balance is projected to reduce to £76 billion* at the end of the 2024/2025 financial year, before increasing each year thereafter up to 2029 to 2030 as the new rates take effect.

(Jeremy Hunt's cut to NIC cost £10 billion.)

Contribution income is now estimated to exceed benefit expenditure in every subsequent year of the projection period, resulting in an increasing fund balance.

www.gov.uk/government/news/up-rating-report-2025-report-on-the-national-insurance-fund

Latest numbers I can find about bus passes for year ended 31 March 2023.

• 8.7 million older and disabled concessionary travel passes, no change
• 567 million concessionary bus journeys, up 15%
• £715 million reimbursed to bus operators by TCAs, down 17% (constant prices)
• £877 million in net current expenditure on concessionary travel, down 19% (constant prices)

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/concessionary-travel-statistics-year-ending-march-2023/concessionary-travel-statistics-year-ending-march-2023#headline-figures:~:text=17%25%20(constant%20prices)-,%C2%A3877%20million,-in%20net%20current

In November 2024, the Government put an extra billion into boosting bus services.

www.gov.uk/government/news/1-billion-government-funding-boost-for-bus-services-across-england-to-help-end-postcode-lottery

What would be the point of doing that and then puting up a barrier that would deter people from using them?

It must be wonderful to have public transport and a bus pass. No public transport here. If there were I would apply for a bus pass.

One thing that’s not often mentioned is that bus passes do keep quite a few cars off the road, including mine. Admittedly we are in an area with very good public transport, so for short journeys the bus is easier and cheaper than finding a place to park.
I do use the car for longer journeys, though. e.g. the 60 miles each way to a dd. Public transport takes twice as long, and even more in the rush hour.

I suspect it’s only gossip NanKate. The bus passes rumour was doing the rounds some months ago. Having said that though, I don’t trust her one inch given the promises already broken.

I have no idea where my friend got this information. Maybe it is just supposition on her part. I am only relating what she said.

MOnica, the state pension, especially the old one, is less than very many earn and as pensioners what can we do to improve our situation? Many of us are unwell and immobile so need to spend more on heating than younger people who are out at work all day. You must be reasonably well off and not solely dependent on the state pension or you wouldn’t make the comment you have made.

Does your friend know the lottery numbers for Saturday please?

@ NanKate - does your friend have insider information? How does she "know"?
I think Wyllow 's response is both measured and reasonable.
Let's not all panic!

No evidence at all for "they're after our bus passes".

Money helper is good on explaining the triple lock, there are no current plans to end it but it it controversial.

www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/blog/retirement/state-pension-triple-lock#:~:text=There%20are%20currently%20no%20plans,average%20wage%20increases%20before%201980.

"There are currently no plans to end the triple lock, but there are frequent debates on how affordable it is to continue. For example, State Pension increased 10.1% in 2023 and 8.5% in 2024, costing billions.

Legally, the government is only required to increase State Pension in line with the average increase in wages.

This means they could decide to scrap the triple lock in the future.

But, as this would be a very political decision, it’s unlikely be an overnight change"

I would be quite happy to see the pension rise tied to the rises in wages only.

I felt very uncomfortable when wages were stagnant or fslling to get bigger rises because of inflation. I fht erst of the population suffer, why shouldn't we?