I feel really old now!

I’m hopeless with numbers and often write the wrong year on a cheque (and not just at the turn of the year...) I truly forget how old I am and it really can be a state of mind. Some people are ‘old’ at thirty.
A kind man at the railway station said “What are you doing with your mother’s pass?” when I turned 60, bless him.

I get my bus pass on Wednesday when I will be 66. I had to get the bus home from work yesterday. I felt so cross at having to pay!

yggdrasil (and others): that £10 payment dates back to the time of the Edward Heath government of the early 1970s. It was introduced as a way of helping those living on meagre state pensions or certain other benefits to meet the cost of celebrating Christmas at a time of rising inflation. I think, at the time it was introduced, the value was more than a week's pension payment so it was worth having.

Not wanting to be seen as Scrooges by not paying out the same bonus the following year, the government - and all subsequent governments - let the annual payout continue.

I suspect they now can't afford to increase the amount to something more realistic but equally don't want the PR storm that would result from scrapping it.

Jodieb

Do we all hate the term OAP!! I think we should be called Elderflowers! EF's for short. (grin)

Oh I like that? mind you I like anything with elderflower in it.?

Yes Scribbles I think that’s exactly what it is.

Senior citizen is my choice of description.

Yes, we thought perhaps we isn't need ours so much but this year the daily reading on small meter screen show 4.50p daily plus my husband constantly leaves lights on upstairs during the day. We are at home more or less all the time apart from a small walk + once a week grocery shoo. So Wil definitely need it this year that's for sure.