Bus pass and prescriptions?

Bamm

Local authority failed to renew my bus pass, said that didn't use it enough! ( I am 78).
Had to go through the reapplying process to get it back. If you apply for one 'just in case' do use it fairly regularly or it goes anyway.

Oh I didn’t know that- mum is technically house bound looking after my dementia ridden dad, so maybe gets out two-three times a week so is that enough travelling to keep it?

Bus passes do more than benefit the local economy by enabling older people to visit town to do a bit of shopping in person rather than online, and have a cuppa while there. I remember seeing local independent shops with posters saying if you spend even a small.amount of money there, rather than online, that money goes towards supporting that family, keeping the shop going to benefit the local.community etc.
It reduces the number of cars and pollution in our towns. I can drive and do drive but I rarely drive into our local town anymore, I take the bus.
I've recently had a couple.of holidays, one I drove to but had a fair few days out using the bus, thus reducing the car journeys on country lanes. The other I went on the train and used the bus. It's not always plain sailing with buses, but it isn't with cars either, I was able to stay.places that would have not.veen easy with a car, as parking would not have been easy, I'd have had to park a fair way away and pay for parking. I try and save going places in the car for.going places where public transport isn't possible. So the bus pass means that I can get out and about more often that I could otherwise do, food for me and my mental health, and food for the places I visit and I'm able to stay a little longer
I know it's not everyone's thing but sometimes I find.myself at a bus stop or sitting next to someone really interesting and we have a lovely chat.

Whiff

MOnica if I had to pay for my prescription a month it would cost me £99 . Before I was 60 I brought a yearly prepayment card. If I had to pay on the bus that would be £12 a week as a single journey is £2 at the moment . This year was the first year for 19 years I have been able afford to have a holiday in this country. If I have to pay for my prescriptions and bus and local train fares I would never beable to have a holiday again .

Those that can afford if you want opt out of getting free prescriptions and bus pass. But leave the rest of us who need them to enjoy getting them . I wasn't brought up with money and always had to be careful with it. Been widowed 20 years and even though I was born disabled I had to fight from 1988 until 2023 to get disability benefits Back in 1988 it was DLA but thanks to going to PIP tribunal and only because the Brain Charity got me a solicitor pro bono and the tribunal awarded enhanced PIP for living and enhanced PIP for mobility indefinitely and back dated until March 2022 when I asked for the forms. And the decision comes on crown court paper. The rotten PIP lot gave me 0 on everything . The judge apologised for the way I had been treated.

I had my full state pension this year and get pension credit. I had nothing but money worries since me husband died aged 47. Oh I get 48p a week from his state pension from his 30 years of paying a lot of NI contributions .

If I hadn't been awarded PIP last year my savings would have run out before I reached pension age.

👏👏👏👏👏

Many of these trades unionists, particularly those in public services, will be in relatively good pensions schemes. Have they not realised that they themselves will fall foul of the moves to penalise pensioners with additional income? What a way to tell people not to save for their retirements, but to spend it all so they can get all the extra benefits.

If you have a private pension that takes your combined income above the tax free limit you are taxed. My DB who is a retired fireman pays tax on his brigade pension.

knspol

I'm trying to ignore all the rumours, roll on budget day and then we can grumble about what is actually going to happen. Who knows some of us might be pleasantly surprised, doubtful but you never know.

Exactly.

As regards the WFA, I've always made clear as a L Party voter they've got the cut off level very wrong, and hope there will be amelioration. Its got quite a lot of us in the LP very angry and the LP conference is at the end of this month.

For every argument for perks for pensioners there are arguments against. I have to rely on OH pension as I was advised , when I started work to pay the married women stamp so now I only get half of the state pension plus a vey small works pension. I have to drive 1/2 mile to the nearest bus stop but I use my pass as photo ID.

I read a comment from a geriatrician, saying that free bus passes ( valid for travelling all over Scotland) help support mental health, maintain social skills and mobility, by encouraging older people to get out, rather than sit at home.
Makes sense to me.

Local authority failed to renew my bus pass, said that didn't use it enough! ( I am 78).
Had to go through the reapplying process to get it back. If you apply for one 'just in case' do use it fairly regularly or it goes anyway.

Mostly Tory press scaremongering after 14 years of useless Tory government (if you could call it that) under some of the worst Prime Ministers in living memory in my opinion.

Gentleshores, just don't worry about the bus pass until it happens and as it hasn't happened yet, take advantage and go on all the bus trips you mean to do. Build up some nice memories. I absolutely love my bus pass.

I'm also a Waspi woman. That was more than a thorn in the side wasn't it - for a lot of women.

Don't get me on the fuel allowance.......I am just managing on a state pension and no more, but imagine that this winter is going to be extremely cold for a lot of people. When you get cold, you get miserable. I for one, am dreading it and trying to think of all sorts of things I can do to keep warm, but then I am one of the more able ones. Imagine if you have a disability or an illness and are just over the threshold for pension credits. It's truly disgusting what has happened and how it came about so suddenly.

I'm trying to ignore all the rumours, roll on budget day and then we can grumble about what is actually going to happen. Who knows some of us might be pleasantly surprised, doubtful but you never know.

The bus pass is a Godsend as is the State Pension. I'm a WASPI like yourself and don't trust this new government one iota - even less than the Tories in fact. The women in the Labour government seem to have it in for us pensioners but I suppose they need a soft target to be able to pay for the concessions they're making to the Trade Unions.

Don't forget your bus pass doesn't just work in your own area - it's great for when you're away from home

Rumour are set about to keep us in a state of anxiety - ignore. On a positive note - I carry mine so if I walk too far, or it rains when I'm miles from the car - I might be able to bus back. You never know when it may come in handy.

nightowl

The state pension will not be boosted by anything like £400 a year for those of us on the old pension (nor did we all get the SP at 60). That includes the oldest amongst us who need it and the WFA most.

Yes nightowl am in the same boat time wise/amount wise. I posted it as there was so much speculation on triple lock. I'm interested in what has actually been announced will happen, as opposed to rumours.

Scaremongering as in "there will be no perks left" M61 on the basis of one decision WFA is not helpful in GN, wait until there is evidence before political point scoring.

Oreo

Doodledog

As I said on the other thread 😂

I am confusing myself now!

You do sound to be very confused , but I’m not fortunately.😁

There are so many threads and comments about rumours that I keep forgetting which one I'm answering.

biglouis

A bus pass is only of use if you can manage to walk to and from the bus stop! We have a very good service here in Manchester but the nearest stop is too far for me to walk. So I have to pay for taxis if I need to go out.

In our local authority you used to be able to opt for taxi tokens instead of a bus pass, I don’t know if this is still the case.

I would like to point out that local authorities issue bus passes not central government, mine is valid until 2027. I wish these scare stories would stop

My mum said they can scrap the tv licence (cancelled her tv licence anyway) hopefully not her free bus pass😩 but now WHA- going to be no perks left

Doodledog

As I said on the other thread 😂

I am confusing myself now!

You do sound to be very confused , but I’m not fortunately.😁

That's a good point too, biglouis. And it won't just apply to over 60s. I think we need massive investment in public transport (including more bus stops) so that people don't need to take cars everywhere. If we had regular, cheap, safe and reliable buses it would benefit the environment, cut down loneliness, increase footfall for businesses and help tourism. not just in big cities, but everywhere.

A bus pass is only of use if you can manage to walk to and from the bus stop! We have a very good service here in Manchester but the nearest stop is too far for me to walk. So I have to pay for taxis if I need to go out.

As I said on the other thread 😂

I am confusing myself now!

It's not a mystery. It's because we are on a thread about withdrawing bus passes and free prescriptions .

As I said, it's getting confusing though - there are so many threads and side discussions based on rumour that I lost track of which one I'm on.

I will be interested to see PMQs today. I agree that something might be announced to mitigate the withdrawal of the WFP. I hope so.

Doodledog

Oreo

Many Labour supporters like me and my family and friends are so disappointed by the bad start they’re making.It’s no good posters on here saying ‘don’t worry, it’s all right wing media stuff’ errr, no it isn’t it’s what RR is saying.They will have to do some kind of U turn on the WFA at the budget even if they say they won’t now.It was a huge mistake to do it and even many Labour back benchers are saying so.
They need to do better.

Where has RR said the she is going to withdraw free prescriptions and bus passes? I have never seen or heard this, and unless I have missed such a huge announcement it is speculation and fear-mongering.

Anything might happen, but there is no suggestion that these things will, and IMO it is cruel to plant fears in people’s minds when there is no evidence that they are founded.

I agree that the announcement of the WFP withdrawal was badly timed (and ill-judged) but that doesn’t mean that bus passes and prescriptions are next in line.

Yes, savings have to be made, as we are in a financial crisis, but there have been no announcements that they will be made in this way. We will find out next month, and can decide then how to react. Worrying now will change nothing.

Where did I say anything like that? Truly puzzled here.
You have quoted my post talking about the withdrawal of WFA.
This thread was started about the possibility of bus passes and free prescriptions for seniors being withdrawn which may or may not happen, and all on here are discussing this.Quite why you’ve chosen to single out my comment is a mystery.Until the Budget we don’t know what’s about to hit us and given the fury from all quarters including many of their own MP’s about WFA it’s highly unlikely that anything else which hits pension age people will happen at this particular Budget, but the subject is still one that can be discussed.

The state pension will not be boosted by anything like £400 a year for those of us on the old pension (nor did we all get the SP at 60). That includes the oldest amongst us who need it and the WFA most.