Bus pass protection

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Bus Users UK^▸ (United Kingdom)

Bus pass protection

As the Bus Pass celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year, the Government has announced plans to protect free bus travel for older and disabled people

Buses Minister, Nusrat Ghani announced changes to legislation that will protect the Bus Pass in England in its current form, allowing free off-peak travel to the over 65s and people with disabilities for the ‘foreseeable future’.

The Bus Pass has been available in England since 2007 and is now used by around 10million people. Until April this year, however, the legislation behind the scheme meant it had to be reviewed every five years, leaving people uncertain about whether their access to free travel would continue.

Recognising the significance of the Bus Pass in people’s lives, Nusrat Ghani said: “Being able to get out and about is hugely important for older and disabled people to keep their independence and play a role in their local community. The legislation underpinning our important bus pass scheme is now set for the future, meaning this group will be able to access their local services and amenities.”

Dawn Badminton-Capps, Director of Bus Users England, welcomed the move: “Bus Passes make sound economic sense. Not only do they allow people to contribute to the economy but they promote physical activity and encourage social inclusion, reducing the financial burden on other areas, such as social care.

“It would be great to see this same protection extended to Scotland and Wales.”

When the ENCTS^▸ (English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. Bus passes for senior/disabled persons) (English National Concessionary Travel) scheme was brought in, it applied to anyone over 60.  At some point (first renewal of the legislation) it was trimmed back so that it's now pensionable age .., and the cynic in me wonders if this "protection" for the next five years will move the start age to align with the start age for free TV^▸ (Thames Valley) licenses ...

[stuving]

But ... it always was tied to pension age. It couldn't inherit the discrimination against men inherent in the state pension previously, hence it's always been the women's age.

[grahame]

But ... it always was tied to pension age. It couldn't inherit the discrimination against men inherent in the state pension previously, hence it's always been the women's age.

Fair enough.

It started off as being available to men five years before they reached pension age.  It then switched to being available to them at pension age.   That's a reduction in the benefit of the scheme over and above changes to pension age as I read it.

[martyjon]

But ... it always was tied to pension age. It couldn't inherit the discrimination against men inherent in the state pension previously, hence it's always been the women's age.

Fair enough.

It started off as being available to men five years before they reached pension age.  It then switched to being available to them at pension age.   That's a reduction in the benefit of the scheme over and above changes to pension age as I read it.

I seem to recall that when the bus pass for pensioners was brought in it was for all pensioners when they attained retirement age for men, 65, and women 60 but some guy took the government to court over this on the grounds of discrimination and won and therefore if became 60 for all pensioners.

[martyjon]

But ... it always was tied to pension age. It couldn't inherit the discrimination against men inherent in the state pension previously, hence it's always been the women's age.

Fair enough.

It started off as being available to men five years before they reached pension age.  It then switched to being available to them at pension age.   That's a reduction in the benefit of the scheme over and above changes to pension age as I read it.

I seem to recall that when the bus pass for pensioners was brought in it was for all pensioners when they attained retirement age for men, 65, and women 60 but some guy took the government to court over this on the grounds of discrimination and won and therefore if became 60 for all pensioners.

Further Reading ;

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/nov/26/jasonburke.theobserver

[stuving]

ENCTS^▸ (English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. Bus passes for senior/disabled persons) - the national scheme with its ITSO card - started in 2008, so the discrimination stuff was all sorted out for its precursor (single-authority) schemes. The 1995 Pensions Act had already dictated that the women's pension age would rise to 65 between 2010 and 2020. This was not exactly popular, but did come with long notice. So the ENCTS starting age also went up from its initial 60 - and pretty fast, too, at one year every two years.

Then in 2011 came another Pensions Act to put up the men's age to 66 by the time the women's age reached equality. So the women's pension age, and the pass start age, went up even more steeply to reach 65 before the end of this year. The age for passes has followed all of this, and is now in the rapid advance phase and won't stop changing until 2020. And that rather late change left those women "of a certain age" - whose pension is receding faster than they approach it - feeling cheated of what they had planned for.