
'Free' bus and train scheme needs to be axed urgently says expert
Free or cut-price travel for the over-60s is being questioned amid claims the perk is outdated, unfair and costing taxpayers an eye-watering half a billion pounds a year. More than 1.5 million Londoners currently enjoy free travel on buses, Tubes, trams and trains thanks to the 60+ Oyster Card and the Freedom Pass.
But critics say the schemes are increasingly being used by well-off older workers, while younger people are left footing the bill through council tax and the congestion charge. Analysis by the Telegraph found the 60+ Oyster Card will cost Transport for London £135 million this year – more than double the £60 million it cost in 2016. That figure is expected to rocket to £185 million by 2027.
Meanwhile, the Freedom Pass – which allows unlimited travel for over-66s and eligible disabled people – is already used by more than 900,000 people and costs £350 million a year. That cost is expected to hit £498 million by the end of the decade, with London's borough councils picking up the tab.
This is well ahead of the cost of fare dodging across the network which is put at £130 million annually. Critics say the system is badly targeted and increasingly being abused. According to TfL, 60% of Oyster card holders aged 60-65 are still in paid work – and one in five use it to commute.
That's despite the fact that workers in this age group earn an average of £42,000 a year – nearly double the £24,000 earned by people in their early twenties. Reem Ibrahim, from the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: 'It is difficult to justify a system where the wealthiest age group in the country is having their travel funded by taxpayers.
'The 60+ Oyster card and Freedom Pass schemes are financially unsustainable, and are not targeted to those genuinely in need of support. We urgently need a more targeted approach, rather than entrenching an unfair and costly system.'
Liz Emerson, of the Intergenerational Foundation, added: 'At the very least, the Freedom Pass should be aligned with the state pension age. It's a perfect example of intergenerational unfairness at work with younger workers having to subsidise their older colleagues' free travel to work.'
The 60+ Oyster Card was introduced by then-Mayor Boris Johnson in 2012. It is currently funded through Sadiq Khan's mayoral precept on council tax, along with money raised from the congestion charge. Once Londoners turn 66, they automatically qualify for the Freedom Pass. That £350 million cost is split between all 33 London boroughs – 28 of which were forced to hike council tax to the legal maximum of five per cent this year.
The body running the Freedom Pass scheme has warned the £498 million forecast by 2029-30 is 'unsustainable'. Despite this, Khan has - so far - resisted pressure to scale back the schemes. During the pandemic, he banned the use of both the 60+ Oyster and Freedom Pass before 9am, generating £15 million in extra fares. But he later rejected a proposal to raise the qualifying age for the 60+ card by six months each year, which would have gradually phased it out to align with the Freedom Pass age.
A spokesperson for Transport for London said: 'Both the Mayor and TfL are committed to making public transport in London as accessible, convenient, and affordable as possible. We regularly review our range of concessions to ensure that they continue to benefit Londoners, while also remaining affordable for TfL to operate.'
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Scottish Sun
14 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
10 freebies and discounts for pensioners worth £7,437 in August including free passports and cinema tickets
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Over the span of a year, this means you stand to save a staggering £142.92. Discounted water bills Social tariffs are available to those on low incomes to help them save on their water bills. Providers offer different discounted rates, with some giving you money off the regular plan and others offering a lower cost service. Your water provider will be able to provide you with more information. Free NHS dental treatment Anyone who claims Pension Credit is entitled to free NHS dental care. Make sure to phone your dentist before hand to check whether you are eligible. If you are, you could save £26.50 for a routine check up. Some dental work, such as dentures, cost up to £3.19 though - meaning you could save hundreds. Free passports Passports are offered for free by the Home Office to anyone born before September 2, 1929. Although that means most people who are eligible for the discount are in their late 90s, it still allows Brits the chance to save £94.50. Using the fast track service will incur a charge though. Discounted days out Often, people over 60 are entitled for special discounts which can help them save money on days out. The National Trust and English Heritage both offer discounts to over 65s, helping them to get outdoors. Also, you can even save on Interrail passes - which let you travel around Europe for free - by getting 10 per cent off. Cinemas offer cheaper tickets too, as do museums, allowing you to open up your world even more. Since the amount that you save is dependent on the days out you prefer, the possibilities are endless.


The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
10 freebies and discounts for pensioners worth £7,437 in August including free passports and cinema tickets
MILLIONS of pensioners are eligible for freebies and discounts this August which could save them up to £7,437. Benefits include free passports and cinema tickets, as well as extra support from health services. National insurance exemption When you become eligible for the state pension, you no longer need to pay National Insurance (NI). However, the amount that you save is dependent on the amount of money you earn. For example, an employee earning £40,000 must pay £2,94 in National Insurance contributions over a year. Meanwhile, someone earning £20,000 only has to pay £594. This system is in place so that everyone pays their fair share of NI. Since the average weekly wage in the UK is £687, then the average Brit over 60 stands to save a huge £1,851.20 through NI exemptions. Discounted travel Over 60s often get discounted travel too. In England, any pensioner is entitled to a free bus pass. In Wales and Scotland, the requirement for a free bus pass is simply being over the age of 60. Transport for London offers residents in the capital an Older Person's Freedom Pass and the 60+ Oyster card, which gives you free travel on any TfL service from Monday to Friday. Five tips to feed your family for less and save on your supermarket shop The only exception to this incredible offer is that the card is not valid from 04.30-09.00am. Travel remains free at anytime on weekends. Since bus prices vary across the UK, so does the amount you stand to save but an annual bus pass in London costs an eyewatering £988. Meanwhile, a senior railcard saves you can average of £96 annually and costs just £30. When combining the railcard and bus pass savings, pensioners could save a massive £1,084. Free prescriptions and eyetests NHS prescriptions are free for any Brit over the age of 60 who lives in England, Scotland or Wales. In fact, in Wales, prescriptions are free for everyone. Buying your prescription regularly and using an annual prepayment certificate can cost up to £114.50 - which means you make a huge saving when claiming your prescription for free. 3 Also, anyone over the age of 60 is entitled to a free annual eye test. All you need to do is book your appointment as normal and inform members of staff that you are eligible for a free test. Over 60s can save £25 through the scheme, while ensuring that they have good eye health. Pension credit Pension Credit becomes available whenever you are able to start claiming your pension. The system is designed to bolster the income of people on lower earnings. This means that the amount of Pension Credit available to you depends on how much you have eanred and your income. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) says the average amount given out is a huge £3,900 a year. Weekly incomes of £218/15 can be topped up to £332.95 - helping to support pensioners across the UK. Free TV license The TV license is used to fund the BBC, including its television channels, radio stations, iPlayer service and its news services. This is because the BBC is a publicly-owned broadcaster. Anyone using a TV must pay the licence fee, but anyone over the age of 75 - who also claims Pension credit - can have the charge waived. This could save you £174.50 a year. 3 Discounted broadband People who claim their Pension Credit are often eligible for cheaper broadband. The cheapest plans available to pensioners cost just £14.99 a month, compared to the huge average cost of £26.90. Over the span of a year, this means you stand to save a staggering £142.92. Discounted water bills Social tariffs are available to those on low incomes to help them save on their water bills. Providers offer different discounted rates, with some giving you money off the regular plan and others offering a lower cost service. Your water provider will be able to provide you with more information. Free NHS dental treatment Anyone who claims Pension Credit is entitled to free NHS dental care. Make sure to phone your dentist before hand to check whether you are eligible. If you are, you could save £26.50 for a routine check up. Some dental work, such as dentures, cost up to £3.19 though - meaning you could save hundreds. Free passports Passports are offered for free by the Home Office to anyone born before September 2, 1929. Although that means most people who are eligible for the discount are in their late 90s, it still allows Brits the chance to save £94.50. Using the fast track service will incur a charge though. Discounted days out Often, people over 60 are entitled for special discounts which can help them save money on days out. The National Trust and English Heritage both offer discounts to over 65s, helping them to get outdoors. Also, you can even save on Interrail passes - which let you travel around Europe for free - by getting 10 per cent off. Cinemas offer cheaper tickets too, as do museums, allowing you to open up your world even more. Since the amount that you save is dependent on the days out you prefer, the possibilities are endless.


Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
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