TV licence thread

[bendix 10]

On ‎17‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 18:03, Lockdoctor said:

With due respect, if you're really surrounded by retired people living in £750,000 homes then you don't live in an average area of the UK which reflects how average retired people over the age of 75 live.

 

It;s not really difficult to understand  why there is a good argument for a TV licence to remain free  for all  pensioners over 75 rather than introduce means testing. It has been pointed out  in the media that if means testing is introduced  for pensioners to continue to receive  free TV licences then those same pensioners approved for a free TV licence will also be made aware of other benefits  they are entitled to and the taxpayer is more likely to be more burdened.

That's precisely my point.  There are tens or hundreds of thousands of people over 75 who live in expensive houses and have good pensions and a decent lifestyle. Similarly there are hundreds of thousands who dont.

 

That is why freebies should be means-tested and not given willy nilly to everyone simply because they have passed a certain age. It is ridiculous that someone as rich as the queen should qualify for a free license.  

[Voice of reason 0]

1 hour ago, bendix said:

That's precisely my point.  There are tens or hundreds of thousands of people over 75 who live in expensive houses and have good pensions and a decent lifestyle. Similarly there are hundreds of thousands who dont.

 

That is why freebies should be means-tested and not given willy nilly to everyone simply because they have passed a certain age. It is ridiculous that someone as rich as the queen should qualify for a free license.  

Exactly.

And it's a piece of cake no-brainer. On the licence application there should be tick-box if over 75 and on pension credit, giving permission for DWP to confirm free licence.

 

[melthebell 863]

4 hours ago, Voice of reason said:

Exactly.

And it's a piece of cake no-brainer. On the licence application there should be tick-box if over 75 and on pension credit, giving permission for DWP to confirm free licence.

 

Then we can start on free bus passes

[Robin-H 11]

20 minutes ago, melthebell said:

Then we can start on free bus passes

Free bus passes for older people help generate money for the economy as it means they are more likely to get out and spend. It also increases volunteering and reduces costs associated with poorer health. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/09/scrapping-free-bus-travel-older-people-cost

Edited June 19, 2019 by Robin-H

[melthebell 863]

30 minutes ago, Robin-H said:

Free bus passes for older people help generate money for the economy as it means they are more likely to get out and spend. It also increases volunteering and reduces costs associated with poorer health. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/09/scrapping-free-bus-travel-older-people-cost

But its still wrong when people DONT need them, and can afford bus fares, yet some of us pay nearly a third of our wages on bus fares just to get to work.

[ECCOnoob 1,039]

2 hours ago, Robin-H said:

Free bus passes for older people help generate money for the economy as it means they are more likely to get out and spend. It also increases volunteering and reduces costs associated with poorer health. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/09/scrapping-free-bus-travel-older-people-cost

If they are so brassic that they can't afford a 50p concession  bus fare I doubt they are "stimulating the economy" with their spending sprees very much.

 

There are plenty of pensioners these days who are still driving and wouldn't be seen dead on a bus.  There are even more pensioners who can easily afford bus fares. 

 

Taxpayers funding lifestyle choices again.  I have very grave doubts about this article and the so-called independent study. 

 

Just like free TV licences, free bus travel for all over a certain age is a very recent development.  It was something that these alleged brassic pensioners were quite happily able to pay before.  

 

What has changed so dramatically? 

Edited June 19, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[Robin-H 11]

20 minutes ago, ECCOnoob said:

If they are so brassic that they can't afford a 50p concession  bus fare I doubt they are "stimulating the economy" with their spending sprees very much.

 

There are plenty of pensioners these days who are still driving and wouldn't be seen dead on a bus.  There are even more pensioners who can easily afford bus fares. 

 

Taxpayers funding lifestyle choices again.  I have very grave doubts about this article and the so-called independent study. 

 

Just like free TV licences, free bus travel for all over a certain age is a very recent development.  It was something that these alleged brassic pensioners were quite happily able to pay before.  

 

What has changed so dramatically? 

What part of the research do you not agree with, and why do you think they came to the wrong conclusions? Were their research methods flawed in some way? 

[Voice of reason 0]

24 minutes ago, Robin-H said:

What part of the research do you not agree with, and why do you think they came to the wrong conclusions? Were their research methods flawed in some way? 

That article says in London all over 60s also get free tube and train travel, worth over £3k per person per year. I'd gladly make that available for lots of people, it just seems wasteful handing it out carte blanche.

[altus 540]

50 minutes ago, ECCOnoob said:

There are plenty of pensioners these days who are still driving and wouldn't be seen dead on a bus.  There are even more pensioners who can easily afford bus fares.

And there are some driving around with the eyesight of Mr Magoo and reaction times that would embarrass a sloth. Free bus passes are worth it to get these people to give up driving.

[Cyclone 10]

1 hour ago, Robin-H said:

What part of the research do you not agree with, and why do you think they came to the wrong conclusions? Were their research methods flawed in some way? 

Does it give any thought to how it would change if the bus passes were means tested?  The less wealthy would then still be able to get out, and the more wealthy, well, they wouldn't lose the ability to get out and spend, because they're wealthy.

[Robin-H 11]

1 minute ago, Cyclone said:

Does it give any thought to how it would change if the bus passes were means tested?  The less wealthy would then still be able to get out, and the more wealthy, well, they wouldn't lose the ability to get out and spend, because they're wealthy.

I think the point the article was making was less about older people going out and spending more (although I'm sure that's part of it) but more about the additional health benefits that older people get by going out and about, and the extra volunteering and unpaid care work that they are able to do that they might not otherwise. I would imagine these benefits (especially regarding health) are greater for poorer pensions that would be less likely to be out and about otherwise. I've not looked into the research to see how the actual figures were worked out. 

[alchresearch 214]

Pensioners now spend an extra £100-a-week on drinking and eating out, report finds

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/20/pensioners-now-spend-extra-100-a-week-drinking-eating-report/