Nick Clegg is at it again

Our bus service in NE Cheshire is again under scrutiny and is up for tender. I use it to go to and from the railway station and for the odd shopping trip or hospital visit. Those who also use the service are almost all using bus passes. I pay an annual fee for my railcard which gives me a 30% discount on fares. Before free bus passes were introduced, we had passes that gave us a 60% reduction on off-peak bus fares (if my memory serves me correctly). If it would save bus services in rural or semi-rural areas, I would be in favour of charging a modest fee for bus passes and keeping the fares free.

*Oldgreymare' if you are a resident of London (and all it's Boroughs) yes. It's a deal. I use Oyster..which also gives me a discount but nothing to do with age.

I take it he has taken a straw poll of people in his Hallam constituency, which is one of the richest in the country, before he came up with this good idea? I shouldn't think so for a minute!

I think it is quite fair to stop fuel allowances and t.v. licences for wealthy pensioners. I have said it before and stick to my guns. As for bus passes I doubt very much there is widespread usage of them.

It's all very well to give your money to charity but for goodness sake think of the wages they pay the top brass and the waste of where it 'might' go.

Better to keep it in the welfare pot and be distributed to those who need it most.

I admit my point of view would depend entirely on what they consider 'wealthy' to be however. I consider a wealthy pensioner, very good pension, own home and mortgage free, able to take holidays very fortunate. It's the younger generation having it tough now, give something back. I think I would have a reasonably high income in mind however but I cannot in all honesty say what I think that should be.

I know I will get the valid points said again how 'Well I worked hard for my money' or ' Why should I not receive what other pensioners get', etc. but if we want state benefits to go to the poorest then is it really acceptable to give handouts to those who don't need them.

Does make me very angry that my cousin, who lives in South Africa, still gets the winter fuel allowance, especially as with the exchange rate it is a far greater amount for him. He hasn't lived in this country for years and I think it's a damn cheek......

I don't know where you live, Pogs, but I assure you that the use of bus passes is very widespread hereabouts. And in Manchester it most certainly is. Of course, the more rural bus services are reduced, the less take-up there will be except in urban areas.

Anno

A very fair comment but I meant widespread use by 'wealthy pensioners', sorry if I confused.

OK, thanks for the clarification, Pogs.

Whether you personally think you can manage without these extras,do you think, like me, that it might be a mistake to announce a policy which will affect the whole population over 65 and then say that it won't be implemented till after the next election? And which section of the population is most likely to go down to the polling station?

Am I being cynical to think that Nick Clegg's banking on Labour nearly winning the next election and the Lib Dems propping them up?

Ana

No

And I hate coalition government of any colour. [rant]

I would respect Nick Clegg more if he actually came out and said these "perks" should be taken away from pensioners with a certain income, but he won't commit himself. Someone said it would probably start with people on a high income and that would gradually drop until it reached the point where they were losing too many votes.

My concern is that it will be based on savings. I have savings which are invested to give me an income which combined with my state pension gives me an income of less than £12,000 per annum. Whilst I accept this makes me better off than a lot of pensioners I'm not exactly living in luxury. Council tax is £1,200 p.a. then there is insurance, electricity and oil. We have no bus service through my village so I have to run a car (a small one) with the costs of insurance, tax, servicing and fuel. All this before I have thought about food and clothing.

Sel I think I misread your post and responded as if you had said that pensioners shouldn't get anything automatically. Sorry

I think it is important to differentiate between London and the rest of the country. I have several times heard politicians talk about the Freedom Pass as if we all got it. We don't, you have to live in London. Actually, most pensioners don't - quel suprise! Many people live where public transport is very patchy, we have just lost the service to the hospital and now have to go to the bus station and get another bus which makes the journey much more difficult. We don't get free trains like Londoners but many who live in London don't seem to realise that.

Many who live in rural areas don't have gas and have to pay huge oil bills but this is never considered by those who want to take things away from pensioners.

Many choose to give their winter fuel allowance to charity with gift aid in the belief that charities will use it better than government.

Perhaps some would be happy to give up some things if they were happy with the way the welfare state is run but while I hear that a work expererience scheme for 200 people was considered a success when they got 149 people on it I will remain sceptical.

Movedalot I agree with you that some people would be happy to give up allowances if they thought the money would otherwise be well-spent by the government and properly targeted - on current evidence those who have allowances should fight to hang on to 'em!

I'm 58 so don't receive anything for a while - probably never will if Clegg gets his way.

Sel you're right about the theatre last night I was at The National (Alan Bennett's 'People', which was great by the way) and judging from the bars and on the tube and buses it was obvious that many were well-heeled Freedom Pass holders making the most of things. Good luck to them, I say!

I do agree that wealthy pensioners should not be given certain universal benefits.

Let's say those on over £75,00 a year.

I have emailed Nick Clegg asking him to clarify what he considers to be a wealthy pensioner - it will be interesting to see what reply, if any, I receive.

Movedalot lots of people misread my posts, no worries

Riverwalk I love Alan Bennet so will check the reviews. I went to see The Magistrate at the National a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Saw Privates on Parade last weekend and was thrilled by how non PC it was.

I don't know how they'd set a limit but they amanged with Child Allowance and the principle is the same.

The over 60s in London are very well served in comparison to the rest of the country and there are a heck of a lot with income well in excess of £75k. I wonder what the saving would be and who could possibly object.

movedalot agree wholeheartedly with your post - you seem to have the same income as myself (not well off just enough but not entitled to any means-tested passported benefits.)
sel I think you must be quite well heeled to not appreciate what the majority of pensioners (who don't live in London and therefore do not have excellent transport services via the 'freedom pass') have to make their money stretch to.
I saw the news last night where the presenter was making a point that 'Jon Snow' had a 'bus pass' and would he lose that. Now Mr Snow is obviously paid oodles of money by Channel4 and should pay his way - he is rich - pensioners on 12K a year living on their own are not.

would also like to know Nick Cleggs definition of 'wealthy'

apologies it was barrow who has the same income as myself.

mollie65 I appreciate that, that's why I was saying Nick Clegg's idea wasn't a bad one. I am lucky, I don't need free travel or a winter fuel allowance and would be more than happy if that money was re-directed to those who do.

I know lots of people who have absolutely no need of these things and think it's a bit of a hoot.

The problem as you mentioned is defining wealthy.

I met Nick Clegg, asked him a question and he said he would get back to me, he didn't. I emailed him and he didn't reply.

Was it a really, really hard question, Movedalot?

Totally agree Sel.

Have received an email back from Nick Cleggs "team" who say they read all the emails and give feedback to him, but because of the volume of emails he receives they can't answer them all - so it doesn't look as if I will be getting an answer to my question. I will give him to the end of the week and then I will ask my MP if he can ask NC to clarify!