How does this impact on Community Wellbeing? The less well off in our communities aged under 60 are having to pay for bus travel because they do not qualify under the National Entitlement Card rules,costs which they can ill afford,with bus travel being so expensive this is a part of a vital budget which they will be reluctant to spend,it also means that some folk under 60 become trapped in their communities as they cannot afford the travel. Why should the Committee focus on this as part of their future work? Aged 60 full-time employment earning £100,000 free bus travel,Aged 45 full-time employment earning £15,000 NO free bus travel,this should actually be means tested so the less well off in society under 60 are not subsidising the ones who can actually afford bus travel.
In Edinburgh and surrounding areas it’s quite cheap to travel by bus but in Moray when I live it’s a fortune. £2 can get me from Edinburgh to Seton Sands which is roughly 12 miles but £2 can get me from my house to town centre which is 1 mile. Used to cost me over £100 for monthly ticket to travel 12 miles to work. Bus travel shouldn’t be free but bit cheaper in some areas
Yes, this is a reasonable idea, and also with the retirement age going up, perhaps aged 60 isn't the right age to start the benefit anyway. It's a pity that wages, benefits and pensions can be so low that such freebies are necessary. Perhaps household income rather than personal income would need to be looked at. My husband and I share our income and his is a lot higher than mine.
because means-testing will cost more than simply lowering the age of qualifying for free bus travel
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