BS: British pensioners' freebies

Subject: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Thompson
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 11:24 AM

We've just had a vicious budget in Ireland, and pensioners have lost their automatic right to a medical card (granted five years ago), as well as everyone being hit by a 1% across-the-board income tax 'levy' and other savagings of the poor.

I'm curious - Britain has always had much better deals for pensioners than we had - they had medical cards years back, free travel, etc.

What rights do they have now?

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Newport Boy
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:01 PM

Free prescriptions (in Wales, everyone has this, and in Scotland charges are being phased out)

Free bus travel - after the morning peak, and only in your own country. England, Wales and Scotland have separate schemes.

That's about it.

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:06 PM

Free prescriptions and free bus pass over 60.
Christmas fuel allowance, £250 over 60, and £400 over 80. That's per household and not per person BTW.
Free flu jabs every winter.
There are various discounts available for travel etc over 60/65, but not government sponsored.
There will be more, but I can't remember them all.

JM

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Newport Boy
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:14 PM

Aaagh!! I'd forgotten about the flu jabs - and I only had mine this morning!!

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Thompson
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:29 PM

Not a free medical card? British pensioners used to have those long before ours had them.

And free travel only on buses, not trains? And only in your own country (meaning England, not Britain?)

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:35 PM

All NHS treatment is Free at Point of Delivery to EVERYONE -with a charge for Precscription medecine if you are under sixty

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:38 PM

I think it is bus or train.

I'm not sure what a free medical card is but since googling is good for the ageing brain I'll go and google!

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Thompson
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:51 PM

Here, if you're on regular medicines that cost over €100 a month, you pay that first €100, and then get anything over it for free. And you can claim those hundreds back at the end of the tax year.

(The €100 figure was €86 until a couple of months ago, then €90, and went up to €100 in the budget.)

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Newport Boy
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 01:16 PM

There's no free travel on trains. You can get a Senior Railcard which gives a discount of about 30% on a lot of fares.

Anyone (not just pensioners) on regular prescriptions can get a prepayment card (max cost about £100 for a year).

We are promised that the 3 separate bus pass schemes will be combined in the future.

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 01:38 PM

Once you're over 60 all prescriptions in England are free.

Free off-peak buses didn't apply except in your own locality until earlier this year. And of course it doesn't cover trains or long-distance coach journeys either.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Newport Boy
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 04:15 PM

And I forgot the free TV licence at 75!

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Rasener
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 04:23 PM

Not much then for England

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Thompson
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 05:17 PM

Hmm. In Ireland both rail and bus travel is free off-peak for oldies. And they can bring a 'carer' with them, though most don't take advantage of this.

Everyone, not just oldies, can claim back 'unreimbursed medical expenses' - in other words, the cost of doctor's visits (currently about €55 a time, or about €20 if it's just a repeat prescription or a blood test), and the cost of the drugs you buy in the chemist's - on their taxes using the MED1 form at the end of the tax year.

But if you're on regular expensive medicine - statins, diabetes medicine, that kind of thing - you're normally issued with the HSE card, which has a more formal name that I forget. This allows you to pay the first €100 per month for your drugs, and get the rest for free. At the end of the tax year you claim back the amount you've paid, and get it back on your taxes, at whatever rate you pay - normally you get about half of it back.

Old people get help with their fuel (normally their electricity or gas bills), in the form of vouchers or an allowance. I think this *may* also be available to the very poor as well; at one stage I had a fuel allowance and Johnny Moynihan, bless his little heart, transported a quarter of a ton of turf for me.

There are also some grants, I think, for getting your windows mended and insulation put in and the like if you're old.

The old age pension isn't enough to live on - either the contributory (for which you'll have paid 'stamps' or 'social insurance' (PRSI: pay-related social insurance) during your working life, or the non-contributory, which is basically a continuation of unemployment payments.

As far as I remember, a double week, or perhaps a double fortnight, is paid on all pensions at Christmas.

Out of curiosity, what do American oldies get?

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Folkiedave
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:23 PM

I became an OAP (surely not do I hear?) at the end of August.

Free prescriptions are now at over 60.

Free local bus travel in Sheffield both bus and tram. Some local train travel in South Yorkshire e.g. Sheffield - Doncaster/Leeds is free.

But when I go to events and there is a concession for over 60's or OAP's then I take the concession - mainly to get into the habit of doing it - for it is common in Europe.

Low cost meals at some pubs at lunchtime. I have a mate who with a group of friends is field testing the quality of OAP fish and chips in pubs.

Discount with railcard on train trips.

Membership of the Curmudgeon's Club (grumpy retired old men, some of whome who have working wives) who meet monthly to test the quality of meals and beers at various establishments.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 05:12 AM

And all the benefits of being a TOG

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 05:55 AM

Care homes are free in Scotland, at least until independence.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: alextiefling (troll alert contact max)
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 07:13 AM

Care for the elderly should be free in ALL parts of the UK, we are after all one nation.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 08:11 AM

Travel Tokens can be used for any travel, in theory. Bus, Taxi etc but you only get £20 worth and that is tradeable for a buspass. You don't get both.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: artbrooks
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 09:34 AM

Thompson asked, "Out of curiosity, what do American oldies get?"

Assuming you mean citizens and permanent residents of the US, that is a question with a very wide range of answers, since the various states and other polities have their own benefits in addition to those provided by the Federal (national) government. Briefly, and with many "yeah, buts" possible, the primary benefits are financial support and medical care: old age pensions are available at 62, with a reduced benefit (forever) if you choose to get it before 65/66. The pension amount is based upon lifetime income and contributions to the Social Security system. Most medical care is paid after age 65, although there is a personal responsibility for a small percentage of many bills and for part of the cost of prescriptions.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 11:13 PM

yeh, doesn't make up for being old though, does it?

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Thompson
Date: 17 Oct 08 - 04:28 AM

Make up for it? I thought it was supposed to ease the pain and fear of being old and weak and unable to work.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Thompson
Date: 17 Oct 08 - 03:20 PM

By the way, anyone know what the deal is in France and Spain and Germany and the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries?

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 08 - 07:07 PM

Should we put in a claim for all those places - after all we're in the common market?

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Thompson
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 04:20 PM

Only if someone can post information on pensioners' rights there.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Richie Black (misused acct, bad email)
Date: 25 Oct 10 - 10:41 AM

A fixed state pension of £140 is to be proposed by ministers, raising the possibility of an end to means testing.

Under the plans, anyone entitled to a state pension would be paid the same basic amount, providing a boost to women and married couples who lose out under the current system.

The existing system pays a basic rate of £97.65 per week for a single person or £156.15 for a couple, with means-tested benefits for poorer pensioners.


It is understood that the expected increase in the minimum rate will be offset by removing the bureaucracy surrounding means-testing.

Currently pensioners with little or no other income receive additional payments to ensure none earn less than £132.60 per week in total.

An income of £140 a week would bring all pensioners above the income support threshold, removing the need for means-testing.

The payment would see each pensioner resident in Britain earn £7,280 a year, with couples receiving £14,560.

The plans are likely to be welcomed by women, many of whom do not qualify for the basic pension under the current framework because they have not made enough National Insurance contributions after taking time off work to raise a family.

It is hoped that the new system could be in place before the next general election in 2015, before the pension age for women rises to 66.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Oct 10 - 10:52 AM

"It is hoped"...

I won't hold my breath.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: ossonflags
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 03:15 AM

A bit more info to put things into perspective.
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/pensions/article.html?in_article_id=426261&in_page_id=6

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 05:43 AM

This proposal, IF it comes to pass, will not come into effect for at least 5 years.
For a start, what will £140 of today's money be worth in 5 years. Secondly, as far as I have heard, it hasn't mentioned whether it's per person only, or if there's a reduction for a 2 pensioner household. As in the fuel allowance, which will I'm sure, disappear if this idea reaches the statute books.

As for the freebies, I have discovered that if I show my bus pass on the Scotrail trains, I get a reduced fare.

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 08:55 AM

The version I heard said it was per pensioner, ie a couple get 280.

Well at present rates that'll enable me to keep a car going, and will really ease the squeeze.

What it won't do is make me vote for them, which I suspect is what they're hoping if they bring it in just before the election. Buying the grey vote, or what?

Paws

Subject: RE: BS: British pensioners' freebies
From: akenaton
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 09:00 AM

Apparently the rise is only for newly retired people.
They will need to get Tommy Cooper to make that work.