I think it’s very wrong to assume that all pensioners are well off and/or scroungers. The pressure on today’s pensioner is fierce, with rising energy bills, public transport being cut to the bone, and it’s almost impossible to get a doctors appointment at the time you are likely to need medical assistance the most.
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I’m not quite sure how you envisage this scheme would operate in U.K. - when you talk of giving Pensioners concessions “universally to everyone” I’m not sure what you mean.
We already have several “Universal” Pensioner concessions without needing to apply for them (e.g. free medical prescriptions and Winter Fuel Allowance - and a free bus pass application is quick & easy and not means-tested) - so is your idea to give extra concessions, such as discounts on council tax and utility bills, to all retired people, without any needs assessment or means testing?
I don’t see any justification for that. I think Taxpayer funding should be targeted to where it is most needed.
It is worth noting that, under the Australian scheme, their Pensioner Concession Card is not universally issued to everyone upon retirement.
It is only issued to people who have already applied and been granted an Age Pension (or certain other specific “gateway state benefits”) after assessment / means-testing for eligibility.
In Australia, not all retired people receive a State Pension. Their “Age Pension” is a means-tested State Benefit. So those with higher private income and assets may receive a lower pension or not be eligible.
For example, at 31 March 2023, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over who received Age Pension increased with age – from 30% of those aged 65–69, to 60% of those aged 70–74, and 78% of those aged 85 and over.
I can see how issuing a Pensioner Concession Scheme card to everyone on Age Pension would work within the overall Pension system in Australia, because their income / assets has already been means-tested. They are not giving discounts and concessions to people with private wealth who don’t need extra financial support.
However, I can’t see how it would work in U.K. if it was issued to all Pensioners.
If you want to get taxpayer funding to the people who need it, there has to be some element of means-testing.
In U.K., the Govt uses a range of “gateway benefits” as an eligibility criteria for other benefits and concessions - but people in receipt of those “gateway benefits” have already applied and been assessed or means-tested.
I felt bad enough receiving my first Winter Fuel Allowance last year, when so many people need that funding more than me.
I would prefer extra payments or concessions for Pensioners to be given to those in more need of it - which could be done if they raised the income threshold for means-tested “gateway benefit” of Pension Credit a bit, so more “Just managing” pensioners were eligible for it - then any supplements and discounts could be linked to it, instead of being sent out to Pensioners who don’t need any more financial support.
Giving more universal taxpayer-funded concessions to State Pensioners would not get my vote in U.K., unless the U.K. State Pension itself was completely changed to a means-tested benefit, as it is in Australia.
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I definitely wouldn’t want to see a concessions card that gave more universal benefits to pensioners without taking into account their financial status by means test
If it’s means tested, then maybe, but as I said, pensioners in the U.K. already get a lot of those benefits already
My solution would be to only give the benefits to people on Pension Credit but to raise the entitlement thresholds on income and savings so more of the poorest pensioners would be included
I don’t think pride and not claiming is as much of a thing anymore. Maybe among the oldest but the Boomer generation are quite grabby and know their rights
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Please don’t judge me, or other so called Boomers, by your own standards - I was born in 1946 and have worked hard all of my life for what I have now - I have never ‘grabbed’ anything to help me, neither have other people of my age-group that I know. That comment says more about you than it does about my generation.
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I have a friend in Ireland who said they get more concessions than the uk, one very welcome one would be free national off peak rail travel.
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Not all are that way inclined. I have helped at least 6 apply for and receive extras from the DWP which they all thought they were not entitled to. A Pensioner Card, if arranged correctly, could give everybody access to everything they are entitled to without having to delv and apply.
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Not just scraping through each week, but also not the brightest button in a very large box. Those older and less mentally agile folk, need help and usually have no idea how to ask for it, or appeal if turned down on 1st application.
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Ok …however most of the benefits the elderly get automatically.
I can see a card listing entitlements might be of help to those on pension credit.
“Ok …however most of the benefits the elderly get automatically”.
Not in my experience they do not. Even the State Pension has to be applied for with the form filled in correctly or payments are delayed. The pension does not come in automatically, so you have to claim it to get it. If you are eligible, you should receive an invitation to claim your pension about four months before you reach the State Pension age but not in every instance.
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Surely most people realise they’re entitled to the state pension winter fuel allowance and a bus pass along with free prescriptions .
Maybe a simple card to let people know what they might qualify for could be useful.
However extra allowances just because of age …no .