I reach the age of 60 after 6 April 2010. When will I
get my bus pass?
Download
our Concessionary Fares Eligibility
Dates table for information about the dates of
eligibility.
Are you taking my bus pass away from me?
Absolutely not. For people who have already reached the age of
60 or are due to do so before 6 April 2010 there will be no change
whatsoever. Even if you have not already taken up your entitlement
to a bus pass, you will be unaffected by the changes if your 60th
birthday is before 6 April 2010.
Will I have to wait until I’m 65 to get my bus
pass?
You will only have to wait until you are 65 to get a bus pass if
you were born after 5 April 1955. See the ‘When will I get my bus
pass question’ above for details on when you will be eligible for
your bus pass.
Why have working age men been entitled to a bus pass in
the past?
The purpose of the concession has always been to provide greater
freedom and independence to older people in their retirement. Until
2002, eligibility for the concessionary bus pass was linked to the
state pension age, meaning women became eligible at 60 and men at
65.
However, in 2000 this difference was challenged as
discriminatory in the European Court of Human Rights. The
Government took the decision to lower the age of entitlement for
men and in 2002 new legislation was passed that equalised the age
of eligibility for both sexes at 60. However, this meant that, for
the first time, concessionary bus travel was made available to
older people of working age.
With the difference in state pension age for men and women set
to disappear between 2010 and 2020, it is appropriate to
re-establish the link with pension age and remove the anomalous
position of working age citizens receiving free bus passes.
What about other age-related benefits I’m entitled
to?
The Government has already announced that the entitlement age
for a number of other benefits currently available at 60, such as
pension credit and winter fuel payments will increase in line with
changes to the female state pension age.
In addition to confirming that the age of eligibility for
concessionary travel will increase in line with the pension age
changes, the Government also announced in the Pre-Budget Report
that the age of eligibility for free prescriptions will
increase.
Further information can be obtained from the
DirectGov website
or directly from the Government Departments that offer other
age-related benefits.
No one currently entitled to other age-related benefits will be
affected. The changes will only affect those due to turn 60 on or
after 6 April 2010.
How many people will be affected by this
change?
In 2010, around 92,000 older people will be affected. By 2020
there will be around 3 million people aged between 60 and 64 who
will not be eligible for a bus pass until they are 65.
Will you be cutting money paid to local authorities for
concessionary travel?
These changes are expected to generate savings for local
authorities, which will be taken into account when funding
allocations are set in future local government finance settlements.
No reductions are being made to the overall amount of funding
available for concessionary travel in 2010/11 as a result of these
changes.
There is an entirely separate consultation process underway at
the moment which regard to the special grant funding allocations
for 2010/11, which may result in adjustments to the grant
allocations for individual authorities in 2010/11. However, the
total amount of special grant funding available in 2010/11 will
remain unchanged at £223m.
What will be happening in Wales/Scotland/Northern
Ireland?
Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area so the
arrangements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be a
matter for the devolved administrations. Currently, the age of
entitlement in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is 60.
If you have any queries which are not answered by the above,
contact the Diamond
Travelcard team
