TV licence thread

[Cyclone]

17 hours ago, Annie Bynnol said:

Trying to create blame when there is none is not going to work.

The voting system means that every 18+ individual can vote. That some age groups are more likely to vote than others is certainly no fault of the "baby boomers". 

I would very much support a compulsory vote for all over 16, as we have a ridiculous situation where 21 year olds do not have a say in leaving  the EU, wheras dead people do.

The stupidity of statistics means that there were more remain votes in total in my age group than the next youngest, because more voted. If each generation had voted in the same numbers, the outcome would have been reversed.

Regarding mortgages, the availability of a mortgage was dependent (and regulated) more on income than on deposit.  The range and availibility of mortgage products today is far greater than ever. As a percentage of income after tax  there is very little difference in cost.  You were far more likely to be refused until either your joint income or deposit increased.  Many other economic factors and Government policies have affected the housing market. 

You might have forgotten, but pension benefits have already been withdawn from a substantial number of " baby boomers " and that the idea of (old age?)"care" has and is changing for everybody.

 

Stop blaming people when it is clearly Government policy and global economy which is  having  the greatest influence.

 

 

 

 

The government has been mostly comprised of baby boomers for the past twenty years.  The global economy has been influenced significantly by the behaviour of baby boomers.

[I1L2T3]

45 minutes ago, Cyclone said:

The government has been mostly comprised of baby boomers for the past twenty years.  The global economy has been influenced significantly by the behaviour of baby boomers.

It’s dystopian. No other way to describe it.

[bendix]

On ‎17‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 18:03, Lockdoctor said:

With due respect, if you're really surrounded by retired people living in £750,000 homes then you don't live in an average area of the UK which reflects how average retired people over the age of 75 live.

 

It;s not really difficult to understand  why there is a good argument for a TV licence to remain free  for all  pensioners over 75 rather than introduce means testing. It has been pointed out  in the media that if means testing is introduced  for pensioners to continue to receive  free TV licences then those same pensioners approved for a free TV licence will also be made aware of other benefits  they are entitled to and the taxpayer is more likely to be more burdened.

That's precisely my point.  There are tens or hundreds of thousands of people over 75 who live in expensive houses and have good pensions and a decent lifestyle. Similarly there are hundreds of thousands who dont.

 

That is why freebies should be means-tested and not given willy nilly to everyone simply because they have passed a certain age. It is ridiculous that someone as rich as the queen should qualify for a free license.  

[Voice of reason]

1 hour ago, bendix said:

That's precisely my point.  There are tens or hundreds of thousands of people over 75 who live in expensive houses and have good pensions and a decent lifestyle. Similarly there are hundreds of thousands who dont.

 

That is why freebies should be means-tested and not given willy nilly to everyone simply because they have passed a certain age. It is ridiculous that someone as rich as the queen should qualify for a free license.  

Exactly.

And it's a piece of cake no-brainer. On the licence application there should be tick-box if over 75 and on pension credit, giving permission for DWP to confirm free licence.

 

[melthebell]

4 hours ago, Voice of reason said:

Exactly.

And it's a piece of cake no-brainer. On the licence application there should be tick-box if over 75 and on pension credit, giving permission for DWP to confirm free licence.

 

Then we can start on free bus passes

[Robin-H]

20 minutes ago, melthebell said:

Then we can start on free bus passes

Free bus passes for older people help generate money for the economy as it means they are more likely to get out and spend. It also increases volunteering and reduces costs associated with poorer health. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/09/scrapping-free-bus-travel-older-people-cost

Edited June 19, 2019 by Robin-H

[melthebell]

30 minutes ago, Robin-H said:

Free bus passes for older people help generate money for the economy as it means they are more likely to get out and spend. It also increases volunteering and reduces costs associated with poorer health. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/09/scrapping-free-bus-travel-older-people-cost

But its still wrong when people DONT need them, and can afford bus fares, yet some of us pay nearly a third of our wages on bus fares just to get to work.

[ECCOnoob]

2 hours ago, Robin-H said:

Free bus passes for older people help generate money for the economy as it means they are more likely to get out and spend. It also increases volunteering and reduces costs associated with poorer health. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/09/scrapping-free-bus-travel-older-people-cost

If they are so brassic that they can't afford a 50p concession  bus fare I doubt they are "stimulating the economy" with their spending sprees very much.

 

There are plenty of pensioners these days who are still driving and wouldn't be seen dead on a bus.  There are even more pensioners who can easily afford bus fares. 

 

Taxpayers funding lifestyle choices again.  I have very grave doubts about this article and the so-called independent study. 

 

Just like free TV licences, free bus travel for all over a certain age is a very recent development.  It was something that these alleged brassic pensioners were quite happily able to pay before.  

 

What has changed so dramatically? 

Edited June 19, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[Robin-H]

20 minutes ago, ECCOnoob said:

If they are so brassic that they can't afford a 50p concession  bus fare I doubt they are "stimulating the economy" with their spending sprees very much.

 

There are plenty of pensioners these days who are still driving and wouldn't be seen dead on a bus.  There are even more pensioners who can easily afford bus fares. 

 

Taxpayers funding lifestyle choices again.  I have very grave doubts about this article and the so-called independent study. 

 

Just like free TV licences, free bus travel for all over a certain age is a very recent development.  It was something that these alleged brassic pensioners were quite happily able to pay before.  

 

What has changed so dramatically? 

What part of the research do you not agree with, and why do you think they came to the wrong conclusions? Were their research methods flawed in some way? 

[Voice of reason]

24 minutes ago, Robin-H said:

What part of the research do you not agree with, and why do you think they came to the wrong conclusions? Were their research methods flawed in some way? 

That article says in London all over 60s also get free tube and train travel, worth over £3k per person per year. I'd gladly make that available for lots of people, it just seems wasteful handing it out carte blanche.