Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not ruled out scrapping the free bus pass and council tax discounts for state pensioners.
The future of travel concessions for pensioners has been left in doubt ahead of the upcoming Autumn Budget next month.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not ruled out scrapping the free bus pass and council tax discounts for state pensioners.
The future of travel concessions for pensioners has been left in doubt ahead of the upcoming Autumn Budget next month.
During Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon, Conservative MP Louie French asked what other pensioner benefits are on the chopping block following the means-testing of the Winter Fuel Payment.
He said: “Following Labour’s disgraceful political decision to scrap Winter Fuel Payments with little notice to millions of pensioners, will the Prime Minister today rule out scrapping concessionary travel fares and council tax discounts which also help millions of pensioners across the UK? Yes or no?”
In response, Starmer said: “As he knows very well, I am not going to preempt the Budget. It will all be set out in due course.”
Yesterday, Labour ministers were also cagey over the fate of travel concessions for pensioners.
In the House of Commons, Treasury minister James Murray refused to confirm whether benefits, such as the free bus pass for older Britons, will remain in place.
Conservative MP Kit Malthouse asked the minister about the likely fate of the various discounts available to older people when travelling the UK.
He said: “Yesterday in the other place, the Transport Minister cast doubt on the continuation of travel concessions for pensioners.
“This has caused significant alarm in my constituency and others. Notwithstanding the discussion we’re having today, could you just reassure us that travel concessions for pensioners will continue under a Labour Government?”
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