Bus pass age ‘likely’ togoupby end of year
TRANSPORT minister Humza Yousaf has defended plans to increase the age at which Scots qualify for a free bus pass.
The SNP minister has given his strongest hint yet that the move to increase the age for the scheme from 60 is on its way.
It is understood a decision on the change – first revealed by The Sunday Post in January – is likely to be made by the end of the year following a public consultation this summer.
Current holders of the free bus pass will be unaffected by the changes and Mr Yousaf said there was a “strong argument to stagger any change”.
He added: “There are many changes you can look to do but from the early conversations I’ve had, and I don’t want to pre-judge the consultation, but there does seem to be a consensus forming that if you are going to make any change then looking at the age threshold is the more sensible thing to do.
“I would understand why anyone who is looking forward to a universal benefit and then maybe potentially they have to wait longer for that benefit, would be upset.
“But what I would say is that when it comes to the travel scheme, people know we have a finite budget and they also know we want to extend the scheme to modern apprentices and young people on a jobs grant.”
The free bus pass scheme for the over-60s and disabled costs around £200 million a year.
In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, a free bus pass is currently available to everyone at 60.
In England, the minimum age varies but in London it is 60.
There are 131,604 male free bus pass holders in Scotland aged 60 to 65, and 99,501 female pass holders between the ages of 60 and 63.