Free to Ride?

There has been controversy recently about the free Concessionary Travel that Old Age Pensioners have been granted in England recently. Local Councils have been complaining that they have had to cut front line services to make up the shortfall in the Government grant to cover the service.

Now it is true that there are more Pensioners on the bus, but it could be argued that they are out and about getting exercise, meeting people and getting on with life. Surely they are at less risk of having to use the social services which may be subject to the cuts proposed. At a very basic level for instance, an individual needs exposure to the outdoors to produce vitamin D which is vital for bone health. An older person with good bone health is less likely to suffer fractures in the case of falls. Note that I did not say that a person needs exposure to the sun – because we don’t get a lot of that in Swansea.

So I think Local Government needs to be less short-sighted about its provision, given that a happy, healthy older generation will cost less in care in the long run.