UNIVERSAL PENSIONER BENEFITS

That this House is deeply concerned at suggestions that pensioner benefits such as free television licences, winter fuel allowances and bus passes ought to be means-tested; recognises the tremendous success of these benefits, in particular the free bus pass in bringing about increased use of public transport, reduced car dependency andimprovements to the quality of life of pensioners by allowing them to keep mobile and socially connected; and calls on theGovernment to strongly resist means-testing of all these benefits and this significantly costly suggestion and to continue to fully fund these beneficial schemes for all pensioners.