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In the Media
17 June 2025
Healthcare
25 June 2025
Healthcare
Reem Ibrahim was quoted in the Telegraph, the Mirror, my London News, and Birmingham Live on free transport for the over-60s.
The Telegraph article said:
“Providing free transport for over-60s in London is costing taxpayers £500m a year, prompting calls for the benefit to be scrapped.
“A rapidly ageing population means more than 1.5 million people now travel for free across London’s buses, Tubes, trains and trams.
“They do so via the 60+ Oyster Card, for those aged between 60 and 65, and the Freedom Pass, available to those aged 66 and older.
“Reem Ibrahim, of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: “It is difficult to justify a system where the wealthiest age group in the country is having their travel funded by taxpayers.
“The 60+ Oyster card and Freedom Pass schemes are financially unsustainable, and are not targeted to those genuinely in need of support. We urgently need a more targeted approach, rather than entrenching an unfair and costly system.”
The Telegraph article said:
“Providing free transport for over-60s in London is costing taxpayers £500m a year, prompting calls for the benefit to be scrapped.
“A rapidly ageing population means more than 1.5 million people now travel for free across London’s buses, Tubes, trains and trams.
“They do so via the 60+ Oyster Card, for those aged between 60 and 65, and the Freedom Pass, available to those aged 66 and older.
“Reem Ibrahim, of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: “It is difficult to justify a system where the wealthiest age group in the country is having their travel funded by taxpayers.
“The 60+ Oyster card and Freedom Pass schemes are financially unsustainable, and are not targeted to those genuinely in need of support. We urgently need a more targeted approach, rather than entrenching an unfair and costly system.”
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