Until the arrival of the free bus pass I had not truly appreciated the astonishing numbers of people whose children are also entitled to one. And I dont mean student passes
Pensioner children of even more venerable parents
In quite a high proportion of these families the children are providing important elements of care for the parent, including daily visits, doing their shopping etc. So another economic effect of the bus pass has been quite a useful addition to discretionary expenditure in these families, or increased amounts of care, because delivering the care often involves bus trips. Thus relieving social services. Though, in the interests of considering minuses as well as pluses, they may also, by enabling parents to stay in their own home for longer, be contributing to the shortage of supply in the housing market
