Taking a step back…

Subsidies / discounts are offered for one of three reasons:

1) to encourage an under represented group or group that the organisation wants in greater numbers to attend, or

2) to help out a group generally less able to afford it that might otherwise be under represented, or

3) loyalty - e.g you’ve been going twenty years or whatever, and now get a discounted rate

I guess the OAP discount is category 2 in this case. I’ve no idea how the logic stacks up, but OAP discounts are very common across entertainment, transport, some restaurants / takeaways etc.. so feels like there must be something in it.

Is it fair in all cases? Almost certainly not. Is it fair in some? Definitely.

I’m a keen golfer and this is something that comes up a lot. A lot of golf clubs offer discounted rates for people aged 18-30, and then again for retirees. Actually, the under represented group is people between 30 and 45 that have a young family, reduced disposable income and no time to play. The retirees play more than any other group and pay the least to do so. You’ll never find a system that is really “fair” because everyone’s in a different situation. Again though, the OAP / retiree discount is industry standard.

I think the squeeze for most people is when they have just got on the housing ladder (hopefully) and have a young family and the costs that come with it. Age 25 - 45 or so?

This has turned into a bit of a ramble, if it were changed, I can’t see how it would be better. It would just be different.

Posted By: SimonOTBC on February 18th 2024 at 11:13:41

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