3. The application process and administration of the scheme
3. The application process and administration of the scheme
Introduction
3.1 The research began by asking respondents about the process of getting their National Entitlement Card, covering the source of awareness of the concessionary travel scheme and the ease of application and renewals. This section sets out our findings from both the survey and focus groups on these issues.
3.2 When asked about how they first became aware of the existence of the concessionary travel scheme, more than half of respondents said this was through word of mouth (52%), 10% said it was via media and 4% said they found out from the Council or at a Council office.
3.3 Analysis by card holder type indicated that those who held the 60+ card were significantly more likely to have heard about the existence of the scheme through word of mouth with 57% of 60+ card holders stating this was their source of awareness compared to 28% of visual or disabled card holders. Those who held Disabled or Visual Cards were more likely to have heard about the scheme through their GP (13%) or Social Work (11%).
3.4 Discussion at the focus groups revealed that people had found out about the NEC scheme in different ways. Some older participants had received an application form in the post around their 60th birthday. Others were alerted to their entitlement, also by letter, but advised to go to their local library to pick up an application form. A few older participants said that they received a letter with the card already attached and ready for use.
3.5 There was at least one example of where a disabled participant had not realised he was entitled to have a NEC and was told about the scheme by a bus driver. Interestingly, this participant thought that the card was for those of pensionable age (65 years).
"I said, I'm not 65...but the driver said I would be eligible."
(Male, physical disabilities group)
Ease of obtaining information and information sources
3.6 More than three quarters of respondents (78%) said they found it very or fairly easy to obtain the information they needed about the Concessionary Travel Scheme and how to apply, and 22% could not remember.
Figure 3.2: Ease of obtaining information
3.7 Analysis by Regional Transport Partnership Area indicated that respondents who lived in the Swestrans area (79%) and HITRANS area (77%) were most likely to have said they found it 'very easy' to find this information. Respondents in the NESTRANS area (36%) and SESTRANS area (27%) were more likely to have said that they 'can't remember' how easy they found it to get information on the scheme and how to apply.
3.8 In relation to where respondents found the information they needed about the Concessionary Travel Scheme and application process, the most common sources were from the Council at a Council office or One Stop Shop (27%), at the post office (21%) or from a local library (10%). Analysis by area reveals that obtaining information from the Council was more common amongst those who lived in the Swestrans area (65%) whereas respondents who lived in the STP area were more likely to have obtained information from the Post Office (35%) than in other areas.
3.9 Analysis by card type indicated that those who held disabled or visual cards were significantly more likely to have found the information they needed about the Scheme through Social Work (12%) compared to those who held 60+ cards (1%). Whereas those who held 60+ cards were more likely to have found the information they needed at the Post Office (24% of 60+ card holders compared to 3% of disabled or visual card holders).
3.10 For survey respondents, where respondents dealt with people when getting their concessionary travel card, the vast majority stated that the people they dealt with were very knowledgeable. More than half of respondents (54%) said the person they dealt with when getting their concessionary travel card was either very or fairly knowledgeable and less than 1% said this person was not very or not at all knowledgeable. A further 24% of respondents said they could not remember and 22% said this was not applicable.
Figure 3.4: Knowledge of people dealt with when getting Card
3.11 More than 8 in 10 respondents said they found it very or fairly easy to apply for their concessionary travel card (82%) and 1% said they found it very or fairly difficult. Analysis by card type indicated that those who held a Disabled or Visual Impairment Card were less likely to state that the application process was very easy (66%) compared to those who held a 60+ card (74%).
3.12 This was generally supported in the focus groups with general comments being that the process of application was a simple one.
"It was all very easy; it took five minutes, I filled the form in and it came in the next few days."
(Female, older person's group)
3.13 Findings from the focus group revealed that the application process for those with a disability was reported to be just as smooth. There were no real issues, other than having to prove their disability. Most people were able to do this through their Disability Living Allowance information.
"I had to take my DLA form in, and a birth certificate and proof of my address, then I had to wait seven days and I had to get a photo."
(Female, young disabled group)
3.14 Only one participant, who had a visual impairment stated there had been an issue completing the application form, as the text was too small for her to read. On complaining at the travel centre, the staff there offered to increase the size of the form on their printer - which she said made the form 'illegible'.
"The form is atrocious if you can't see. I got the form at the bus station, but the writing was too small so I took it back to the station and they just photocopied it to make it bigger."
(Female, young disabled group)
3.15 Others with a disability said they had needed help to complete the application form, from carers or support services. Overall there were no real issues in the completion of the form.
3.16 16% of respondents said they have had to get a replacement card. Analysis by RTP area reveals that those who lived in the HITRANS area were least likely to have had to get a replacement card (9%), while those who lived in the NESTRANS area (19%) and SESTRANS area (18%) were most likely. This was also slightly more likely to be the case for Disabled or Visual card holders (21%) than for 60+ card holders (15%).
3.17 Of those who had applied for a replacement card, the vast majority (94%) said they found the process very or fairly easy. 2% stated that it was fairly difficult and 2% could not remember.
3.18 Survey respondents (13 respondents) who stated that they found the process of getting a replacement card difficult were asked why. The most common reason given for difficulty (5 respondents) was about the length of time taken to get a new one. Others stated difficulties in having to get a photograph taken (2 respondents) and difficulty in finding information/ knowing what to do to get a replacement card (2 respondents). The remaining respondents either could not remember or stated individual reasons for difficulty.
3.19 In the focus groups, some participants had received a new card because theirs had been lost or broken. Again, this process was fairly straightforward, with only one participant suggesting that the telephone number to register the card as lost, was printed on the back of the card - and is therefore useless.
3.20 Disabled and Visual card holders were asked if they have had to renew their card due to it expiring. This only applied to disabled card holders. Of these individuals, just under 6 in 10 (59%) said they have had to renew their card.
3.21 Of those who have renewed their card, 90% said they found the process very or fairly easy compared to 5% who found it very or fairly difficult. The remaining respondents could not remember (3%).
3.22 Where respondents stated that they found the process of renewing their card difficult (13 respondents), the most common reason was due to the fact that on renewal there was now a requirement to provide proof (6 respondents). A number of respondents also stated that a delay in receiving the new card or timescale for processing resulted in them having to travel without their card, which caused expense and inconvenience (4 respondents). The remaining 3 respondents stated that the difficulty was due to a lack of information.
3.23 Focus group participants who had renewed their card were generally positive about the renewal process. Some liked the fact that the existing photograph was used, while others complained that the photo was now out of date and not a true representation of them. These participants would have liked the opportunity to update their photo at renewal stage.
"You don't need another photo which is great, 'cos it's a wee bit of a hassle."
(Male, physical disabilities group)
3.24 The blind and visually impaired group were part of an arrangement between the local council and their support group for blind and visually impaired people. Each week the support group sent their database of clients to the council, and all the paperwork for renewals was completed between the two organisations on behalf of the blind individuals.
3.25 The deaf participants were the only group who were dissatisfied with the renewal process. In order to renew their NECs, (every three years) they were to undergo an audiogram; a test undertaken at a hospital that checks their level of hearing. The group felt that this was inconvenient, and having to re-apply for a NEC was unfair as their condition was unlikely to change.
"We are all born deaf, and we are going to be deaf for the rest of our lives, why do we need to re-apply when we have a permanent, lifelong condition?"
(Female, young Asian deaf group)
"For deaf people, their hearing gets worse - it's never going to improve, and certainly not to the point where I'm not deaf."
(Male, young Asian deaf group)
3.26 Just under 1 in 10 respondents (8%), had visited the Transport Scotland Website for information on the scheme. Analysis by age revealed that respondents aged 65 and over (5%) were significantly less likely to have visited the Transport Scotland website than respondents aged under 65 (16%).
3.27 The vast majority of respondents who had visited the website rated the information on the website very or fairly helpful (90%). Just 2% stated that the information on the website was fairly unhelpful. This equated to just 5 respondents. Comments made in relation to this were that they found the website confusing (2), that bus timetables were hard to read (2) or that they could not find the information they were looking for (1).
3.28 Focus group participants had very little knowledge of the Transport Scotland website. From the eight groups; five participants said they had used the website. This was thought to be for further information on where they could use their card. Other older participants questioned why they would need to use the Transport Scotland website.
3.29 One participant from the blind and visually impaired group reported that the website was difficult to navigate, based on the amount and size of the text.
"The website is hard to negotiate; I can see a bit, but it would be impossible with visual impairments."
(Female, blind and visually impaired group)
3.30 Young disabled participants had used the Young Scot website to access information about which specific shops and restaurants accepted the card for discounts. However, it was suggested that the text on the Young Scot website was also too small for use by people with visual impairments.
"There are tiny wee boxes, and it doesn't enlarge on the web."
(Female, young disabled group)
3.31 The deaf participants commented on the need for better communication from Transport Scotland that met their needs in general. In relation to the Transport Scotland website, their view was that lots of text in English was not ideal for speakers of British Sign Language.
"Big scripts of English put us off."
(Female, young Asian deaf group)
3.32 Whilst the main sources of awareness of the NEC were informal, through word of mouth, respondent's found it easy to obtain information on, and apply for, the NEC. The knowledge of any personnel assisting in the application process was highly rated.
3.33 The process of getting a replacement card or renewing the card was perceived to be easy by the majority who had had to do so, however, there were some isolated circumstances where respondents had had difficulty in obtaining information or in applying for a renewed card. In particular, those applying for disabled cards were more likely to state that the requirement to provide proof of disability for renewal was problematic.