Try doing a bit of research, no, I'll save you the trouble.
My generation (now just into retirement) paid income tax at 30% in 1974 rising to 35% a couple of years later with the basic rate not dropping below 30% until 1986 (http://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com/repository/incometaxrates_1974to1990.pdf)
This provided you with the infrastructure (like the electricity and gas Grids, railways and sewerage and water systems) that you enjoy now. Plus we paid National Insurance, of course, which might be the same as now.
A lot of us are appalled at what the current wonderful monetarist world has delivered, including Student Tuition Fees (although that's not quite so bad as is made out,) rail privatisation and other public money being poured into private pockets and in most cases not delivering.
I agree Winter Fuel allowance is pointless, as a better basic income would make it unnecessary. I also have no problem with this "means-testing"of the Licence fee, except that the generation it applies to and especially the neediest often don't claim what they are entitled to, so will miss out.
Bus Passes can be justified on the basis that, especially for people who are concerned to protect what savings they have (or who saw their parents die in poverty in the 1960s, as my mum did) they get people out, reducing ill-health from apathy and isolation and (I would guess) cutting accidents if people who shouldn't be driving take the bus instead. We keep reading about fatal accidents (fatal to other people) involving 80- and 90-year olds.
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