UK Ex-Pat Winter Fuel Payment

Lorna wrote on Tue Oct 31, 2023 7:01am:

Thank you for posting this. I have signed the petition. Have you considered contacting Euro Weekly News and the free magazines for at expats? 

StuBurt wrote on Mon Oct 30, 2023 11:52am:

There are over 500,000 UK Ex-pats living in France and Spain many of whom are retired old age pensioners.

About 10 years ago Iain Duncan Smith called for wealthy pensioners who do not need benefit payments such as winter fuel allowance and free bus passes benefit payments should volun...

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...tarily hand back the money to the government. I would enjoy reading the audited statistics of the money repaid.

Shock horror when all UK Ex-Pats living in France and Spain had their Winter Fuel Allowance cancelled.

The then Work and Pensions Secretary explained that calculations were made on official temperature figures for each country, based on a five month winter that represents the coldest time of the year in the UK, matching existing criteria used by the government for other forms of cold weather payment.

In response to questions about recognising the variance of temperatures depending on altitude and region, Mr Duncan Smith said the government had looked at a system of weighting temperatures for areas with heavy populations of British pensioners, as opposed to calculating using figures for each whole country. But as the highest concentrations of British pensioners were often found in the warmer parts of European countries, it would have meant at least as many countries would be excluded as under the adopted scheme, if not more.

On the complaint that warmer overseas territories of countries like France, Spain and Portugal had skewed the results for British pensioners in those countries, the Work Minister said that European law would have to be changed for France’s Caribbean islands, Spain’s Canary Islands and Portugal’s Atlantic islands not to be included in the calculations.

The changes implemented including the system of weighting meant that the measurement of temperature was altered to suit the new criteria thus denying UK Ex-Pat pensioners the Winter Fuel Allowance

For those of us UK Ex-pats that live full-time in France and Spain

we know just how cold the winter months may be.

Please view my UK government petition

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/647060

 to try and reinstate our much needed benefit to keep warm in winter and please tell others that would support the petition. 

eduardo3332 wrote on Tue Oct 31, 2023 11:22am:

Sorry but I find this yet another Ex Pat or should I say Immigrant complaining about what they receive from the UK government.

When people decide to immigrate to another country, why should we expect the same treatment as those that reside in their mother country.

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Here in Spain pensioners receive free health care which is much better that the Uk where I originally came from, doctors appointments within week normally. A&E about 30 minutes to triage, have recent experience of this. from what I understand this is not so in UK. 

Every year we receive an increase in our State pensions some Immigrants would say "it is not enough" if you lived in any other country that had not been in the EU ie, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the Bahamas, you would get no increase.

Why not just accept you have decided to live in another country, follow there politics and what there residence receive, and if you are not happy return to your country of birth, but as many say they cannot afford that.

Look what benefits you possibly can get when I lived in Murcia City I had a free bus pass pensioners can also obtain subsidised holidays, instead of wasting time trying to stir up support for somthing that will never happen just enjoy your life.

eduardo3332 wrote on Tue Oct 31, 2023 11:22am:

Sorry but I find this yet another Ex Pat or should I say Immigrant complaining about what they receive from the UK government.

When people decide to immigrate to another country, why should we expect the same treatment as those that reside in their mother country.

Read more...

Here in Spain pensioners receive free health care which is much better that the Uk where I originally came from, doctors appointments within week normally. A&E about 30 minutes to triage, have recent experience of this. from what I understand this is not so in UK. 

Every year we receive an increase in our State pensions some Immigrants would say "it is not enough" if you lived in any other country that had not been in the EU ie, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the Bahamas, you would get no increase.

Why not just accept you have decided to live in another country, follow there politics and what there residence receive, and if you are not happy return to your country of birth, but as many say they cannot afford that.

Look what benefits you possibly can get when I lived in Murcia City I had a free bus pass pensioners can also obtain subsidised holidays, instead of wasting time trying to stir up support for somthing that will never happen just enjoy your life.

Roland wrote on Tue Oct 31, 2023 1:12pm:

Totally & absolutely agree with comment from eduardo3332.

I also seem to recall that this issue appears every year.

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A bit like Christmas 😁😁

StuBurt wrote on Tue Oct 31, 2023 1:22pm:

Many thanks for your opinion and message. I think that you are quite correct in that this issue comes up every year as the weather turns cold. 

eduardo3332 wrote on Tue Oct 31, 2023 6:02pm:

If you find it cold here why did you decide to immigrate? If you can't afford to heat your property 🤔

eduardo3332 wrote on Tue Oct 31, 2023 11:22am:

Sorry but I find this yet another Ex Pat or should I say Immigrant complaining about what they receive from the UK government.

When people decide to immigrate to another country, why should we expect the same treatment as those that reside in their mother country.

Read more...

Here in Spain pensioners receive free health care which is much better that the Uk where I originally came from, doctors appointments within week normally. A&E about 30 minutes to triage, have recent experience of this. from what I understand this is not so in UK. 

Every year we receive an increase in our State pensions some Immigrants would say "it is not enough" if you lived in any other country that had not been in the EU ie, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the Bahamas, you would get no increase.

Why not just accept you have decided to live in another country, follow there politics and what there residence receive, and if you are not happy return to your country of birth, but as many say they cannot afford that.

Look what benefits you possibly can get when I lived in Murcia City I had a free bus pass pensioners can also obtain subsidised holidays, instead of wasting time trying to stir up support for somthing that will never happen just enjoy your life.