JC3

The Cabinet Office has agreed to look at a plan to unfreeze the pension income of retirees living abroad.

A breakthrough? Let’s hope so.

More on this here:
Breakthrough for 'frozen' pensioners living abroad - Investment Basics from Citywire Money

JC3

mikelincs

The problem with this is that the other countries concerned will have to agree to a reciprocal deal, and most of them haven't been that keen before..

bakedbean

Well, good ol' Oliver Letwin

mikelincs

The Cabinet Office is 'sympathetic'according to that report, which is just a load of padding these people use to fob people off. With the government trying to cut down on spending, and being forced, by law, to give UK pensioners at least 2.5% increase despite the COL running at much lower than that, I can't really see it happening.

bakedbean

Well, yes, but if they are monitoring how many expats are returning "home", that might sway things a bit. Y'know....burden on the NHS etc.

mikelincs

Most of those expats are pensioners and would be able to use the NHS as visitors, those younger will be paying tax etc, therefore contributing to the system, swings and roundabouts seems to apply.

bakedbean

Expats can no longer use NHS. You have to move back and prove that you are resident before getting free NHS again. There's a heart breaking thread going on about this in the France section of the forum.

I think only emergency services are allowed and I'm not 100 percent sure of that.