brits1

The NHS is one of the best systems in the world...until you don't have it you just don't realise...and yes...it seems awful the some people can come from overseas and get help without even paying into the NHS system....that is where the Governement needs to sort that "gray area out".....all for helping people but not people who just use it because it's cheaper than their own countries.......

Trinovante

I thought I asked some reasonable questions, but now all I see is a slanging match between some Brits and New Zealanders. Or more accurately, some Brits in the UK and in NZ. The Kiwis and Ozzies are undertandably remaining aloof, as are the Yanks.

If this is the best we Brits can do, slanging ourselves, then we're no better than US congress, and that's quite an indictment

nutgrove

UH!

I did not see a slanging match anywhere

Yesterday you opened this thread with the following

In fair dinkum I believe it has been discussed, with the second post providing you with a link to some of the answers

Poor old Jan & Neil (God bless em!) got caught up as a lot of us in did on this thread in a toss match

Bernie to the rescue

So Mr. Trinovante, are you ready (still thinking) to take the plunge to go back to the UK having read the dialogue to try get NHS & Brit social security (as poor as you say you are) or keep on whinging and spending your winters in Puerto Rico & living in the US?

BTW, you asked "where is home" ... my response is where you park your bike and put your head down to sleep, as Jan & Neil will find out as immigrants to NZ

Mummy in the foothills

It's one of those topics, it can get quite heated.
BTW have you never watched the Houses of Parliament on TV? They put Congress to shame

Jan n Neil

I knew i would get flamed as i was typing it but i will tell u what got up my nose, your first post and all it was saying was , How much do i get, Do i get priority on housing, do i get free medical. It is not a case of taking away from me but one of fair play, I stand by all my statements once again apologies for harshness

Neil

Trinovante

Do you mean our Question Time is superior, or inferior? IMHO, QT is a riot, an absolute stitch, but Congress is a yawn, so I give both of 'em a wide berth.

So what's best? Putin/Medvedev? Burma? North Korea? Who said our method is the worst, except for all the others? Trite, but oddly true.

What foothills you from? I spent some time in Marin back in '91, halfway up Mount Tam.

Guess we sorta lost sight of the questions posed by the OP. Never mind. Someone might have an answer. Just call me a cockeyed optimist.

Trinovante

Our NHI ain't free, it's prepaid, thru taxes, and I paid my fair share. The only people getting a free ride ... well, actually I can't be dogmatic about that either. Maybe most of them worked and paid their taxes too.

My only gripe is with this insane US system. It makes no sense at all. They treated me well enough, but I'll be chased by collectors for the rest of my life.

I've been away so long from England, I don't know what to expect. But if I'm gonna run into a bunch of Anglo Idahoan survivalists, I think I'll stay in Wisconsin, or Muchachachusett. Con muchas gracias.

nutgrove

I should be charging for this free info, answers found below

For those that qualify (Jan & Neil this could be you 20 years from now)

Free housing (flat for you my dear man - social housing sucks)

Free NHS + prescriptions over 60

Minimum guarantee for those over 60 in need of £140 (more for over 65) on top of which there is approx another £40 attendance allowance

Free from council tax

After the 6 mths qualifying period (when you finally get all of the above - yes there is a qualifying period & means tested) an individual is allowed to stay out of the UK for up to 6-months and continue to collect. (Puerto Rico here I come)

further reading below

http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/how_we_help.asp


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensions...it/DG_10018692

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...rt/DG_10012425


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndC...ns/DG_10021262

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndC...ax/DG_10037422

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTax...ed/DG_10018978

nutgrove

and to finish this off with my last comment for Jan & Neil me being an Accountant (retired) I have had many Brit clients over the years from outside of the UK on this one

Since you Jan & Neil have probably paid NI contributions for approx 25-years my suggestion is that once you leave continue to pay to the max required of 30-years to get at retirement age full Brit pension even if you are living outside the UK (as of now certain places like NZ will not get the indexed pension)

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensions...ht/DG_10021384

On the assumption you have full NI paid up and you are 65 today an individual would get £98/wk

To get that amount of money they would need to have over £100,000 invested

So much for the Brit social system, those that are leaving it and those that make provisions for the future

Jan & Neil, by the mear fact that you are both Brits, both have put into it - in the end it will give you back even though you may on retirement have been out of the country over 20-years

Jan n Neil

"I think I'll stay in Wisconsin, or Muchachachusett. Con muchas gracias."


Enjoy it, I understand the weather is lovely

Jules Europe

If people like you continue to leave, then there`ll certainly be room for others to come in.

Jules Europe

It seems like the OP has got his priorities right.

formula

Hardly. The UK loses workers like Jan and Neil and might receive the op, who seems to want to live off others.

A third of the entire budget is being spent on claiments and the government have to borrow to meet it's spending commitments. How long do you think that can continue? There are going to be big spending cuts.

Trinovante

Many thanks for all the useful links, Nutgrove. I have another question, about the media in the UK, but hardly have time to frame it, as I'll be on the road for the next couple of days, then setting up in a new apartment in Easthampton, Mass.

Basically it's about complaints from talk-show wingnuts in the US that they can't buy radio stations in the UK and vent their spleen over there. Question is, what's stopping them; but who needs a British Limbaugh anyway?

Gotta run. Guess I'll be logging on from a motel somewhere around Erie, sometime tomorrow or Wednesday.

Muskoka

I'd just say, be very, very careful. I have an aunt who moved from UK to Australia when she was 60, she returned to the UK when she was 80. Shes been back in the UK for 2 yrs now (82yrs now) and sorely, sorely regrets leaving Australia for many reasons. Its very, very sad as she feels she is now too old to return to Aus (where she had umpteen friends, fab social life, good income). Instead of that she relies on the NHS , which she finds scary and incompetent, bought her own place in U.K, cash, which is so much smaller than what she was used to, hard to make new friends, the cold winters she is stuck in. Be careful is all I say.