Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Good evening. I have certainly provoked a great deal of ire with what I wrote and you are no exception. What I would say to you is that the majority of UK residents who have never been expats would side with my point of view and particularly so as they only relate the weather in Spain to what they see when they spend their week/fortnight at one of the Costas or Balearics. I am of the view that this allowance should be abolished altogether with an in lieu payment of around £5 per week added to every pensioners pension.

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

I bumped into my mate in the pub last night who was looking a bit glum, so I asked him what was up.

"Well, I can't afford anything anymore so I've had to cancel my golf and gym memberships, my Sky TV package and have to cut down on fags to 20 a week" he sighed.

"Because of the recession?" I asked.

"No" he replied. "I've been forced off benefits and been made to get a job."

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

If you want to raise the ire of expats just suggest that they should lose any of their UK benefits, phrases including words like rights and entitlement etc soon flow from their pens. Sensible debate and arguements are soon lost as the walls go up.
All this does is re inforce the views that many in the UK have about expats and that all they really want is to live in England in the sun. Responses blaming Spanish or whoevers building standards as being the reasons why we need a UK cold weather allowance will not get you much sympathy or win many votes.
We should all be honest and say thank you to the EU for forcing the UK government tp pay it to UK citizens who reside the EU. I will let go without comment my thoughts on those who do not actually live in the UK but pretend that they still do.
To all just hope that the UK vote to leave the UK promised by Cameron never happens because if it does so will your entitlement to UK benefits .

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Great joke. Unfortunately it is a fact of life in the UK now where whole families are on benefits and have absolutely no intention of changing that. Another one of my gripes is that there is a family in my village who not only do that but also every summer take a two week holiday abroad courtesy of the taxpayer. Grrrr

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

The responses I have had on here lends credence to what you write. A number of them have mentioned the quality of the buildings they live in as a reason they should be paid that allowance but they knew that before they bought their homes! Additionally most A/C units have a cooling and heating system built in so it is not that they have no heating. Some of them might even argue that they should get a SHA (Summer Heating Allowance) so that they can afford to switch their A/C's on! Some, but not all, of the arguments put forward today only help to convince UK residents that this payment is a joke.

With regard to your mention of those who have an 'address of convenience' in the UK the 'friends' I mentioned earlier are doing just that. Their latest wheeze was that they came here last month to stay at their 'address' (which their son is living at with his family). Their son went on holiday and because they had no car they immediately went to the local council and got free bus passes so they could get around. These bus passes are solely for UK residents but those two had no hesitation in doing what they did. I was so angry about it and still am.

Leaving the EU would be the best thing we could ever do and my big regret is that Cameron had to go in with Clegg and his lot. I am convinced that had they governed by themselves then we either already have had a in/out referendum or would get one before the next General Election. God help us if Labour get in though!

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

I think this is the site you need to visit. You will get more positive responses there to your rants.

http://www.ukip.org/

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Judging by some of the posts on this thread UKIP would do well among some Expats until they realised that if UKIP got in their EU sponsored UK benefits would dissapear

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Please note that I am responding to a postbby a member and do not need your input unless it is directly involving that post. What I have written is not a rant as you call it but my considered opinion. Would you call what I have written regarding the expats who have, yet again, abused the system beneficial to expats and their reputation. I certainly would not.

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Unfortunately there are some who cannot see the woods for the trees. A case in point there who has the temerity to suggest I go to the UKIP website when I class that organisation as being almost akin to the BNP. Maybe he supports Labour!

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

You are

Sorry to be so long in replying but I went out to help a pensioner sort out her UK TV, followed by a couple of pints and a few calamari etc.

I left after my post 64 :ohmy:

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Do you mean I am right or wrong? Hope the calamari was to your liking.

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

You are wrong (about Gran Canaria not being in the EU) - it is. And Gibraltar.

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Many thanks. I stand corrected.

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Actually Davidindevon, I'm not sure why you keep posting - on and on and on! You stated your opinion in your initial post, you have not listened to any of the answers, taken notice of others opinions nor the facts, just stuck dogmatically to your prejudiced viewpoint. None of your posts have added to your argument. This is a completely sterile thread

Re: Expats Heating Allowance - Justified?
 

Time for bed.

Thread closed.

Troll gone.