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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
JLFS made the point perfectly, if it wasn’t for the old country’s cradle to the grave provisions, most of us wouldn’t be here. But Spain has a similar provision, and their pensions are even higher, and I believe with less contributions required.
Some lucky people I know have side by side pensions from both countries, after 15 years of paying into the Spanish system while keeping up the NI contributions in England. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
One of our neighbours left Madrid in their twenties and worked all their life in Geneva. They have now retired with a good pension (from Switzerland). They are always whinging about spanish life as if they are not spaniards.:huh: They have two duaghters and one Son and all have stayed in Geneva.
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8420487)
There are lots of good things in Spain and the UK too.
The bit about the rubbish collection being everyday, was not, as Agoreira pointed out, a deciding factor in relocating for most. The way I see it is, that British Expats, are living in Spain with their lifestyle, thanks to their "previous" life in the UK. It is not by sheer coincidence that the majority of Britsh expats, are either living on pensions, or have money from house sale or savings. Compare that to the Morrocans, who are here in Spain, most are struggling, in rented accommodation, and will do anything to get by. What has their country done for them, and I am sure most spent their lives working, or trying to get by. I dont see many Morocan pensioners enjoying their autumn years on the costas, with pensions from their own country. I know that pensioners have worked and paid national insurance to be able to get their pensions and winter fuel allowances, and I am not against that. My point is that surly the fact that being born in the UK, plays a bit part in the status and lifestyle that you can enjoy in Spain. So before "doing down the UK" at every ocasion, I think a litle gratefulness to your birth country is needed. We know a lot of Spanish people who have returned after working from abroad, with all the same advantages of the native population that their "host" countries have given them. ie good pensions and savings. Maybe you have to have been born outside the UK to really appreciate how well it looks after its citizens compared to other countries. Jose Luis |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
I am glad I was born in the UK.
And I am pleased the EU allows me to up sticks and live in Spain. Thanks Britain..:) |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8420487)
There are lots of good things in Spain and the UK too.
The bit about the rubbish collection being everyday, was not, as Agoreira pointed out, a deciding factor in relocating for most. The way I see it is, that British Expats, are living in Spain with their lifestyle, thanks to their "previous" life in the UK. It is not by sheer coincidence that the majority of Britsh expats, are either living on pensions, or have money from house sale or savings. Compare that to the Morrocans, who are here in Spain, most are struggling, in rented accommodation, and will do anything to get by. What has their country done for them, and I am sure most spent their lives working, or trying to get by. I dont see many Morocan pensioners enjoying their autumn years on the costas, with pensions from their own country. I know that pensioners have worked and paid national insurance to be able to get their pensions and winter fuel allowances, and I am not against that. My point is that surly the fact that being born in the UK, plays a bit part in the status and lifestyle that you can enjoy in Spain. So before "doing down the UK" at every ocasion, I think a litle gratefulness to your birth country is needed. We know a lot of Spanish people who have returned after working from abroad, with all the same advantages of the native population that their "host" countries have given them. ie good pensions and savings. Maybe you have to have been born outside the UK to really appreciate how well it looks after its citizens compared to other countries. Jose Luis I am grateful to England for my education, and the fact that with my passport I can live in any European member country. I would also like to say, thank you UK for making it practically impossible to earn a living, for making me feel like a second class citizen in the country of my birth (at least I know what's what here), for treating people from other countries to free money and free houses whilst the people I know who ask for help are left to the street, for making the victims of crime feel like the criminals, for giving the most lenient sentences to the most dangerous criminals and making the streets a more dangerous place than ever for my kids. For leaving me with no power to deal with intruders who break into my home, to deal with thugs who barrage old people and pleasant people with abuse, constantly day after day. For charging me a fortune to NOT take away my bins. For surely but slowly taking away every freedom and right I have to say and do what I want. The only gratitude I feel I need is the gratitude due to my Birth mother and father for bringing me up in a way to see sense and realize when something is going so badly wrong that I need to get the hell out.:thumbup: The best thing about England.? The fact that I don't live there..:thumbsup: |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by Lushdaddy
(Post 8421733)
I always say I love England and I do mean it. It is without doubt one of the greatest ever kingdoms. Don't read too much into when I give it a slagging every now and then, I'm usually counteracting something said about the country I reside in and most of it is said in jest, with a few facts thrown in.
I am grateful to England for my education, and the fact that with my passport I can live in any European member country. I would also like to say, thank you UK for making it practically impossible to earn a living, for making me feel like a second class citizen in the country of my birth (at least I know what's what here), for treating people from other countries to free money and free houses whilst the people I know who ask for help are left to the street, for making the victims of crime feel like the criminals, for giving the most lenient sentences to the most dangerous criminals and making the streets a more dangerous place than ever for my kids. For leaving me with no power to deal with intruders who break into my home, to deal with thugs who barrage old people and pleasant people with abuse, constantly day after day. For charging me a fortune to NOT take away my bins. For surely but slowly taking away every freedom and right I have to say and do what I want. The only gratitude I feel I need is the gratitude due to my Birth mother and father for bringing me up in a way to see sense and realize when something is going so badly wrong that I need to get the hell out.:thumbup: The best thing about England.? The fact that I don't live there..:thumbsup: I agree.:thumbsup: |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Don't encourage him !
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
I don't like the things that go off in the Uk. re immigrants etc. I never see anything whilst I am there so it doesn't affect me. I have done very well out of the UK. and the only bad things I am aware of I read in the Daily Fail. I came to Spain because I thought it may be better re. climate etc. not because I was particularly disillusioned with life in the Uk.
Spain has received 5 million immigrants over the past few years. Suppose most of us are not aware of these problems either (except to see all the lucky men). Spain is not stupid to provide them with benefits and council houses...they don't even do it for their own. Take note though that if you fall on hard times here then the only solution is the food queues provided by the local church, suppose you have all seen the lines at the local centres. I just don't see that leaving a country because of the political situation to go to a country solves anything, except that you are probably not really integrated in Spain and are ignorant about it's shortcomings |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by jackytoo
(Post 8422184)
I don't like the things that go off in the Uk. re immigrants etc. I never see anything whilst I am there so it doesn't affect me. I have done very well out of the UK. and the only bad things I am aware of I read in the Daily Fail. I came to Spain because I thought it may be better re. climate etc. not because I was particularly disillusioned with life in the Uk.
Spain has received 5 million immigrants over the past few years. Suppose most of us are not aware of these problems either (except to see all the lucky men). Spain is not stupid to provide them with benefits and council houses...they don't even do it for their own. Take note though that if you fall on hard times here then the only solution is the food queues provided by the local church, suppose you have all seen the lines at the local centres. I just don't see that leaving a country because of the political situation to go to a country solves anything, except that you are probably not really integrated in Spain and are ignorant about it's shortcomings You are right that there have been many many immigrants, numbers of legal immigrants and illegal ones I do not wish to google but I would recon that for the size of the countries the UK gets more illegal ones that get free money. If you fall on hard times? It depends if you are paying into the system and doing things legally, if I get made redundant or lose my job, I get a percentage of my wage so at least shelter and food will be covered. The last comment doesn't make much sense, it was more than just the political situation that made me leave the uk and it did solve problems (I'm a lot better off here with fewer worries, the main one being what factor shall I put on today, though not now as it is raining). I am intergrated into Spain and its systems and I am certainly not ignorant about any of it. Just saying like..:cool: By the way, it's looky men.:thumbsup: They ain't lucky.. It's looky looky at my watches etc..;) |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by Lushdaddy
(Post 8422413)
That first statement is pure ignorance or you are joking. I hope you are joking. I never see anything there so it doesn't affect me.:lol:
You are right that there have been many many immigrants, numbers of legal immigrants and illegal ones I do not wish to google but I would recon that for the size of the countries the UK gets more illegal ones that get free money. If you fall on hard times? It depends if you are paying into the system and doing things legally, if I get made redundant or lose my job, I get a percentage of my wage so at least shelter and food will be covered. The last comment doesn't make much sense, it was more than just the political situation that made me leave the uk and it did solve problems (I'm a lot better off here with fewer worries, the main one being what factor shall I put on today, though not now as it is raining). I am intergrated into Spain and its systems and I am certainly not ignorant about any of it. Just saying like..:cool: By the way, it's looky men.:thumbsup: They ain't lucky.. It's looky looky at my watches etc..;) The one thing that the Spanish live in fear of, is losing their job, that is why so many people are so desperate to pass the "oppositons" to become street sweepers, hospital porters. Hardly the jobs that dreams are made of but if you have one of these jobs it is yours for life. The wages may not be great. But for most it is preferable to have a secure job with a small wage, rather than a riskier job (ie not working for the goverment) with a higher wage. I dont know if you personally know any Spanish families in the situation where their entitlemant to "dole" is running out and they are absolutely bricking it. Lots are worried about how they will keep a roof over their heads. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
I would say that most of the older expats live in Spain with a UK income, usually a pension or two, and they are cushioned for a life in paradise, they really are. On top of that, they have the fail-safe of a return to the UK where it appears to be easy to get back into the system.
The younger ones who have to work are suffering from the recession along with ordinary Spaniards, and the Spanish state doesn’t provide the same level of support as the UK, as JLFS pointed out. But even the younger ones with children can return to the UK if they have to, not a pleasant prospect after years in Spain, especially for the children, but once back home they will not be homeless or queuing up at soup kitchens. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by HBG
(Post 8423052)
I would say that most of the older expats live in Spain with a UK income, usually a pension or two, and they are cushioned for a life in paradise, they really are. On top of that, they have the fail-safe of a return to the UK where it appears to be easy to get back into the system.
The younger ones who have to work are suffering from the recession along with ordinary Spaniards, and the Spanish state doesn’t provide the same level of support as the UK, as JLFS pointed out. But even the younger ones with children can return to the UK if they have to, not a pleasant prospect after years in Spain, especially for the children, but once back home they will not be homeless or queuing up at soup kitchens. I am sure that nearly all the posters on this site, if finding themselves in a similar position of not being able to support themselves for whatever reason, would be heading back too. They may try and "stick it out" for a while, but it is not what "we" are used to. I class myself as a "we" because, until returning to Spain, I had never lived as an adult here, or never really believed that a country could all but abandon its population that has fallen on hard times. Please lets not have any "I would rather be skint in the sun" comments, because it is not as easy as that, as many Brits have found out. Many have left and there are lots planning to leave in the not too distant future. I personally know of quite a few who are heading back, they cannot pay the mortgage and do not get help with mortgage payments in Spain. They cannot believe that they are left to their own devices, the ones with school age children are the most shocked at the lack of help. . |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8423101)
Good post HBG, a very valid point about getting back into the UK system without too much hassle. Most would have starved to death waiting for help from the Spanish goverment to reinstate their rights, after living abroad for a long period.
I am sure that nearly all the posters on this site, if finding themselves in a similar position of not being able to support themselves for whatever reason, would be heading back too. They may try and "stick it out" for a while, but it is not what "we" are used to. I class myself as a "we" because, until returning to Spain, I had never lived as an adult here, or never really believed that a country could all but abandon its population that has fallen on hard times. Please lets not have any "I would rather be skint in the sun" comments, because it is not as easy as that, as many Brits have found out. Many have left and there are lots planning to leave in the not too distant future. I personally know of quite a few who are heading back, they cannot pay the mortgage and do not get help with mortgage payments in Spain. They cannot believe that they are left to their own devices, the ones with school age children are the most shocked at the lack of help. . The UK looks after its poor people much better than Spain does. There may be flaws in the Benefit system, but at least it will look after me if I am on my uppers. If you need to pay rent and have less than £6k savings and minimal income the UK will pay it for you, and your Council Tax. (ETA: You can even get help with the interest on your mortgage after a short wait, in certain circumstances). If if you happen to have children the Benefits are exceedingly generous. Why else do you think asylum seekers pass through all the other countries to come to the UK? Let's not knock it hey? Just because the bins are not emptied every day. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
I often see posters and adverts talking about benefit fraud, while liveing abroad, that they are one the costas waiting to catch fraudsters and a hotline number to ring if you suspect a neighbour of committing fraud.
All the while I lived in the UK, I never once saw anything written in Spanish stating that if you are living in the UK and claiming certain Spanish benefits, then you are committing fraud. It is because the UK system is so generous that people get away with it, it would not happen for a Spanish national, they have a difficult job getting "rights" while living in their own country, never mind living abroad. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8423245)
I often see posters and adverts talking about benefit fraud, while liveing abroad, that they are one the costas waiting to catch fraudsters and a hotline number to ring if you suspect a neighbour of committing fraud.
All the while I lived in the UK, I never once saw anything written in Spanish stating that if you are living in the UK and claiming certain Spanish benefits, then you are committing fraud. It is because the UK system is so generous that people get away with it, it would not happen for a Spanish national, they have a difficult job getting "rights" while living in their own country, never mind living abroad. Whilst agreeing with what you have said, I would just like to remind everyone that some UK State benefits can be legitimately claimed in Spain. Incapacity Benefit and the Care componenet of Disability Living Allowance spring to mind (although there may be others). This is of course providing you continue to meet the criteria for receiving the Benefit, and yes, it is monitored by the DWP. |
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