Probably the biggest concern for expats living in Spain should not be the Sterling exchange rate, but rather how much worse things could get in Spain itself, if the economy and unemployment situation continue to go downhill as predicted.
Hopefully things will start to turn around in a year or so and all will be well eventually,.... but if not, then what ?
Inflation out of control, civil unrest, looting and a possible break down of law and order ?
I hope not and I think probably not,.... but I certainly wouldn't entirely rule it out at this stage.

I think your spot on there ,and also some of us non pesioners (and every one else in europe) would not mind seeing the pound/euro at 1 to 1 as our incomes are paid in euro`s/other currency`s.

Nice view that sod the pensioners that have worked and planned for a better retirement living in Spain or other parts of Europe, bit like the government have done in the UK allready sod pensioners that need intrest on savings lets look after the people that have been feckless and over spent on the mortgage.

My husband flew back to Spain from the UK this evening and was sitting next to a chap who was moaning about the exchange rate cos he'd just popped back to the UK to sign on and his money wasnt going to go very far this month!!!!!!!!

Jo xxx

Especially if he has to pay for a return flight to go back and sign on every month.

Which is why it would be a good idea if those "signing on" had to report to the Job Centre...(or whatever they are calling it now) at 9am every morning.

The decision to leave UK was your decision, and yours alone, and as such you have to accept the good and the bad that goes with it. Why should the UK Government tailor the exchange rate, interest rate etc to suit expats. They are, and they shoud be, more interested in those still in UK. As an investor, I'm suffering along with you, but it's nice to have savings, many don't, they don't have to worry about interest rates. If keeping rates down means more youngsters can afford a mortgage, can afford to live better, that's fine by me. I can remember when interest rates were high, and mortgages even higher, and whilst that would be good for me, I hope we don't return to those times, just to keep expats accounts topped up. Invest it all in a Caja if you don't like UK rates!

I`m not saying sod pensioners but retiring in Spain is not a right and relying soley on state pension is not a good idea ,if you have savings and have not invested them well it`s no one elses fault but your own, also I guess you are saying sod european pensioners who wanted to visit the the UK and other countries when exchange rates were bad for them

Agree with you, it's easy to blame the government for everything, but it's a fact of life interest rates, exchange rates etc go down as well as up. He'd probably be delighted if they went the other way, never mind if it affects someone else badly.

Exactly, the first prioity of any government is to look after is own citizens, if there is collateral damage to people with incomes from abroad, then that is the way is it.........

My income is 80% UK based, the other 20% is earned here in Spain, and I would therefore benefit from a stronger pound. Taking all sorts of other things into account, and the pound falling well below parity, I might have to return to the UK at some stage.

At times I dream of it, all that greenery and an easy journey to visit all the people (and other things) I miss while in Spain; but then I think of my visits back to the UK and my ever-increasing disappointment with what I find.

For me, the choice I made years ago was the right one; overall I’m better off here in Spain, even if not financially. Thinking it through, I’m a hundred times better off in Spain.

Theres no harm in having a moan about it tho!! The trouble with a low exchange rate when you're primarily an importing nation is it causes high inflation!

Jo xxx

I dont think the UK is that expensive now compared with Spain , many things are cheaper , supermarket food is generally cheaper in the UK especially if you have to have an english diet of sliced bread, cornflakes ,etc etc , also a pesioner can get a semi bungalow on a pleasant estate for around 180 to 200 k euros , in Spain with the price crash you still wont get a semi house with front and rear garden/garage of the same build quality for that money unless its on a ghost town urbanisation.

It’s difficult, if not impossible to compare like for like houses in the UK and Spain, but there’s much more to it than that when considering the more important quality of life.

And that’s difficult too, and depends on individual aspirations. Basically, I prefer to live in a house in a sunny, healthy climate, with friendly neighbours and all my needs close at hand, within my means. I couldn’t get the climate aspect back in the UK for one thing and if my current abode was somehow airlifted back to the areas of the UK I’m most familiar with, I would have to win the pools to buy it.

Unfortunately it brings me straight back to climate and cheapness being my reasons for living in Spain. The only reasons for living in Spain? I wish I could add a lot of other things like culture and history, but I could have had those in the UK too, in abundance.

Friendly people then? For me, personally, I’ve found more in Spain, but it’s a close-run thing.

I know what your saying it is difficult to compare the two , what I have seen here is a lot of older people moving out for a better quality of life and being shocked that few Spanish speak English , they then spend all their time amd a lot of money on gestors ,consequently the quality of life goes out the window.