Winter fuel allowance
#1
Winter fuel allowance
Anger as 65,000 ex-pats claim winter fuel payments
16.02.10
Nearly 65,000 Britons living in European countries including Spain, Portugal and Greece are receiving state-funded winter fuel payments designed to help them cope with cold weather, it emerged today ...........
HERE
Here we go again ....... no one takes into consideration the taxes we have paid, and in many cases still are paying in the UK.
16.02.10
Nearly 65,000 Britons living in European countries including Spain, Portugal and Greece are receiving state-funded winter fuel payments designed to help them cope with cold weather, it emerged today ...........
HERE
Here we go again ....... no one takes into consideration the taxes we have paid, and in many cases still are paying in the UK.
#2
Re: Winter fuel allowance
Probably more to the point....everyone in the UK thinks these places are hot year round and therefore the monies are being spent on "lifestyle" as opposed to heating. Just sour grapes.
#3
Re: Winter fuel allowance
I am expecting another delivery of firewood today.
That will be the third this winter - that's a mere €420 in total and don't even talk about the electricity bill!
That will be the third this winter - that's a mere €420 in total and don't even talk about the electricity bill!
#4
Re: Winter fuel allowance
One point mentioned on the TV news was that to stop these payments would be DISCRIMINATION.
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 882
Re: Winter fuel allowance
It will come in handy to dry out all the leaks as well
#6
Re: Winter fuel allowance
So it's ok to pay out child allowance to immigrants (who haven't paid a penny into the system) for children who still live in their native country but not ok to pay out a heating allowance to pensioners who have contributed to the system all their working lives and have settled in another country for whatever reason. isn't this an infringement of their human rights (they appear to be pretty big on human rights when it suits)
#7
Re: Winter fuel allowance
The UK Government were told by the EU Commission in 2002 that it was discriminatory to discontinue WFA payments to pensioners who had moved abroad.
The compromise that was agreed was that if you had already been receiving it while resident in the UK, you could "export" the benefit. It you moved before receiving it you did not get it.
To reverse that decision would be almost impossible as nothing has changed to justify that.
Mathew Elliot of the Taxpayers alliance (whoever they are) has a bee in his bonnet about it and keeps bringing it up in the media.
It only costs about £14 million a year which is about the same as it costs to stop MPs fiddling their expenses!
I can't see HMG getting into another prolonged battle with Brussels over something that insignificant.
#8
Banned
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga Province
Posts: 704
Re: Winter fuel allowance
Wouldnt it be easier and less confrontational if they stopped calling it "Winter Fuel Allowance" and simply stuck roughly the same amount on to pensions??
Jo xxx
Jo xxx
#9
Re: Winter fuel allowance
Anger as 65,000 ex-pats claim winter fuel payments
16.02.10
Nearly 65,000 Britons living in European countries including Spain, Portugal and Greece are receiving state-funded winter fuel payments designed to help them cope with cold weather, it emerged today ...........
HERE
Here we go again ....... no one takes into consideration the taxes we have paid, and in many cases still are paying in the UK.
16.02.10
Nearly 65,000 Britons living in European countries including Spain, Portugal and Greece are receiving state-funded winter fuel payments designed to help them cope with cold weather, it emerged today ...........
HERE
Here we go again ....... no one takes into consideration the taxes we have paid, and in many cases still are paying in the UK.
#10
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Winter fuel allowance
Anger as 65,000 ex-pats claim winter fuel payments
16.02.10
Nearly 65,000 Britons living in European countries including Spain, Portugal and Greece are receiving state-funded winter fuel payments designed to help them cope with cold weather, it emerged today ...........
HERE
Here we go again ....... no one takes into consideration the taxes we have paid, and in many cases still are paying in the UK.
16.02.10
Nearly 65,000 Britons living in European countries including Spain, Portugal and Greece are receiving state-funded winter fuel payments designed to help them cope with cold weather, it emerged today ...........
HERE
Here we go again ....... no one takes into consideration the taxes we have paid, and in many cases still are paying in the UK.
This is another example of how well the British government looks after its own people in comparason to other countries.
So it cannot be such a bad place after all.........
I dont know any Spanish folk that have gone to live in another country and are claiming a fuel allowance from the Spainish government, even though they have paid into the system as well.
I think if a Spaniar asked about such a thing at the social security office, they would be carted of to the manicomio. (loony bin)
#11
Yaaarp
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Trying to get the hell outta Spain!
Posts: 1,354
Re: Winter fuel allowance
Of all the payments that should and could be stopped IMO this is one that certainly shouldn´t be stopped. Many people paid into the system all their lives and never took a penny from it. My last year as an employee in the UK saw me pay just short of 15 000GBP in tax and I´ve never taken anything from it, wonder if there´ll be anything left when I retire?
#12
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Winter fuel allowance
Of all the payments that should and could be stopped IMO this is one that certainly shouldn´t be stopped. Many people paid into the system all their lives and never took a penny from it. My last year as an employee in the UK saw me pay just short of 15 000GBP in tax and I´ve never taken anything from it, wonder if there´ll be anything left when I retire?
Would the USA pay a fuel allowance for someone who lived in Florida and moved to the far north of Canada????
#13
Re: Winter fuel allowance
Another case of sensationalism by the tabloids who never stop to study the real facts.
Many areas of Spain can often be colder than the UK and get more snow also.
Many of the Spanish houses have nothing like the degree of insulation as in most UK houses.
Most people spending their time in Spain, have paid or are still paying their fair dues to the UK system.
Would be nice to see them publish the full truth,...but somehow I doubt it.
Many areas of Spain can often be colder than the UK and get more snow also.
Many of the Spanish houses have nothing like the degree of insulation as in most UK houses.
Most people spending their time in Spain, have paid or are still paying their fair dues to the UK system.
Would be nice to see them publish the full truth,...but somehow I doubt it.
#14
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Torrevieja & Los Altos, Spain. Formaly from Wembley, London, UK
Posts: 390
Re: Winter fuel allowance
These houses are freezing in winter, my husband is nearly 82 and I am 67 (I think) we need the winter fuel allowance to help out.
There is no insulation at all.
There is no insulation at all.