Yes but would they keep you cool in the summer? It seems to be a question of priorities.

I agree Lynn is correct, the system is seriously flawed. My OH will also miss it by a few months and why should the folk who have already retired not get the same. A two tiered system is a nightmare and unfair. I do not agree to this, everyone who deserves it should get the same. Wherever they retire to, not just Europe. No British pensioner should be struggling while others abuse the system! We have no entitlement in Canada, in fact we won't be receiving any pension here from the Canadian government because we have not lived here long enough and what we will get will maybe buy us a bottle of wine! And our UK pension is not indexed, nor will it ever be, the politicians are just making noises for votes I am sure. I now understand why not grab what you can get, seeing that so many claim what they do not deserve! Oh well we will just have to carry on working longer

I totally agree with you re the unfairness of this proposed new system it still means that someone who has gone through life and never worked could end up with a better pension than someone who has worked but retired a bit. earlier. I do not understand either why oap is not index linked for all. I suppose though the current system does need looking at.

If your paying tax in the UK how come you need WFA? As I said earlier, pensions great, WFA NO, you choose to leave the UK then you leave the WFA, same for voting, leave the UK and you should loose the right to vote.

I'm retired from work but have a small portfolio of houses I rent out which means I pay a fare wad of tax and I really don't like the idea of me funding anyone who decided to move off to another country, sod them, they should move back if they want the UK taxpayer to carry on giving them WFA.

when moving out of the UK you keep your voting rights (by postal) for 15 years. IMO Voting Rights should be with the individual for life but that is another thread.

so when you have paid your wad how happy are you that it is going to fund real and make believe children in Poland, Lithuania, Pakistan, India etc etc ??

it can be hard but just think about how far £3.84 per week can go with a £800 + + annual fuel bill just over the winter months.

perhaps you think it right that multi-millionaires like
Peter Stringfellow ($50million)
Eric Clapton (£125million)
Jeffrey Archer (£130million)
Elton John (£220million)
Alan Sugar (£770million)
Lady Grantchester of Littlewoods (£1.7billion)
Philip Green of BHS (£3.3billion)
Richard Branson ($4.2billion)
.................and the list goes on....
should be not be entitled to the WFA and bus passes ? ?

I don't see why the rich shouldn't get WFA. They will probably have paid millions into the system even when using tax avoidance schemes. They are hardly likely to take up bus pass entitlement are they

As someone said the pension should be higher and incorporate all the bits they have tagged on. There should be better tax breaks for people paying into pension schemes like there was with private pensions too. There are always people caught on the borderline when they have cut off limits. If a pensioner only gets basic pension they claim pension credit and a couple receive top up to £220 (ish?). There was a programme on TV with examples. A couple receiving pension credit also get other perks like free dental care, council tax benefit etc. Yet a couple who had a small private pension whose income was £225 received none of these perks. Not much incentive to look after yourself.

Just one point, for people to get all the add ons when they have left the UK would be a bit unfair. They may have paid into the system but ex-pats are paying their taxes and spending their money to the benefit of another country.

I do agree about WFA being paid in Europe. Our utility bills are about the same in both countries as CH is more efficient in the UK and the houses stay warmer longer. However, has anyone noticed how some posters spend most of the year saying how wonderful the weather is in Spain, how they can heat their house for about 100€ pa. How cheap everything is etc. suddenly volte face when WFA is discussed

WFA is a benefit triggered by age, now with an element of residency. Unlike benefits such as income based JSA, Housing Benefit etc (which wouldnt apply to those I have listed) it is not means tested. Perhaps a flaw in its introduction and terms, but what is a relatively low cost payment would be swamped by the cost of means testing administration, so it is actually cheaper to pay everyone than to try to restrict it.

As has been discussed in other threads, a number of people living in Spain, Italy, France even on the Med are subject to extreme temperatures. When discussing life in these countries all anyone knows about is the sun, the vino, the sea, which are only for a max of half of the year. The other half it can be warmer in the UK, which only has about 5-10degc change day/night, whilst here it is regularly 15degc or more.

Perhaps instead of spending our money on crazy projects in places like Africa, W.Indies etc the EU should be ensuring all the pensioners of the individual states have a similar pension payment to give them back some of the money they are paying out on heating fuel in taxes

But Britain has the "Worst EU State Pension System" based on % of average earnings
http://www.pension100.co.uk/pensions...eupension1.htm

In fact below that of Estonia
Edit - the figures relate to 2007

Stats again I haven't looked at them but Spains usually comes out quite high. Yet every Spaniard I know says they don't know anyone getting those amounts, the norm being around 500€ Perhaps it is just a few getting an high amount, funcionarios etc

Hi
I have asked this question before and not had an answer.It states on the form for W/A that the qualifying week for 2012/13 is the week 17-23 sept. What is meant by qualifying?
Thanks for any help.

It used to be the dates during which you had to have been in the UK to enable you to claim WFA.

This has now changed ant it is no longer a requirement to be in the UK during that week which is why most Expats can now claim WFA.

The reason that they still refer to the "qualifying week" is that if you were in prison, hospital or a care home during that period (either in the UK or abroad) you may not be able to claim or the amount of the WFA may be reduced.

If you have money you look after it, dam sure I would.

As for make believe children, angry I'd feel, prove it and stop it, thats up to the authorities but a bunch of expats expecting me to help fund them in a country they chose to move to makes my blood boil, pensions yes WFA no way..... cheeky *()*&&^&*&^'s

That's rather the way all us English feel about the fact that in Wales you all get free prescriptions while the rest of the UK don't, and they are funded mostly from the joint pot....

I guess you will be turning down that little perk then.

Meg, as I have learnt over the decades from the Welsh side of my family, don't worry he will be the first to the front of the queue when he is entitled.
Look forward to him posting that he hasnt received it and what should he do