Originally Posted by Lynn R (Post 10911058)

But it isn't going only to those who are "living on the edge", is it? That's why I say, if money needs to be saved, it should go only to those in receipt of Pension Credit - who need to be living in the UK in order to receive it.

Originally Posted by me me (Post 10911060)

Now that, I do strongly agree with.:goodpost:

Originally Posted by jo-ann (Post 10910994)

Stop knocking the pensioners . Its about time the child allowance was abolished , dont have kids if you cant afford them. Lots of people have kids so they can reap in all of the freebies without working

Originally Posted by stevesainty (Post 10910676)

The whole concept of these non means tested allowances is flawed in today's post war post EU environment.

Child allowance was introduced post WW2 to increase the population and was originally not paid for the first child. It was also paid to the lady of the house as it was felt that the man could possibly use it for booze and fags. In latter years the husband's personal tax allowance was reduced by the amount of the child allowance paid to the wife. Currently it cannot be withdrawn, even though there is no immediate need for population growth, politically as there are a lot of low income families with several children who depend on the extra income.

The whole concept of a united Europe was to be freedom of movement within member states. This meant that UK nationals could live in any member state and still retain, in the most part, the benefits of living in the UK. Similarly other member states nationals' could come an live in UK where they would pay taxes to the UK and the costs would be evened out on a swings and roundabout basis.

However in these austerity ridden times jingoism has reared its ugly head and xenophobia is the order of the day. Immigrants are seen as scroungers and similarly emigrants to other EU states.

What is needed is a sense of fair play, if these UK allowances are outdated then withdraw them from everyone. If not then everyone who is a UK national should still be eligible to receive them.

There are lots of pensioners who live full time in UK who take extended holidays, months at a time, in warmer climes over the winter period. They benefit from not only the WFA but also miss paying the extra costs of heating their UK homes over the winter period. Should the WFA be withdrawn from them?

Similarly there are lots of 'ex pat' pensioners who over summer in UK because it is cooler, paying into UK economy and, in the view of some on this forum, should be denied WFA because they live in a so called warmer climate

This issue is not just black and white, and although there are some passionate posters on both sides of the fence, perhaps you ought to stand back and look at the other persons view without blinkers.

Please take the vitriolicism out of your posts and try and see the other person's point of view. Whatever your views there is never going to be a right or wrong answer to WFA. The proposed current withdrawal of the allowance for those living in a 'warmer climate' will, more than likely, be seen by the EU as illegal. The next logical step by HMG will be to discontinue it universally, sadly hitting the most vulnerable people in UK badly.
Doubtless a remedy will be found but not before some hardship is experienced.

Originally Posted by Dick Dasterdly (Post 10910666)

A very simplistic argument which is very wide of the mark considering the number of ex expats who have decided life is better back in Blighty after all, not to mention the number of Spaniards and half a million other hangers on from all around the globe who are stampeding into the UK every single year.

Originally Posted by tommy.irene (Post 10911091)

When i was in Age Concern the pensioners would wait for their WFA before they went to Spain for the winter months..

Originally Posted by tommy.irene (Post 10911124)

1 Bedroom Apartment €58,000 or Studio €50,000.. here in GranCanaria and the prices are still going down..

Originally Posted by gill556 (Post 10911150)

and what percentage of all pensioners in the UK did that apply to?

Originally Posted by gill556 (Post 10911151)

where i live you can buy a 2 bedroom apartment for 32/35,000 euros.

Originally Posted by jennieJ (Post 10911107)

The biggest chunk of the benefits budget goes on pensioners, always has done and probably always will - and yet they still want more i.e. WFA when abroad in a Southern European climate. All pensioners do in whinge on about how they are entitled to this that and the other, meaning basically the whole welfare budget should be spent on them.

Fair enough maybe cap it after the second or third child to discourage abuse or maybe means test it.

Guess what those people who are claiming child benefit - at the time of working, normally have two people working and paying full NI contributions. (I'm not talking about the odd scrounger as we all know they are totally disproportionate to genuine claimants, so I assume you don't mean them)

It's their money currently going in to the system that is paying ex-pats beer money, Opps WFA - the money is running out so needs to be redistributed in what the government deem to be fair way. Let them get on with it.

Originally Posted by jennieJ (Post 10910792)

You are absolutely clueless as to if the above named bother to claim it, or indeed if they bother to claim their state old age pension.

It's just diatribe to justify the greedy who don't really need WFA in Spain, but want to 'bang on regardless' so quote a few random millionaires who probably not only haven't claimed it, but are clueless as to what it is.

It is such convenient tripe to spout, every time something like this crops up - well Sir Cliff Richards gets it - does he, does he really ? ? ?

Suspect he is not that small minded myself.

Yes if it is deemed illegal again by the EU then it will done away for those in the UK as well like my 91 year old blind father, who can barely see to turn on his gas fire (guess you will all think that's great it will mean he needs less fuel rather than die from hypothermia, while Spain is full of its extra beer money) - great work bunch of selfish expats.

And most on here purport to be socialists looking out for those worse off than themselves - I don't think so somehow fighting tooth and nail for something that was never intended to be used on expats but cold british winters.