Winter fuel allowance

[Keith Tindell]

I see in the news that the government is stopping the winter fuel allowance for Brits living in Europe in the warmer climes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24924228,
Seems a reasonable idea to me, i dont know what the people affected will think, KT

[john sutton]

pensioners down here who moved here before they were eligible for the allowance have been whinging for years how unfair it is and have even had a delegation to Brussels over it.
If it wasn't for those people it may have not been an issue worth the government bothering about but now it seems we are all going to lose it.
As far as I am concerned although I have been receiving it for 16 years over here I have no objection to losing it.
The original purpose of the allowance was to relieve hardship in cold weather.We don't have that problem
john sutton

[John Albert Evans]

Lets hope they stop the family allowance to Poland and other ex eastern bloc countries.

I wont bold my breath.

John Albert Evans.

[Stan Carter]

I suppose it would it would be too much to ask the gov to transfer some of that allowance to us over here, we sure got screwed when we tried to get our pensions indexed.
regards, stan

[Keith Tindell]

I can see where you are on this argument Stan, i may be wrong (frequently am ), but do your cousins across the border in the USA get it?,I believe they do so many different rules makes it more confusing, KT

[Keith Tindell]

meant to add , even if they live in lovely warm climes, ?? KT

[Stan Carter]

.Hi Keith, yes the states do get it... but it gets even better, if i take a trip back to the uk,or any other country that has the agreement, i can apply for an adjustment to bring my pension up to the uk rate, for the duration of my trip. but if i go to the states for a visit, (my daughter lives there) i cannot claim any adjustment. the b...ards know that many expats go to florida for the winter. whichever way you look at it, one cannot win.
regards, stan

[j.sabourn]

Re. British Pensions on the face of it is simple to apply. If you are a British citizen and paid into the pension system you should be eligible for the pension and all increases as such regardless of where you live. Stop all this payment of monies of those coming into the country who have not paid into the system and are there to abuse the hospitality of the country. No payee in No payee out. Would also cut down on those flooding into the country also. In fact my policy would be get out of Europe altogether let them live like they want and let the average UK born and Bred carry on with his life as normal. John Sabourn

[happy daze john in oz]

Same here in Oz, when you draw the first that is how it stays forever. Agree the winter fuel allowance should only be paid to those living in UK, not those like my brother in law who goes to Mijas for the winter.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates, The winter fuel allowance is to stop us old people on pension freezing in winter? A better system would be to send all of us south for the winter? as we are in the E.U. I am sure greece or spain would be very happy to see us, and the hotels would be full help with many extra jobs in the slow season would help many of the unemployed young people to have training in the tourist industry .The government would save money in the long run on hospitals and other services, the money saved from the winter fuel allowance could be spent on more pension for ex merchant navy men?