Boiling a frog

[quote user="NormanH"]"My personal view on the winter fuel allowance is that if you are a UK taxpayer, resident or not, you should qualify to be means tested to receive it." I agree with that. [/quote]   The problem with that is that the most deserving cases for winter fuel allowance will not be paying tax as they will be on a low income.

  Please do not make rash statements when you do not know the facts.Compulsory retirement age for constables and sergeants was until recently 55 yrs of age. Having completed 30 yrs service.and having paid in 12% of their salary to the pension fund they can retire even if they have not reached 55yrs of age. On reaching 55yrs of age these officers must retire, they cannot continue working even if they wish to therefore they are forced to retire. . As for ill health retirement  approx 33% of all retirals are due to ill health and after a medical examination. so hardly dubious . Regarding winter fuel allowance my view is that there should be an increase in the OAPension of 200 pounds then the rich would be taxed on it, the poor would not, and people living in Spain France etc would be paid it.

[quote user="Ron Avery"] Judith good to see you know what you are doing I hope you have not confused CPAM with your application.  The others who have quoted timescales which vary hugely between departments probably applied iin the normal way as couples and did not create unecessary problems for themselves. [/quote]   Ron, I wonder sometimes what you are on about There are countless couples,ourselves included, who are both entitled to E106's or as in this case one with an E121 and the other with an E106. We are living in the 21st Century where it is not uncommon for partners both to work, and that includes the French.  We have never experienced any problems when we both had E106's and the kind people at CPAM even suggested when we moved over to CMU that the health care should be in my wife's name as she reaches 60 and an E121 entitlement some 3 years before I become entitled so I will piggy back on her E121 for three years and then have health care in my own right on reaching 65. 

Coming from a different angle The ex police officer was forced to retire at the age of 55, and immediately his income was halved. As someone else says he would be on a pension of approx 15,000 pounds per year minus income tax ,which actually equates to approx 1100 pounds per month. How could he live on 1100 pounds a month taking into account council tax, electricity, gas etcetc. He was forced out of the country because of the policy, there are not many jobs around for 55yr old ex police constables, but is forced to pay income tax in the UK without receiving one single benefit, is that fair.    And No one ever mentions that the 200 pounds goes to every one over 60 yrs of age residing in the UK ,millionaires, people working, people who have never paid a penny into the system.  

Your attestation can take anything from a week to several months but in general around the 6 week mark, if you are worried about non receipt ask CPAM where it is, it is not unknown for them to loose paperwork. You may or may not be issued with a carte vitale, depends on the individual CPAM,s The first time you go to the Doctor take this form with you http://www.ameli.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/formulaires/S3704.pdf and have the Doctor complete it. You will then have to hang onto it until you receive your attestation as the form asked for your social security no which you will not get until you receive your attestation . After you receive the attestation send off the medicine traitant form to CPAM along with any feuilles which you have for reembursement. Simple. [:)]

[quote user="NormanH"]The main person being interviewed said he was on a 'modest' Police pension. I can't imagine that that is less than £15,000 a year... maximum pension of ½ final salary plus a fixed lump sum of 4 times the pension maximum pension after 35 years [/quote]   He will be OK because he, if he has no other income, will be able to claim the 200€ fuel allowance in France  if he heats by oil.

Did you work in the same hotel as me,[:D] We had Shearings coaches and as you say they left around 10am and the new lot arrived around 4 pm.Scottish highlands.

The rules are pretty straightforward. If the owner of a vehicle loses the carte grise or it is stolen then THAT person applies for a replacement.He must supply the following documents Proof of address Passport( or other piece of identity) Declaration that it has been lost (declaration can be made on line) An application for a new Carte Grise Cheque for the amount due Control technique http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F1726.xhtml?&n=Transports&l=N18&n=Automobiles%20et%20deux-roues&l=N529&n=Papiers%20du%20v%C3%A9hicule&l=N533&n=Carte%20grise&l=N367&n=Duplicata%20de%20la%20carte%20grise%20en%20cas%20de%20perte,%20vol%20ou%20d%C3%A9t%C3%A9rioration&l=N18728 Only in very particular cases can someone who is not the owner obtain a new Carte Grise http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F10465.xhtml?&n=Transports&l=N18&n=Automobiles%20et%20deux-roues&l=N529&n=Papiers%20du%20v%C3%A9hicule&l=N533&n=Carte%20grise&l=N367 So it looks as tho the OP will have to contact the registered owner so he can apply . Saying I would buy a English car without the logbook in fact I have bought loads... is beside the point, this is France and the French rules are different.

That is wonderful news, I have been concerned about this for the last 40 years. [;-)]

In the dim and distant past I worked in hotels while a student. If memory serves me correctly three of us were responsible for 60 rooms , so 20 rooms each.

It is also not unknown for people to continue claiming a benefit, such as state pension , when the person is no longer entitled or has died. How difficult would it be for you to visit the Mairie or your local notaire

Jim Murphy  ex Europe minister and now Scottish Secretary,who helped in our fight for health care thinks that the judges should be given the heave, not Sergeant   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7740926.stm

Not surprising, it is a well known fact that the English cannot speak French,so what do you expect. 

Would not touch Hertz with a bargepole. Charged us over 600 pounds for a weeks car hire from Beauvais airport ,small group A car.back in 2001/02. I complained by letter that they had overcharged us by over 400 pounds but got a standard letter back saying we had been charged the correct amount, tried phoning got the same, asked for a supervisor got the same. I realised at this point what had happened, it was the changeover from Francs to Euros and someone obviously had thought that the insurance element was too low so had  multiplied the weekly rate by 7, thinking the rate was the daily rate. I eventually had to sent a lawyers letter to sort it out but never even got an apology

[quote user="tegwini"] It's dull. Dull. Dull. My God it's dull, it's so desperately dull and tedious and stuffy and boring and des-per-ate-ly DULL!   And, especially since they milk it for all they can & put it on EVERY DAY!    We always change channels- or  switch off.  More resentment of the enforced tax/licence we pay!! Tegwini [/quote]   How do you know that it is dull, tedious,stuffy, boring .You change channels, or switch off [8-)]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7737447.stm John Sergeant has decided to quit Strictly come dancing [:(]

There are several caravan dealers in and around Bordeaux try yellow pages

The same thing happens in any country , different people ,different reactions. We came accross a chasse dog 2 years ago, obviously lost, tracked down the owner who came round with a large smile and a couple of pheasants . He has become a best friend who is always dropping off the odd bit of game

[quote user="audio"] Thank you for your replies.   I phoned Dell today, they will not deliver to France without a UK billing address. I did order from Dell some years ago, but now the rules have changed as above. You can change the Windows to English but only if you have the Vista Ultimate version (very expensive, talked about elsewhere on this forum) Pc's are definitely more expensive in France, especially if you are receiving your pension etc in £s from the UK. Regards. [/quote]   I did say phone dell france not dell UK

Chassing away here to their hearts content.

I suggest that all three of you go to the CPAM where you live (allier) within the next day or two with  Passports,Birth certificates, Marraige certificates, justificate of address (rental agreement? ) and bank account details(RIB) Perhaps CPAM will accept your mothers E121, perhaps not, only way to find out is to go to CPAM . At the moment the rules for registering at the mayor have not been implemented so no need to register  

If you phone Dell France you can order and have delivered a computer with QWERTY keyboard and english operating system

Wooly you are quite right RMI is no longer available in France for EU citizens unless they have been in France on a legal basis (health care and sufficient funds) for 5 years. Likewise Unemployment benefit is not available unless you have worked for a minimum period in France and IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME IN THE UK.   

But what if you do not want the Dept no that the previous owner had elected to show

We used to get calls about street football all the time.When it was pointed out that playing football in the street was decriminalised in 1975 the complainers invariably went off on one, swearing and giving dogs abuse to the recipient. A swift visit from the local patrol car soon put their gas at a peep