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'No longer payable to countries with an average winter temperature higher than the UK' Hmmmm, taken literally, that is us guggered. But then, it doesnt make sense: do they mean northern France, southern, eastern etc? The variations are large. Maybe south of the Loire?

But maybe there is more detail as I only read the summary.
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[quote user="woolybanana"]'No longer payable to countries with an average winter temperature higher than the UK' Hmmmm, taken literally, that is us guggered. But then, it doesnt make sense: do they mean northern France, southern, eastern etc? The variations are large. Maybe south of the Loire? But maybe there is more detail as I only read the summary.[/quote]

I can see huge problems with this idea - as you say there are huge regional differences.....

On the other hand, its really very little, £100 each, if that is really going to make a difference in calculation as to whether to move abroad or not then really the answer is not to...

I know, I know, its the principle [Www]

 

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[quote user="woolybanana"]'No longer payable to countries with an average winter temperature higher than the UK' Hmmmm, taken literally, that is us guggered. But then, it doesnt make sense: do they mean northern France, southern, eastern etc? The variations are large. Maybe south of the Loire? But maybe there is more detail as I only read the summary.[/quote]

Well down here in the south we can still get -15 deg in winter (except this year of course).

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I've just looked at a temperature average for Europe and people in Belgium, Germany and Holland should be fine with this. France, the Channel Islands, Spain, Italy and Greece etc won't. Wonder how it will work out, what geniuseses in a goverment department will make a right royal c  ok up of it all?

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The bit I think you are looking for is on page 10 and I quote...

  • announcing that from autumn 2015, Winter Fuel Payments will no longer be payable to people living in a European country with an average winter temperature higher than the UK, saving £30 million a year. This is in response to a recent European court judgement that means more people in Europe can now claim Winter Fuel Payments.

It's very difficult actually to discover what the average winter temperature really is as it varies between north and south plus which side (west or east) and how near the coast you live. However I did find a bit about the 2011/12 winter on the Met Office website which said the 'mean' that winter was +4.5 deg C which was +0.9 deg above normal. I have assumed that average and mean in this example are the same. Now France apparently has four recognised climate zones, if they take an average of the four zones then it is +6 deg C so your out of luck. If they accept that there are four zones then possibly the only one to meet the requirment would be the Alps at -2 deg.

As a side issue I wonder what will happen if Scotland leaves the union. Technically their figures won't come in to the calculation and therefore the average winter temp in the UK would rise. However I have no idea if it would reach +6 deg.

Sources.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/2012/winter.html

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/France.htm

I have a sneeky feeling that those expats south of the UK will not be getting their winter fuel allowance in future.

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As I suffer from 20/20 hindsight, I was pretty sure that once the court case found in favour of all these additional people being able to claim WFA, even though the vast majority knew full well that they weren't going to be entitled if they moved to certain places or moved before they reached official retirement age, it was only going to be a matter of time before a way round this was investigated.

Looks like a minority has spoiled it for the rest.

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To be honest, if Scotland leaves the union they will presumably be responsible for their own stuff. If you're English and want to move to Scotland, then I guess you'll be quids in. I don't think the Scottish temperature zone will prove to meet the requirements for warmer climes. If you're a Scot moving south, then you'll have to claim from Scotland when (if) they have rules in place.

It'll be another of the myriad of issues and areas where Mr Salmond wants to have his cake and eat it, perhaps.

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Its Cyprus, France, Gibralter, Greece, Malta, Spain & Portugal.  Effective Dec 2015.

I'm not at all fussed by it, because it was an illogical 'sop' introduced some years ago to mitigate a freeze in pensions. It took no reckoning of people's genuine needs nor means.

To my mind, better that a low income pensioner received £1k, than an across-the board payment. However, anything like that would cost as much to administer as to pay.

The thing that hisses me off is the assumption that anybody living in France is lappin up 20C in the depths of Winter. Not around here! 

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But, for people who live in the Uk and have never lived in France, their probable holidays in France have usually been to what appears to be sunny climes, and that they would imagine was the draw of moving to France for those that make the move.

Who would think it could be cold and wet and perhaps very cold, in the south of France??[Www] Not really anyone I know in the UK, that is for sure.

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The distinction  between Winter Fuel payments, which should help with the extra costs of heating in Winter which is a general case, and the Cold weather allowance which is for people who have to face extreme conditions, seems to have been lost.

I can understand the second being subject to temperature, but almost everyone has to pay more in Winter.

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It's to do with image though isn't it ? A bit like my townee friends who would remark on the 'fresh country smells' when they came to visit me in my fairly remote village.

I sometimes wonder if any of our politicians ever leave London.

Hoddy
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[quote user="NickP"]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]

Looks like a minority has spoiled it for the rest.

[/quote]

So what's new?

[/quote]

 " The booze bill for Xmas covered  "... as I have heard it referred to and bragged about many times !

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