Winter Fuel payment 2014

[Spyder]

Just had ours paid into the bank today. Probably the last time we will get it!

[mint]

Spyder, I did say I'd let you know.  And yes, I have checked for OH and it's been paid today.

Is this really the last year for WFP then?

Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.................

[Brian-Cave]

Readers may not be aware that it is necessary to make politicians aware in the UK of the needs of many pensioners in France. There are a number who very much value the Winter Fuel Payment - and need it..

You should read the appalling deception by the Dept of Work & Pensions over this - here...

http://pensionersdebout.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/the-winter-fuel-payment-dwp-deception.html

It is very necessary that the voices of British people abroad are heard in Parliament.

For that you should register to vote -  https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

You should write to your MP  - find addreesses here

http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

If you want to know more on the campaign  visit  www.votes-for-expat-brits.com    and leave a comment.

For constant updates add yourselves to the mailing list - [email protected]

If we do not stand up against incompetence and injustice - the consequence is our own fault.

If the UK leaves the EU  then ....?  Take action.

[mint]

A post full of interest B-C.  I have saved your links until I have the time to view them properly.  Thank you.

[PaulT]

Oooh, can I play Devils Advocate.....

Now a UK pensioner living in the UK will normally have a private pension thus they will pay tax in to the UK coffers on their pensions and out of the coffer receive £200 back.

Now a pensioner living in France will normally have a private pension and the State pension and private pension will be paid without any tax being paid in to the UK coffers - so should UK taxpayers pay those living in France £200?

OK so if it is a government pension it will be taxed in the UK but a private pension will not be.

The above is intended as a genuine debate issue.

[Spyder]

OK, IF I agreed with that premis then, as a UK tax payer (Government pension), I would get the WFP. One of my neighbours who paid 10 years more tax and NI in the UK than me would not get it. Fine by me but I bet he would be none to pleased.

I would also want to see all those people who live in the UK but do not pay tax struck off the list as well. Impossibly complicated.

[andyh4]

Well since you have thrown the hand grenade Paul, allow me to remove the pin and toss it back.

You basis seems to be that if you do not pay tax ten you should not receive the benefit. Ergo Unemployment benefit would cease to exist, because according to your philosophy past payments to the state system count for nothing.

To the poster above who encouraged us all to register to vote, I would simply say that there are a small group of us who are expressly prevented from doing so, because we have been out of the UK for over 15 years. So taxed in the UK (and yes Paul I do still pay tax in the UK), taxed in France, and until last year, taxed in Germany and I cannot vote for any national government.

As a final point, I can post this as a relatively unbiased view since I would not be eligible for the WFA having left the UK too early to be considered for the payment.

[idun]

I am against it being paid abroad. As far as I am concerned, it is to cover bills in the UK, nowhere else. And then there is the cold weather payment, is someone going to say live in Val Claret(Tignes) going to say the the temperature is 0° for more than 7 days, I'm entitled, gimme, gimme, gimme?

People who leave, chose where they are moving to, if it is cold or hot, what difference does it make, they chose, their responsibility.

Anyway, wouldn't someone on a low income and in France get the allowances for cold weather that the french government sometimes offers? Would they then hand back the allowance they have already had, if they got that too?

[Gardian]

This one has been done to death over time on here. Here goes though.

WFA was introduced some years ago as a 'sop', because the then Govt either made no inrease or a very small one to State Pensions and there was a bit of an outcry.

Accordingly, I see it as being part of my State Pension entitlement ............. and yes, as one always says in this sort of debate "I paid in to it all my working life, etc, etc".

To be honest, I can't get excited about whether it comes or whether it doesn't. It didn't for several years because we didn't 'qualify'. Then we did. From next year, we won't. For goodness sake !!

As for taxation, we pay tax over here on our Worldwide income (sounds impressive eh?) and which includes WFA. Strangely enough, that tax is payable where we live and where we avail ourselves of the services that this State provides.

Unless somebody is suggesting that we shouldn't have a State Pension entitlement just because we choose not to live in the UK, then this (to me) is a dumb debate.