Winter Fuel Allowance

[flowerfairy]

Butlers wife, I sooo agree with your last post.
I've also replied to Belle, but my message has gone into cyberworld.
One thing I'd like to also point out. Most of us began our working life at the age of 15 years old.
Who says that after we've finished our working life and paid our taxes, that we can't travel/ move abroad?
Am i not right is saying that many youngsters have 'time out' and go back packing all over, BEFORE they settle down
to a working life?
So, we've done it the other way round, and now, we're classed as whingers, and to coin a phrase from mess. 45,
we've p######d off abroad !!!!!

[belle]

Noone except the very old who live in the UK and receive some form of benefit should get the winter fuel allowance, it is not a given, your pension is but that is all.

[£eagle]

For a contrarian view on the "deserving retired" look at:

http://cyprusdonkey.blogspot.com/2013/0 ... ngers.html

Don't forget to look for tongue in cheek.

[elizabeth]

You lot get your pension, when I get mine I will still be spending it IN THE UK, therefore still contributing unlike all of you. You put nothing in now but still expect to get handouts, come on stop whingeing, alternately move back and claim your allowances.

You lot, as you politely call us, have worked all our lives and contributed to the coffers, we have worked hard enough and been savvy enough maybe to be able to retire to a warmer climate. We still pay tax in the UK, unlike many of the immigrants now living there who only take out of the system, so I for one have no qualms about receiving the winter fuel allowance, which is used to heat the house we provide in England for an elderly relative.
As you Belle seem to have total disdain for TRNC I do sometimes wonder why you bother with the forum, have you heard of live and let live.

[Lovelife]

There are many who appear to think ' I've paid into the system so am entitled to something back' yes we have all paid our taxes and still do, however when you all lived in the UK did none of you use your GP surgeries, dentist, hospitals, what about the Police, the Fire Service, road/motorway maintenance,(!) did you have children? did they go through the state education system, the country does not run on fresh air, the money pot is not bottomless, and I agree that the winter fuel allowance should be given to those that really need it, if you have a certain amount of income you forfeit it.

Yes, people have worked hard and saved their money (I include myself in that statement) but you all chose to move to the TRNC, some of you have cut your ties completely, no body made you do it, by leaving the UK to enjoy another life in another country, you take the consequences of becoming an expat.

LL

[Philoz]

I'm with Jonnie on this one(after due consideration).
The winters here are chilly rather than cold,and I personally feel fortunate that I have managed to retire here 14yrs before my UK retirement date.
I wouldn't return to the UK if you paid me.
I can manage just fine without the allowance,which I wouldn't have got for a good few years anyhow-and who knows how many rules would be changed between now and then?
I am more encouraged by the proposal that you will get NHS healthcare if you have paid 10yrs NI contributions in the UK,and whilst a little I would gladly exchange a winter fuel allowance for full NHS treatment.

[kaiserphil]

Winters where I live, close to the Alps, are very cold.

Currently I am entitled to WFA, and will gladly accept it every year.

But I chose to live here, and if the rules change so that I am no longer entitled, then I will not receive it. Simple as that.

The post somewhere above saying that the WFA applies per household is correct by the way. If 2 or more entitled people live in the same household, then they will share it.

My Wife is fast approaching 60 - good job she is not British!

[the butlers wife]

Hi Philoz,

Can you tell me where you got this information from and I agree it would be a fair exchange. When we left the UK we were honest and informed the Pensions department we were moving abroad and we were told that we would not be allowed to claim treatment on the NHS after six months of leaving the country. I know many expats do manage to go back to the UK and get free treatment but I don't know how they manage to do this. So as we have both worked for over forty years and paid our contributions it would be nice if they changed the rules on this.

The butlers wife

[Philoz]

TBW - I read it here in this article-(5th paragraph down)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/2 ... s-services

Sounds like a fair swap to me.

[flowerfairy]

thanks for that Philoz, not that we used the NHS much when we lived there, as we had private healthcare and dentistry for
years.

[the butlers wife]

Hi Philoz,

Thank you so much for this link, it makes very interesting reading and has been my argument for some time, that some people can use the NHS who have never contributed a penny but those who have paid for over 40 years cannot. I know this is off topic and I apologise for this but I am sure it is of interest to many people.


The butlers wife

[muffin]

Both my husband and I lived and worked in the UK until our retirement ( self at 65 and husband at 70). Neither were ever out of work and contributed enormous sums in tax and NI to the state system. We chose to retire to TRNC and see no reason why the Government should stop the pitifully small benefits they pay, as we are entitled to these, much more so than those who have contributed absolutely nothing to the system and are possibly not even citizens of Britain. Incidentally our sole income nowadays is the UK pension. So wake up Government officials and first look after those who have a true entitlement to any benefits, before pandering to the scroungers!

[Royalcorpsoftranspor]

TBW - I read it here in this article-(5th paragraph down)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/2 ... s-services

Sounds like a fair swap to me.

Hi Philoz,
Did you get my PM if so do you still want it.