winter fuel allowance (Daily Mail 01.02.2014)

[Lovelife]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... tries.html

[laptatony]

But are we classed as Turkey here? Be very interesting which interpretation they put on this!

[Jonnie]

The classification will be the one recognised by international law, we are Cyprus.

[waddo]

Never claimed it so won't miss it, but as a UK tax payer happy that my income tax will go elsewhere.

[Cloister cat]

Not resident but spending my first full winter here. My Electric bills have been more than in the UK and have left heat on low at home! Still, would rather be here than looking at all that rain! : )

[KWAKERT4]

waddo msg 4 >"Never claimed it so won't miss it, but as a UK tax payer happy that my income tax will go elsewhere"

I didn't "claim" it either. When I reached 60 I just got it. Maybe because I still have a UK home. When my wife reached 60, we got £100 each, again without claiming or notifying anybody.

K

[tinker]

If our £200 is stopped.
When the annual tax request for £400 cheque to be sent.
As I live in the sun will send a cheque for £200. Simple.

[Groucho]

I don't get a Winter Fuel Allowance, so I don't have an axe to grind but I don't think attempting to restrict it will be value for money and here's why:-

It's madness, they will have to employ more civil servants (with pensions) to police it, have forms to complete (for everyone mind you not just those known to live abroad) and check and get it all wrong and more forms and incorrect decisions and all that that entails.... also they will need extra benefits tribunals to decide on cases where the recipient still has a UK address and it will end-up being a net cost not a saving. That's why it was not means-tested in the first place. They are just playing lip-service to what they think their supporters want. They really need to investigate how much the savings will actually be in relation to the increased costs... they will be hefty.

[Jonnie]

The winter fuel payment was originally brought in to support pensioners in times of dire need, it was a small amount of money which was increased and became a universal payment in 1997 (prior to that it was means tested) by Gordon Brown surprisingly enough just before the election.

It should be kept for those that need it.

[Deniz1]

Looking at the extended weather forecast until the end of March TRNC will have quite warm weather and very little rain so uk people need it more than us at the moment.

[the butlers wife]

When I lived in the UK I used to get £200 every November, then we informed the pensions department we were moving to Cyprus. I have never received it since and although I have written to them I have not received a reply. I have tried phoning but the number is always engaged. I have spoken to people who still receive it here and I cannot understand why mine has stopped. I can only think it was because we were honest and informed them we were going to live here.


The butlers wife

[kaiserphil]

I still received mine when in TRNC butlers wife, and they had the Mersin 10 address.

[waddo]

If you fill in the paperwork before you leave the UK (for good) and let them know that you are moving away on a permanent basis they will inform all the relevant departments and stop anything that you may have been eligible for within the UK - simple. That is what you are supposed to do anyway so if yours stops you have no complaint.

The fun starts when you approach the Tax man who also knows you have moved away on a permanent basis and try to stop paying income tax - guess what - not a chance in the world to stop paying income tax on "Government Pensions" and even less chance of having your tax reduced because you are paying for things that you are no longer eligible for - plain theft but that is the way the government works!

[Deniz1]

If you only have a government pension why do you pay tax? I thought you only paid on private ones.

[tinker]

If you only have a government pension why do you pay tax? I thought you only paid on private ones.

Not true Deniz1. If you opted out of serps you pay tax on any private pensions which they can take tax at source.
Tax is not deducted from government pensions, but if you paid into serps it can bring your government pension over the threshhold & tax is to be paid. In my case it is just over £400 a year & they ask for a cheque. Would willingly forefit heating allowance if I can opt out of paying tax on my government pension.

[Deniz1]

My government pension is way more that £400 so I am keeping VERY quiet!

[waddo]

Tinker, I take it you are still young! Wait till you get your "Tax Free" OAP - they will then take the amount of OAP you get paid off your personal allowance, which will put your Government pension way over the top and then they will start taking your tax at source - but only on your Government pension of course because your OAP is TAX FREE! Because I get two Government pensions - one Military and one Civil Service as well as my OAP, they tax both my Government pensions at source after they have deducted the amount of OAP from my personal allowance - still trying to figure out if I would have been better off lying about my age and not having claimed my OAP - lol. The only way I could win is if I moved to the RoC (double taxation agreement) and then I would pay much less tax - but as I would have to live over - there I am happy to pay my tax to stay here.

[Art]

How do the government intend to stop payment from the swallows who winter abroad and then return to the Uk in the spring?

[Dalartokat]

By being honest when you come and go and follow the eligibility rules:


3. Eligibility

You’ll qualify for Winter Fuel Payment if:
you were born on or before 5 January 1952 (for winter 2013 to 2014 - this date changes every year)
you normally live in the UK throughout the week of 16 to 22 September 2013


You may still be able to get the payment if you live in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland and you have a genuine link with the UK.