Things of huge interest to some

Valerie White said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 9:44 AM

It may be warmer outside in Spanish winters but it is very cold inside the houses as they were built to keep out the heat of the summer. Keep the winter fuel payments coming, I say!!

Spanishbird said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 10:53 AM

I wonder how many of the present Government would miss their £200 fuel allowance? Surely it should be a right as the majority of us living in Spain have paid in exactly the same as those pensioners in the UK. What your financial situation is now shouldn´t come into it. If you go down this route, how many of the present Government will pick up their state pension when the time comes irrespective of their massive private pensions?

Magnum said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 11:45 AM

It is true that Spanish houses are designed to keep cool in the summer, but they do take some heating in the winter as heat flows very quickly out of an un-insulated box. Whether we live here or in UK, I believe that we have paid for our heating subsidy and should receive it.

We live in Catalonia, not too far from the Pyrenees, and we do get snow here in the winter quite often and it can be very cold until the end of February. After the Big Snow of 2011, it took us three days to get our house back to normal temperature - and we have got an open fire as well!

One is aware that there is a great anti-EU feeling in the UK, but it was the EU directive that enabled many ex-pats who did not get the heating allowance to receive it. Now they are trying any tricks to take it away again. If UK pulls out of Europe, then the future plight of the Ex-Pat does not look too good I'm afraid.

Come on Minister of fuel, shame on you: we have paid our dues, don't cheat us out of it.

Margaret said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 11:48 AM

The weather can never be means tested in Spain as all areas are different. Last winter the temperatures dropped at night to sometimes 7- We had our pipes frozen about 4 times.
Some people think that in Spain it is sun sun & sun but if they came here in Jan & Feb they would be suprised. We have to have our fire on most of the time. Why would we not be entitled to winter fuel allowance we have paid in the same as other people in England.

Dave said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 2:48 PM

I say loose the allowance. Leaving the uk should also mean leave and lose any benefits the uk has to offer. Why should tax payers of the uk pay towards utility bills of folk who decide to live abroad! You can't have your cake and eat it!

Nicechap said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 5:41 PM

Dave you seem to for get that like others say we have paid for this and on top of that how much does the UK save on other benefits because we live in Spain what would it cost them if we all went back a lot more than 16 mill

June Bown said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 6:44 PM

They should try living in the mountains in a Villa that was meant for the coastal weather.

ken said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 8:31 PM

We wouldn't need a winter suppliment if
our pension wasn't such a joke.

Spanishbird said:
Saturday, January 12, 2013 @ 10:48 PM

Dave, you you get a UK state pension? If you are not old enough to collect this yet, will you do so when the time comes? Same argument!!

volvo said:
Sunday, January 13, 2013 @ 12:01 PM

It is ridiculous that people living in Spain can receive winter fuel allowance. Also, many pensioners do not help themselves by claiming at two UK addresses, so doubling the money.

Dave said:
Sunday, January 13, 2013 @ 2:31 PM

Volvo, I agree. And to reply to some of the above comments. If you planned for your retirement , saved and invested during your working life the pension is a bonus, should not be expected and depended upon, as that is when you have put yourself in a situation where your dependent on what is really a joke of sum of money from the government. The "system" is not a bank account where you pay and withdraw from. I am aware that if people move back from Spain, they are likely to do so from poverty, so if in the UK you would get more benefit from the state than just claiming a simple allowance and living in Spain. The big point here is.....
Getting an allowance from Uk when living in Spain, the Uk never sees any of that money again, you spend it in Spain! Receiving an allowance from UK living in the UK, it is spent in the UK so the UK economy benefits from the amount of tax applicable to the expenditure. Tax on savings and National Insurance if applicable. I am not saying I agree with the amounts some people are claiming in the UK, far from it, but UK benefits should be for UK residents only.

Shudy Camps said:
Monday, January 14, 2013 @ 11:39 AM

All western governments are struggling to find money and winter fuel allowance is going to take a hit sooner or later. I can't imagine that it was set up to help ex-pats anywhere in the world. We too have a home in Spain and although it requires the sitting room to be heated, we never leave the heat on at night. That is what a good duvet is all about. Sorry folks, you are going to cough it up whether you like it or not and all the foot stamping regarding what you have paid, is nothing compared to the pensioners in England who still pay through stealth taxes. One of these days your NHS privileges are going to take a hit too - you don't live in the England so seek hospitalisation where you have chosen to live. The retired people in England having to heat their homes in April when you are strolling along the beaches in shirt sleeves is a vote winner against you. My girlfriend in the Costa del Azahar just sent me a picture of her enjoying clear blue skies, sitting outdoors enjoying the Cafe Society. We have snow here in East Anglia. I reminded her that we are going skiing in February in Andorra and she, as a complete beginner and I as the ski instructor; well, ever see a cat play with a mouse?

Delyth said:
Tuesday, January 15, 2013 @ 9:28 PM

I have read this post and the responses with interest.

I retired to Spain. A significant factor in my decision to do so was that I remain mobile and therefore independent .in the warm dry climate here. In the UK I would probably be largely wheelchair dependent.

During my working life I chose to do jobs that I felt were worthwhile and contributed to the community rather than chase money. I did save for my retirement and also paid for a private pension - unfortunately the company that I paid into for a private pension did not make a very good job of investing my money and the pension is not what I was led to believe it would be. I live very economically but have enough for my needs and know that, compared to very many people, I am very fortunate.

We do have winter in Spain and the Heating Allowance enables me to buy in the fuel I need to keep warm. I paid a great deat more into the system than many of my contemporaries who are able to claim many of the benefits for which ex-pats are not eligible.

It would cause me hardship to lose the Heating Benefit and, in common with many people, I feel it is very unjust to have have my very modest lifestyle eroded on the whim of a cartel of millionaires who have no concept of how ordinary people like me live their lives.

Volvo said:
Thursday, January 17, 2013 @ 12:25 PM

I really sympathise with Delyth. Ex pat pensioners, of whom I was one, really have taken a hit over the last few years. I was a little disappointed to see our MPs referred to as a cartel of millionaires, frankly, I am very happy indeed if the people running the UK are successful, in their own lives, it means there is a chance they may do a good job for us as we'll.
Sadly, these type of comments are pathognomonic of the UK where success is just about the worst vice you can have, we used to be an aspirational country, a nation of shopkeepers, sadly now, there is far too much envy.
I will leave you with three final thoughts.
Firstly, we pay far too much benefits to people who have been parasites all their lives, they contribute nothing, never have, never will.
Secondly, Spain isn't really cold in winter, Birmingham is, please, please, please show some humanity, help those who need it, and, in the case of pensioners, they are too old to "get on their bikes," sadly, their time has passed, we should help them now, on a non judgemental basis. Unlike the lazy, the feckless, and the work shy.
Thirdly, when we moved to Spain, our pound bought 1.48 euros. After Gordon Brown, Ed Ballsup, and their cronies had bankrupted us it got 1.06 euros. Never forget whose fault this all is, and live in Spain, but vote in Britain, and keep them out!

Volvo said:
Thursday, January 17, 2013 @ 12:25 PM

I really sympathise with Delyth. Ex pat pensioners, of whom I was one, really have taken a hit over the last few years. I was a little disappointed to see our MPs referred to as a cartel of millionaires, frankly, I am very happy indeed if the people running the UK are successful, in their own lives, it means there is a chance they may do a good job for us as we'll.
Sadly, these type of comments are pathognomonic of the UK where success is just about the worst vice you can have, we used to be an aspirational country, a nation of shopkeepers, sadly now, there is far too much envy.
I will leave you with three final thoughts.
Firstly, we pay far too much benefits to people who have been parasites all their lives, they contribute nothing, never have, never will.
Secondly, Spain isn't really cold in winter, Birmingham is, please, please, please show some humanity, help those who need it, and, in the case of pensioners, they are too old to "get on their bikes," sadly, their time has passed, we should help them now, on a non judgemental basis. Unlike the lazy, the feckless, and the work shy.
Thirdly, when we moved to Spain, our pound bought 1.48 euros. After Gordon Brown, Ed Ballsup, and their cronies had bankrupted us it got 1.06 euros. Never forget whose fault this all is, and live in Spain, but vote in Britain, and keep them out!