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It's very odd that I have never seen temperature mentioned in the bill for winter fuel payment.
When I turned 60 they gave me winter, not cold weather payment. We do have all the seasons here in Spain.
Never have I claimed for the cold weather payment.
As for benefit cheating, the only time is it cheating is when you are not entitled to a benefit.
They said I was entitled to it but for some reason they now say we don't have winters in Spain
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For anyone interested in what was actually said - I don't know why I just did not do this to begin with - here is what was ACTUALLY said re the WFA in the announcement (and indeed, India is mentioned because he is avoiding accusations of discrimination).
The UK's annual winter fuel payment, which is given to all those aged 65 and over, is to be subject to a temperature test, the chancellor has announced.
The test is being introduced to stop payments to pensioners living in the EU in warmer climes. It follows an European court ruling which expanded the entitlement to all people with significant links to the UK.
The Treasury said the test would be based on historic climate data, which contrasts average winter temperatures from the warmest region of the UK (5.6C in south-west England) with average temperatures for other European countries, over a 29-year period.
This means that all pensioners living in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Gibraltar and Cyprus, will no longer get the benefit as they have warmer winter weather.
However the Treasury said that the test, as currently devised, would not bar pensioners living in warm countries outside the EU, such as the India and Kenya.
Introduced by Gordon Brown at the turn of the millennium after a furore over meagre state pension rises, Labour recently announced that it would stop the payments, worth between £100 and £300, for the UK's 600,000 wealthier pensioners.
Separate to emergency cold-weather payments, the benefit cost the DWP about £2.2bn last year. It has been protected from spending cuts by the coalition along with other pensioner benefits.
Research by the Institute of Fiscal studies thinktank found that only 40% of pensioners used the payments to settle heating bills.
According to figures published following a freedom of information request, the DWP paid £13m to 74,685 pensioners living abroad in 2012. About £6m of that went to pensioners in Spain and £3m went to those in France.
The Treasury said that following the EU ruling, 115,000 pensioners would not get the cash.
In his statement to the Commons, on Wednesday, Osborne said he would stop the rising cost of paying winter fuel payments made "to those who live abroad … in a way that no one ever intended".
He added: "Paying out even more money to people from all nationalities who may have worked in this country years ago but no longer live here is not a fair use of the nation's cash.
"So from the autumn of 2015, we will link the winter fuel payment to a temperature test. People in hot countries will no longer get it. It is, after all, a payment for winter fuel."
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Why are pensioners living outside the EU not barred as well? Isn't it fairer to just bar it for everyone outside the UK?
What can be done about those living in the UK who overwinter in their holiday homes in southern Europe, thus not needing it,or those who live out here but give a relative's address in UK to obtain it for use here? Shame passports are not stamped anymore!
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Well done roly2.
I have been waiting all this time for one to state what was said.
Change the goalpost when it suits that's the way forward
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Camposol. He was referring to people who take the allowance and disappear off to somewhere for a few months in the winter. They can't claim it if they live outside the EEA but, you're right. Shame passports aren't stamped anymore. Of course, the non-res, or those who haven't taken out residency, in Spain will still get it. Rather penalises being honest, doesn't it?
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well roly2 if Osborne said that it just shows how ill informed he is. The Winter fuel allowance is given to all over 60, not 65. As the conservative MP said of Osborne and Cameron "two posh boys who don't know the price of milk"
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Yes - I guessed that would just be a mistake!!! Unless there is a hidden agenda.......
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Roly thank you very much for that info, I didn't have the time yesterday to investigate re India and Kenya, but was positive I had heard this on the TV whilst passing through in the house. And all those accusations/bullying etc fired at me yesterday, absolutely dumbfounding!
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eos_moderators
What happened to free speech and telling the truth which is not always pleasant - I'm out of here!! 
Also a serious question, why is it the more posts the more stars, surely should be based on content rather than quantity? Particularly bearing in mind some content in 5 star posts!!
This message was last edited by brickwork on 03/07/2013.
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Phil.
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camposol
Good points. particularly passport stamps, nowadays nobody knows if you have been anywhere before!
Also relatives address's.
HM Tax have my Spanish address, so much easier as they send their demands here, and I ignore them, if I had them sent to a relative I wouldn't have the satisfaction of realising I had ignored them!
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Phil.
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FYI
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Quite happy with that, did you wish to comment on the star rating?
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Phil.
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My take on WFA is it wasn't targeted at me. I don't need it so am not gonna be upset if I don't get it.
My observation on "star ratings" is that prolific contributors are of value to EOS so are less likely to have posts edited or removed - Based on past experiance 1 unhappy member can have an "ordinary" post removed but it takes multiple objections to get something posted by a six star + contributor removed
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David
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David
In that case you are lucky, or possibly not in the UK at the right time/age.
Since coming to live here as a pensioner I have lost out big time on currency conversion, now have to pay a percentage of regular prescription's I NEED (4 A DAY) despite the UK reimbursing the Spanish in FULL, so another £200-00 is just one more blow, whilst those who can afford it stay in the UK for 9 moths then winter here in villas, rented apartments or hotels and still get it!
Let's hope the Army take a hint from Egypt and oust the crooks in power at present!!
With regards to stars seems the more you say the more you can get away with saying whatever you like, and to me I have always believed that quality is far more important than quantity, but then not my site so you can make the rules, maybe a post a day is the way to your good books, no matter what subject??
Phil
This message was last edited by brickwork on 04/07/2013.
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Phil.
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Brickwork
now have to pay a percentage of regular prescription's I NEED (4 A DAY) despite the UK reimbursing the Spanish in FULL
Not so. The NHS pay a fixed charge of around £3,000 p.a. for each person. For visitors, who are treated on EIHC, the country of origin is billed for all treatment.
On the prescrition charges. If one's income is under 18,000 € p.a. they pay 10% of the cost of each item, up to a max of (I believe) 8 euros p.m.
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johnzx
I wasn't aware of that figure, however I guess that out of all those who live here many don't use anywhere near that figure, and that = £250.00 per month per person, don't think mine come anywhere near that, so the Spanish Government gain and ex-pat pensioners loose out despite an EUU agreement I think that UK ex-pats should have free prescriptions anywhere in the EU? Still it is another nail in the coffin and the dream for many to live here is becoming far less shiny than it used to be.
Maybe the British Armed Forces could take a lesson from Egypt and depose the money grabbing millionaires in Government who seem at best to look after their own!
This message was last edited by brickwork on 04/07/2013.
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Phil.
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The whole point about losing the WFP of £200 per year to English taxpayers who have moved to a better country is the fact that it has nothing much to do with paying out for warmer winters or rich pensioners who dont need it, fact is they (government) are stopping it for the few, while bumping up their own pay and every fiddle they can lay their hands on, and rubbing it in our face's that we are all in this economic mess together.
You often hear about celebrities sending the WFP back, Peter Stringfellow for one, many others have said also, who's heard about any MP's doing this? wouldn't put it past any of them to be still claiming for the dead mother who died three years ago...which they forgot about.
When it comes to money saving ideas this country has it's only the hard working taxpayers who have to take the brunt of every money saving idea.
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Phil.
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Brickwork. I believe the amount the NHS pay (and indeed the what is paid to the NHS for Spaniards living in UK) is an average cost, so I would think it averages out for both countries.
As for free prescriptions. We get the same service as Spaniards, that is the reciprocal arrangement. I understand that in some EU countries one pays more for the health services. The only way we could get free prescriptions would be if the NHS refunded the charges; Unlikely.
Having lived here for 25 years and seen the exchange rates move up and down on international money markets, I have seen the Euro (pesetas equivalent before that) vary from 1 euro to the GBP to 1.70 euros to GBP, so the present rate of 1.17 is acceptable. But of course the rate is not directly ‘controlled’ by the pound nor the euro but the relative confidence in them on the international money markets.
We take holiday in Phillipinnes, Thailand and Malaysia. The exchange rates for the pound in those countries are about one third lower than they were 7 years ago. Of course the strength of the Pound, or lack of it, is the reason.
I still believe that on my income (which is in GBP) I can live better in Spain than I would be able to in the UK
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You often hear about celebrities sending the WFP back, Peter Stringfellow for one, many others have said also, who's heard about any MP's doing this?
Baz you have not heard where I donated the first and so far only WFA payment I got either (I am 73 but have lived in Spain since I was 48) but that does not mean I kept it. I did not send it back to the Government, as I wanted to choose who benefited from my generosity.
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