Winter Fuel Allowance

[sir.prize]

Should it be paid to pensioners living in warmer climes?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24924228

Apparently in 2015 they will no longer qualify. That will be a big saving.

[FredPuli43]

It is not really part of the pension, is it? It is an extra sum , above the pension, for a specific purpose. If that purpose no longer exists, the sum shouldn't be paid. Old people here get free TV licences. If they were living in France, would you expect the French TV licence to be paid for them? No, because the purpose of the provision no longer exists. Some people get disability allowance. If they ceased to be disabled, should they still get it? Of course not, because the purpose of the payment no longer exists. So it is with this.

[Prudie]

No they shouldn't. Harsh it may be but don't move abroad if you can't afford to keep yourself warm.

[Sqad]

\\\\having expats spending it on Sangria hilst others are struggling in the North of England is not righ\\\

\\\ if the country is not good enough for them live in then why should they receive this benefit\\\\

Two bloody stupid unhelpful comments, both of which to be totally ignored.

You just hate the word "choice" in your vocabulary.

For what it is worth, i personally don't need the £200 WFA and if you would rather give it to the immigrants......fine with me.

I suppose Jake, that my £200 would be given to the one's" struggling in the North of England" so they got £200 plus. Then wouldn't those in the South of England complain that they are getting less than those in the North of England?

Yepp, take it.

[Mamyalynne]

No, don't move abroad, stay here - get Hypothermia and take up an NHS bed.


People have traversed the world since man hollowed out a tree trunk , don't lambast folk for the system.

[FredPuli43]

Sqad, where do immigrants come into this ? I can understand you feeling for immigrants, being one yourself, but why do you mention giving the WFA to immigrants?

[sandyRoe]

Aren't most ex-pats Tory voters? Is it wise to alienate your supporters for the sake of a few quid?

[Sqad]

Fred.....are you trying to tell me, that Polish and other immigrants as well as the forthcoming Bulgarians and Romas will not be eligible for the WFA?

[Prudie]

I assume that's not aimed at me Mamya as i have lambasted no-one nor would I suggest people didn't move abroad if they wanted, it's a personal dream of my own. Surely the fuel allowance was created to mask some of the pressures of the elderly on dealing with the ever increasing and exorbitant energy prices in the UK? It shouldn't be to help pay foreign fuel bills.

[ToraToraTora]

Well as the EU is all one happy family sqad I'd assume that their own countries will be paying them. Anyway do Spain give you some sort of air con allowance! No? how surprising!

[emmie]

why would they be specifically tory voters, those who go do so go to retire, find a warmer climate, for work, better standard of living than afforded here. If they are older people who have gone to Spain they will likely have sold their properties here to set up home there, if they plan to stay put in Spain. So at one point they paid into the UK system, if you stop it on the premise why should they get it as it's a warmer climate, then why should any foreigner get benefits in UK at all that has paid nothing at all into our system. Or they can work for 6 months and get benefits, as one of the benefits advisors told a new claimaint...

[emmie]

WFA is for the retired isn't it? those over a certain age, most of the Poles, Bulgarians, Roma surely won't be eligible seeing as how they are mostly younger ones, or is that wrong?

[Mamyalynne]

Prudie, it was not aimed at anyone in particular, the system may not be balanced fairly and as I stated not all move to places with warmer temperatures.

I hope you get your dream - I am the most boring homebody known to man ( and not in receipt top up, no axe to grind.)

[craft1948]

Wasn't it the Poles who came over to work who were paid family allowance, even though their children were still in Poland?

[Sqad]

TTT...we are not discussing how Spain treat their elderly, we are discussing WFA given to all British citizens who have paid taxes all their lives, but as I have said, take it.

[emmie]

don't think it just applies to the Polish either, getting child allowance, though the children don't live here?

[craft1948]

I'm waiting for the government to tell me that I don't need my state pension, as I worked all my life and paid into a reasonable private pension. They'll probably then give it to some bugger who either never worked, or pissed their money up the wall instead of making pension provision..............

[Old_Geezer]

Not so Jake. It's not means tested. It's a right not a welfare payment.

[ToraToraTora]

I'll say it again, WFA is not something that is paid in for, it was started in 1997 as an arbitrary payment.

[Old_Geezer]

All payments are paid in for by the public. The government has no money of its own. Arbitrary or not it is part of the payment system to pensioners. Those here are no more likely to need help as elsewhere and to target those who stay in preference to those who move when both have paid in under the same rules, is unfair discrimination. Not that government cares about being fair.

[sir.prize]

Dotty - you are confusing it with Cold Weather Payment. That becomes payable when the temperature drops below a certain level.