Winter Fuel allowance.

seven-day-weekend

Actually on the whole I tend to agree with you padded john, I was just using arguments that I have heard put forward for expats to receive the Allowance.

Some friends of mine in Spain are really put out and think they should qualify.They ONLY have the house in Spain (nothing in UK) and one State Pension so they are far from rich but because they are not UK resident and were not in receiptof the Allowance before they left the UK, they don't qualify for either the Fuel Allowance or Pension Credit which they would do if they were in the UK. They spend over 700 euros on heating their house in the winter months so the Winter Fuel Allowance would really help them.

Not every expat is rolling in money.

I can see both sides of the argument quite clearly.

dzug1

moonshine wrote: »

I don't think you do need to apply because if you are of eligible age and you are in receipt of the State pension then it is paid automatically
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/Benefits/BenefitsInRetirement/DG_179916

Two different pages saying different things then - not a surprise.

Oldernotwiser

paddedjohn wrote: »

Its not a bottomless pit, its got to stop somewhere. The majorty of people who move abroad at pension age do so as a lifestyle choice and can well afford to do without the extra cash.

Where anyone chooses to live is a lifestyle choice and many people who move abroad do so because it's cheap and they can't afford to live in the UK!

You also forget how many expats are still UK tax payers.

seven-day-weekend

And I also agree with this ONW. I have seen both sides. I have seen those who came to live in Spain because the cost of living was cheaper (not so cheap any more) and someone could live comfortably on the basic State Pension and also could realise capital on their UK house as the houses were a lot cheaper. Our little house in the Sierra Nevada mountains was £35,000 in 2003. An equivalent in somewhere like the Lake District would be a quarter of a million at least.

Also thank you for mentioning about many expats being taxpayers; my husband of course pays tax to the UK from his Teachers' pension.

So really, there would be many that think that these taxpayers are MORE entitled to the winter fuel allowance than those who have paid nothing, regardless of where they live.

djohn2002uk

Paddedjohn, you must be a tory, libdem or are below pension age because you spout the same rhetoric as all three. When you talk about pensioners paying to help get us out of the mess, I don't hear you mention those who got us in the mess paying.

hethmar

Just to say guys, received my letter yesterday re the fuel allowance. I think I better make the most of it, can see it being the first and only time

Jennifer_Jane

Interesting about the people paying tax on their UK Teachers' pensions. I thought that if you lived outside the UK for a certain number of days (can't remember if it's 90 or 180 days) then you didn't pay UK tax?

I wonder if other people on Company pensions who live outside the UK have to pay UK tax? (I know that the BSP issue a directive to the Work Pension people about the tax - I am on pension).

Anyway, if everyone who lives outside the UK is paying tax on their BSP and Company Pension, then how about the people living in areas without the mutual agreement which allows BSP increases? Shouldn't they also get WFA (and the annual increases?).

Unsure if I've explained this very well, but just bringing the people who could also be UK taxpayers but don't get the WFA allowance, and also don't get the inflation increases, into the debate.

jennifernil

I think it is those who were civil servants/worked in the public sector etc who get taxed here before pensions are paid abroad.

Not those on other "company" pensions.

I don't think it includes the state pension.

seven-day-weekend

Teachers, Local Government and other Public Sector pensions are taxed in the UK even if you live abroad. The State Pension and other Pensions are taxed in the country of residence.

In some cases you can benefit from two lots of personal tax allowance. In my own case, my State Pension is not enough to pay any tax in Spain. When I receive my Local Government Pension in 2014 this will be liable to tax in the UK but will not be enough to actually pay any.

Newly_retired

I received my letter telling me my WFA will be paid within the next 3 weeks. Just my bad luck that I cannot get onto my online banking to check when it arrives.