MSE News: Winter fuel payments cut for those in hot countries 26 June 2013 at 2:00PM in Energy 38 replies 3.1K views

Former_MSE_Helen

"People living in hot countries will no longer be able to claim winter fuel payments from autumn 2015..."

Read the full story:

Winter fuel payments cut for those in hot countries



Click reply below to discuss. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.

molerat

Why wait until 2015 ? Do it NOW.

Dunroamin

When they come to comparing temperatures, they may well have a shock.

We used to spend a month or two in Spain in the winter and night time temperatures were often far lower than they were at home on the Isle of Wight.

Wywth

Dunroamin wrote: »

When they come to comparing temperatures, they may well have a shock.

We used to spend a month or two in Spain in the winter and night time temperatures were often far lower than they were at home on the Isle of Wight.

I've spent quite a bit of time in Spain, including during the winter times.

Whilst it often touches freezing point overnight in winter, I don't remember it ever going as low as -15C (unless perhaps up a mountain)

Also, I don't remember any days when the temperature did not rise above freezing point during the day.

A lot of Spanish properties have no form of central heating ... and that's not because they can't afford it

lazer

I don't think anyone outsid ethe UK should get winte fuel payments, but this is a stupid way to go about it.

Temperature is relative - go to Australia in their winter and they will have the heating on and be in warm winter clothing and British visitors will be walking around in shorts - but for anyone living in Oz, the winters are cold.

WestonDave

They have to do it this way as you can't discriminate within the EU - so you can't say people in France can't have it - what you can say is that it only applies if the average temperature where you live falls below 0 - which won't happen on the Costa del Sol. They can block paying it to Australia full stop because its not part of the EU so EU rules don't apply.

Andy_WSM

The sooner we stop pandering to the EU the better.

They should have taken the opportunity to fix the winter fuel payment while they're at it. Many pensioners admit they spend it on fags & booze or bingo or Christmas presents for the Grandchildren. The money should not be going to the pensioners, it should be going to their utility suppliers.

Load of old rubbish the system of different taxes and benefits right now.

zerog

If you don't live here, theonly thing you should be getting is your pension if you earned it.

pioneer22

Cant believe Daily Mail readers are kicking up such a fuss about this. Why on earth should anyone living outside of the UK claim any sort of benefit.

Cardew

According to the current and previous Governments, the reason why the Winter Fuel Allowance is given to every 60 year old, regardless of their income/assets, was that it would cost more in administration costs to means-test everyone, rather than just pay it as a universal benefit.

I wonder how much this measure will cost the Government to save the few million; especially as many ex-pats keep an address in UK with children etc. Sounds more like a gesture, than serious money-saving.

Nada666

Is hyperthermia not deadlier than hypothermia? When the first excess summer deaths of ex-pats who can't afford air-conditioning flood in in 2016 then the class action suits should start flying.