Pension Rights for British expats

[Arcadian]

As n.on-UK residents we don`t get to vote, so we don`t count.

[richard]

Another kick in the balls

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... Clegg.html

[Big Boy]

How will you manage without your winter fuel allowance richard?

[Dannie Boy]

How will you manage without your winter fuel allowance richard?

And your pension frozen!! I have just checked and there are a measley 89 votes in support of the petition, so barring a miracle it seems we are doomed.

[richard]

BB I got sussed

Winter fuel allowance and 2 years increments are to be deducted from my pension

[sargeant]

oooopss

[Big Boy]

BB I got sussed

Winter fuel allowance and 2 years increments are to be deducted from my pension

How did they get you?

[richard]

Despite having a UK address, a UK bank and a UK doctor they confirmed that through checks (Immigration?) I had not been in the country for nearly 4 years

[Big Boy]

If that's all the punishment you got, there isn't much incentive not to try to get away with it then. Before I came to Thailand, the word was that they were going to get tough with offenders.

[sargeant]

My guess is the Brit embassy BKK send info when you need an income cert

still its not so bad i presume you kept your bus pass

[caller]

Data-matching takes place all the time now. I think a credit rating check might be the culprit, then checking utilities and all sorts of other data, including possibly, account usage. But I think they are limited to what they can do when caught, to folk from abroad, who stay abroad. However, quite a few returning to the UK have been prosecuted. And I suspect a next step will be a 1, 2, 3 strike system, just as they are introducing for benefit fraud. Imagine trying it on again, getting caught and having your pension stopped.

Of course, if they decided that stopping your annual increase was unfair, the charade would stop.

[margaretcarnes]

How will you manage without your winter fuel allowance richard?

And your pension frozen!! I have just checked and there are a measley 89 votes in support of the petition, so barring a miracle it seems we are doomed.

That petition runs for a full year. Yes it needs more votes - but it also needs more publicity maybe? keep plugging it on this and any other expat websires - not just Thai ones. Australian expat websites could produce a lot of votes.

[margaretcarnes]

Another kick in the balls

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... Clegg.html

Richard - that is Nick Clegg in full on Conference mode - trying to make out that he has some policies in order to justify his existence.
Yes - there is currently quite a lot of anti 'pensioner perks' feeling in the UK. Clegg is playing on that for all it is worth. But none of it is law - and I doubt it will be in the foreseeable.
That fact about bus passes is that they encourage pensioners to leave their cars at home (at least those who can afford cars) and reduce congestion and polution. The buses have to run anyway - and I have yet to see one which is so full of pass holders that there is no space for paying passengers. I for one would be first in line to chain myself to a bus stop if the passes were ever taken away - as would many other pensioners who - as the government knows full well - ultimately hold the potential to swing a general election. (Because young 'uns simply don't give a toss about voting.) And by the way no-one ever seems to complain that the registered disabled travel for free - however young they are.
The Winter Fuel Allowance is maybe more controversial, even though it costs much less on an annual basis. The way that low income discounts on fuel bills works (the old 'social tariffs') has just been changed and allows almost everyone on low income/qualifying benefits to get a £150 per annum discount on bills. I can see that taking off and perhaps being used as a reason for stopping th £200 payments - but there will still be a case for providing extra help for the elderly - perhaps 80 plus age - and the disabled IMO.
Free TV licences for the over 75's I'm not too sure can be justifed to be honest, and don't know why it was ever introduced. The UK TV licence costs £12.12 per month at the mo, which isn't a big deal for any pensioner. I would though support continuing free TV licences for those who are registered blind.
Overall the principle of universal benefits - like the winter fuel allowance and bus passes - is that it is more cost effective to have a blanket policy than to try to means test them. Any means testing costs more to administer - something which Cam and Clegg consistently fail to point out. Which is probably why earlier talk of doing away with Child Benefit and free prescriptions for pensioners seem to have fallen by the wayside.
Personally I am pig sick of the current trend to hit pensioners by trying to make out that they don't need concessions, which I think is fuelled largely by younger people who have maybe never worked and will never contribute to the economy in any way, but who are jealous of those who have.

[sargeant]

its - 111 votes now fairly zipping along

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38618

[Siani]

Good news on the pension front.....they are due to go up by 38p per day!!! Yipee!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -soar.html