[angie]

George Osborne’s spending review includes cutting the Winter Fuel payments for expat pensioners living in the following countries: Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Spain effective from Autumn 2015. 😯

Not sure if those living in tropical countries receive it and will also lose it 🙄

[katy]

I think the fairest would be to make it universal but tax it (in the UK). However how many times do we read on here aout swimming in winter, year round sunshine etc. I know it isn’t true but have been shot down for saying it gets cold in winter

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that It is based on winter temperature. Name of the countries had not been mentioned.

[Anonymous]

I posted about this on a fresh thread in error.but could not remove all because its contained in a post from another person. But it does go to say not all expats in Spain and islands live in the balmy coastal areas where you have mild winter temperatures and in the Canaries often summerlike as we enjoyed this last winter with people seabathing (kiddies and grannies of our Canary relatives included) throughout the winter. It goes to say if you live a few kilometres inland the night temperatures where I am it can drop to 10C and in previous winter a colder one to 8C In mountainous areas its colder and Northern Spain -Pamplona can be very cold. In Italy a friend lives in a mountainous part where it snows and they huddle round a wood stove but love the sun in the daytime/. But coming to the point -this is OK if the ‘Temperature Test’ is based on the Location you live in not just because you live in a particular country.I have heard about people living in Thailand all the winter getting this allowance-so hope its not just being done on people in the EU It does not affect people who are UK resident ie No Residente in Spain -not ever I hope.I expect we will get more exact info in due course.

[angie]

shakeel, the names of 7 countries is mentioned as I posted, Google search the topic/subject and it refers to those 7 countries 🙄

I think most expat Brits in Spain live on or near the coast which is considerably milder in Winter than the mountains/desert areas of Spain, but it’s strange how there’s talk of temperatures dropping below 8% or 9% at night which is not cold in my book, it often gets below freezing in the UK. Our last Winter near the coast in Spain the temperature was a balmy 15% on grey days but we never felt cold. 🙂

This move has been on the cards for some while now, it’s not unexpected and anyway I doubt if £200 or £300 for older people will seriously affect them when they can bask in a sunny spot on many days 🙄

[DBMarcos99]

The payment currently is available to pensioners already entitled to the payment, who then move to a EU country (or Switzerland). It’s not paid to others who move elsewhere, whether it be Thailand or Canada.
Of course, there will be those who keep official residency in the UK,but spend a good proportion of the year on holiday in places like Spain or Italy. They will still receive WFA.
The amount involved isn’t that much compared to the cost of making a move, but together with possible health charges it may persuade some people to be content with longer holidays and renting, rather than buying somewhere.

[Anonymous]

No there is nothing strange Angie about 10C sometimes 8C a few kilometres inland at night except on a few days particularly February you can need the fire on for a while in the evenings and you are talking to someone who regularly stays for whole winters. However it is true to say I am sure these temperatures will not pass the temperature test ! But there are many expat Brits in inland Andalucia Granada and Jaen province where it really goes down in winter and it would pass the test as long as thay assess it on the winter period and not on annual average ones !. This is unlikely to affect me as No Residente .

[Author]

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