Sunday, December 20, 2015

Hard up in Europe



Correspondence on the plight of  British Pensioners in other E U countries.

Administrator    - Brian Cave – le Fourquet, Gourdon France 46300

Initials of the senders are given below each mail. All the senders were content to have material publicised as long as personal details were kept confidential.
Useful links for where to get help.

1  --- 10/02/2012 20:03
Good Evening Mr Cave.
Just as I was yesterday, I am typing Emails sitting up in bed. I am  fully clothed in three jumpers, two pairs of trousers and a track suit. 
My dear husband, similarly dressed, is tucked up beside me.  He is eighty-six, and suffers from epilepsy and  a certain amount of mental confusion.
Outside the temperature is minus 2 degrees, and is expected to fall to minus 10 degrees tonight - a big improvement on the
minus 14 degrees we had last night.

EDF have decreed that those of us who use the TEMPO system should have ten, 'red days' over the last two frozen weeks,
meaning that those of us who live on the not overgenerous Old Age Pension can afford to use electricity only very sparingly.

We retired to bed at three o'clock this afternoon, when my husband found that crouching over our log-burner became too much strain
on his back.  The only room we can afford to keep warm is our bedroom, where we can use our electric blanket
plus a paraffin stove for warmth.  Our house has an antiquated central heating system which has broken down - and we can't afford to repair
or replace it. 
You will guess that we are, of course, Equitable Life Annuitants.
My husband served his country during the war,and worked all his life thereafter without claiming a day's unemployment benefit.
He finally retired at seventy, and  was actually proud that he had had the foresight to take out a policy with such a
well respected company.

  Because we loved France, we exercised our right to move and live, freely, within the E.U., and settled here in the SW.
We probably should have claimed for the Winter Heating Allowance before we left UK sixteen years ago, but at the
time we lived in a centrally heated home, and felt we did not need any extra allowance.

We do not expect  privileges not granted to other elderly British Citizens; but are exceedingly bitter that we are excluded
from allowances which are readily available to other Brits.
Please keep up your good work!
Sincerely,
L. W.
***************************

2 -- Hello Brian  (received 02/04/12)
I have just read your piece in the Algarve daily news. I would like to add my comments regards the winter fuel payments. My husband and I moved to the Algarve  30th Jan.2006 he was 68 I was 60 (earlier in jan that year) we were both receiving state pensions only, he was also receiving winter fuel payment. He died in 2008 and the winter of that year I applied to have the winter fuel payment changed to my name as I was receiving state pension before we moved here. The DWP refused to give me the allowance as I was not living in the UK in the qualifying week during November 2006 (10 months after my 60th birthday)and therefore was not entitled to it. I found this very hard to accept as I could not find any reference to this rule on the DWP website but there is nothing I can do about it so I am having to survive on my pension of £5300 per year. I have several friends here who all get the allowance some who moved here in their 50's but who have not told the DWP that they moved here so they can still go back to the UK to get free health treatment and medicines! I find it very hard since the pound lost so much value in the winter I have to wear extra clothes and eat lots soups as other foods are too expensive. I would go back to the UK but I cannot sell my house here and used up all my savings long ago.
Regards
S. R.

 ********************
3 -- 15/02/2012
Like your correspondent, we moved to France sixteen years ago, the year before the Winter Fuel Payment was instituted.  Since then, we have met many British expats, most of whom arrived in France more than six years after ourselves, and they, of course, do receive this allowance.  Whilst we do not, of course, hold this against them; good luck to them - I'm glad they get it. But it is this blatant discrimination by the British government, resulting in the older, more frail (and in many cases, poorer) pensioners being the ones to whom this vital heating allowance is denied and this really upsets me.  It beggars belief and I am absolutely astonished that those in successive governments have been unable to see this, not to mention their breaking of European rules (as outlined by the British Expats Association, Spain, and yourself, on many occasions). 

Like most of our friends, when we arrived in France aged 60, we were in good health.  However, as we all know, as the years go on, many of us are beset by various illnesses and the frailty of old age.  I have had several operations and many investigations in hospital for various internal and ophthalmic problems.  My husband had a hip replacement three years ago and two other operations since then.  He was diagnosed with lung cancer a year ago, for which he is being treated with chemotherapy.  He has suffered horrific and debilitating side effects and I am, of course, at the age of 77, his only carer.  We have no family, either here or in the U.K.  There have been improvements as well as setbacks in the progress of his illness and further chemotherapy is planned.
As you can imagine, this past year has been extremely hard on both of us and it is only with the support of the excellent French health professionals as well as the kindness of our friends and neighbours (both French and British) that we have managed to cope.   We live on a joint pension income of 12,000 pounds sterling per annum and have to draw on our very modest savings to supplement this.   Because of our low income, we downsized seven years ago to a tiny, one-bedroomed house which my husband converted from a carpenter's workshop but his illness and treatment cause him to feel the cold in the extreme and, in spite of the size of our house, I dread to think what our heating bill will be this Winter.  It is so dreadfully unfair that we and others in our situation are not allowed to receive the Winter Fuel Payment  from the British government when our compatriots do!  And, of course, there is nothing we can do about it as, having lived in France for more than fifteen years, we are now disenfranchised as well!
S.E R.
****************
4 -- December 30th 2014
I’m a 74 year old British Pensioner, I have health problems - high blood pressure placing me in a high risk category of heart attacks and strokes, requiring beta blocker medication for the rest of my life; and I’m a thrombophilia sufferer requiring anti-coagulants for the rest of life, which thin my blood and make me more vulnerable to extreme temperatures.  So, it doesn’t matter whether I live in Blarney, Bristol, Bologna, Bordeaux or Barcelona, cold weather will always affect me.  OK if I live in Bologna, Bordeaux or Barcelona, I may get more daytime sunshine, particularly in the winter, but night-time in those countries will be much colder than Blarney or Bristol!  A British Pensioner is still a British Pensioner wherever he/she chooses to live within the EU!
R.B.
 Following  from emails after Christmas 2014
5 -- December 31st 2014
Thanks for this Brian - just read my EDF meter which tells me that my bill for 2 months will be just under 400€ and it will get even colder over the next 2 months. I'm 70 and I really do feel the cold more and more with each passing year.
A. Email initials with-held
6 -- January 5th 2015  Copied from The Anglo-Info forum site for Normandy.
I came here in 2005, rushing out of another European country and settled into rural life with difficulty. At that stage I had health and a car. I had a major car accident in 2010 followed by cancer  in 2011 (from which I am supposed to be in "remission", it might be stabilising) and am now alone trying to deal with the ridiculous situation that I am far from anywhere and have nothing to eat and also have difficulties eating and can't stand being on my own . This has nothing to do with the local people who on the whole are kind to me, although not really available to deal with this, but everything to do with me. I see no solutions to this situation at all.  I am known to the local social servIces and the local community. The supermarkets are 11 to 18 km away, there is no-one to take me to it and in any case I have been known to walk into and out of the local supermarket without buying anything. Also home deliveries are just about possible but not for the quantities I need. There is one bus a day from a two km walk to the village to one of the (moribund) towns.  I am at least three hours' drive from anyone who posts on this site   (south of Rouen).  I tried to buy some frozen things with the cleaning lady who gone away for more than a week now. It is insufficient and I am going hungry.
My house is cold.  I am 64, taking the cancer drug femara (not chemotherapy) and going mad here. My doctor is both on strike and doesn't want to know particularly. Also being "big" going down to a mere 91 kilos recently I have literally nothing much to wear apart from outsize t shirts which are embarrassingly like scarecrow stuff on me.   I see no solutions.

7 -- January 8th 2014
We live in Burgundy where winter temperatures vary between minus 10c to minus 20c.
We have already had minus 10c and the coldest part of our winter is yet to come. My husband is 81, a diabetic and had a stroke 6 years’ ago. I am 71 and in good health but I feel the cold badly. It will be a real hardship for us not to have the winter fuel allowance.
 We are also puzzled by the fact that the UK has included warmer countries outside France in the decision to stop our allowance. These countries are not a part of
mainland France and  mainland France is not affected by their weather patterns. We therefore don’t understand the logic involved in this current decision at all.
It’s tantamount to saying that, if India were still a part of the UK, that no one in the UK would be eligible either!  
D.W.

8 -- From Cyprus 26 February 2015
Today LIMASSOL area...we have completed work on a 91 year old’s  ceiling BLACK with mould... she needs all the help we can get...  another put in hospital...YUK to DWP!!!
Mike Groves   Sec CPFG, CYPRUS
29 March 2015
9 -- My husband and myself are personal friends of **** and ****  (we live in the south of France) and were at the forefront of the battle for DLA/AA/CA way back in 2006, which the ECJ ruled our entitlement in 2007.
Now we are once again fighting for reinstatement of the Winter Fuel Payment, which David Cameron vowed he would not take away, and have received a letter from the EU having followed your guidance to lodge a formal complaint.
As the Conservatives are gunning for OAP expats from all directions, we are very concerned to read this article, once again instigating a stressful scenario.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-32084722
My husband, ******, is 77 years old, he has mobility problems, sciatica, asthma, insulin dependent diabetes, heart problems, and has been fighting cancer for 3 years. I have been his 24/7 carer for the last few years and still am, how dare the government want to strip us of everything we are entitled to?
I thank you for your support and help on behalf of both of us
with kindest regards  L.D.



10 -  April 19th 2015 Two histories passed on by a Charity supporter.
 ROLAND
This gentleman is aged 90.  He joined  the RN as Boy Seaman aged 16. Served in an MTB .Sunk by enemy on D Day.He suffered severe wounds to his stomach. Was nursed back to health at the RN Hospital Haslar.
When discharged  became schoolmaster, founding a  Language School in the Belgian Congo & then teaching in Portsmouth. On retirement in the 1980's he moved to France.  Divorced . Three female children. One dead, others live ouside UK. Unable to provide funds.
He moved around  the Dordogne & South Charente  taking on house sitting jobs or living in rented accomodation. His capital was diminished by the banking crisis. He became unable to pay his rent. He was helped by Mrs Susan Patrick until recently, the SSAFA Treasurer for France . A tower of strength who persuaded his former Masonic Lodge to pay towards his debts and liased with the French  "Service Publique",who  placed him  "sous tutelle" .Therefore his possessions have been sold & he is now confined in the Maison de Retraite in Aigre,Charente.His pension is used to pay for his upkeep. I think,but can not confirm  that he has been allowed to keep the Winter Fuel Payment. Which he will now lose. He does, of course, receive the annual £10 pensioners Xmas bonus from a grateful British Government!!

11 -- PETER.
Aged 70 plus.  Worked for the Sussex CC restoring artwork in Brighton Pavillion. Very small pension on early retirement. Lives here in  Creyssac,the village where my wife & I have lived for 20 years. The local GP asked us to keep an eye on him some 7 years ago. We found him living in total squalor . He was very ill.  The Pompiers  took him to Perigueux Hospital. He was in Intensive Care for a week. He was not registered with the Health Authority( CPAM ) so the Bordeaux Consulate were informed . They asked us to help. (There is no longer an Honorary Consul in the North Dordogne)   We contacted Newcastle to obtain  the the UK state Pension for him.They acted promptly,replying to the request for help by telephone midday on a Sunday. (Bravo)
He  lives  in a derelict house with no running water surviving on the two pensions & for the last 2 years the Winter Fuel Payments that he will now lose.

12 -- April 20th 2015  From a carer who visits an elderly couple.

I carry a fleece in my car which I put on when I arrive at my client’s house because it is so cold inside! I pat myself on the back each year when she makes it through  to May again. I buy thermal vests, fleecy dressing gowns & socks for them for Christmas & birthdays. Her mobility is so bad & the house so old that I insist they  have the heating on 10 months of the year, day & night (I know they turn it off when I leave & go to bed instead).


13 --  May 7th 2015.  (From Telegraph article by Elizabeth Roberts) Michael Boyd-Carpenter, 83, a retired stockbroker who lives in the Dordogne, said that while he has enough money to live on he knows of elderly Britons in his area struggling to make ends meet.
One, a man in his 90s, was wounded in action during the Second World War. His capital was diminished by the banking crisis and, unable to pay his rent, he now lives in a state care home.
 “I think he has been allowed to keep the winter fuel payment [so far] but will now lose it,” said Mr Boyd-Carpenter. “He’s a good example of someone who will suffer. So much for caring for our war heroes.”
Another, a man in his 70s, subsists on a small private pension plus the UK state pension.
“He lives in a derelict house with no running water surviving on the two pensions and, for the last two years, the winter fuel payments that he will now lose,” said Mr Boyd-Carpenter.
14 --  August 2nd 2015  from R.M (France)
I am in receipt of Winter Fuel Allowance until the rulings change and not for the better.   I am almost 69 years old and in receipt of State Pension and War Disability Pension from the Military.
 
I live alone and have no central heating in my little house and I feel the cold as my wood burner does not keep me sufficiently warm so I bought two second hand paraffin heaters.  I have photographs of my feet and hands that the state they are in when we have cold weather,  Would it be worth while attaching these.  I did see my GP but they were not very helpful.  I have been stocking up warmer clothes in order to keep warm.  

I live in L Q a small commune in Dept 22 - The winters here can be bitterly cold and we do have heavy rain, snow and ice - in the beginning of December and later on in the New Year.  It is most uncomfortable and I am housebound. We have no facilities eg shops, restaurants, mobile shops here in the commune.  I do not drive and have to organise  Transport on Demand - trips to ……. for shopping (have a friend who lives there) etc. I have to give two days notice but I try and plan ahead and go shopping monthly.  Here are some pictures of the commune.
I have four hot water bottles on standby!!

I have used my savings to try to make the house warmer eg new double glazed window, new roof as the old one was always losing tiles as we have very strong winds throughout the year, attic is insulated with insulation, new heavy front door, and part of my sous-sol is insulated (have a wooden floor with cracks etc!!)  I was let down my a supplier of wood last year so I hope this year will be better.   A farmer's wife came to the rescue but I was always worried about having a high electric bill.
[RM also sent pictures of her feet – blistered and with corns.]
Even my little dog feels the cold and snuggles next to me.
15 ---  21/08/2015 – from S.F.
My mother-in-law is 86 and lives here and she uses the WFA for her logs – it covers about half her winter fuel costs and she’s in S. Portugal where we can have frosts for 3 months of the year!

16 – 25/08/2015  D. 
After appalling surgery in 1977 I was left with a condition which left me able to do only light work  (from which I had to retire even earlier than anticipated) & which exempted me from  all prescription payments.  I lived in the West Country for 25 years during which time I experienced that number of winters (including being snowed-in for 2 weeks) and  I had to have fires, boilers, heating appliances in use from October round to the following May.  I seem to remember that it was the West Country that was sighted as the “levelling post” in terms of temperatures which deemed the cessation of w.f.payments to many  and which is why I mention the fact.  When I was 60 I moved to Sthn Spain  for my health which, I have to say, has improved.  However,  I still cannot go without indoor warmth in the winter months here, and living in the foothills of the mountains (but only 220 mtrs above sea level yet I was higher than that in the West Country!) still requires me to have fires during our winter months for my comfort and health.  It should also be recognised that one´s body becomes acclimatized to the heat of summer and consequently feels the cold even more so.  I buy my winter fuel supply of burning logs during the summer when they are cheaper, but one lorry load still costs me €350 so the absence of my winter fuel allowance is a severe loss to my well-being.
17 –  30/08/2015 SM
Writing to the MP.   I hope I can rely on your Support, as you know my circumstances here are not ideal renting a poorly maintained property, costing me a fortune in heating bills, €2,700 € in diesel heating fuel from March 2014,and My electricity bill has recently been  increased to €130 pm, I've had to have electric heating on in evenings these last few days, due to one of my health conditions, autoimmune Thyroiditis, now turned to Hashimoto's,  of which feeling cold is one symptom. I am now just 68 this month, poor health and dreading the winter here, but powerless to do anything, except write to you in hopes of saving my WFA, and say every little helps! 

18 – 5/09/2015 FM
We are pensioners on a very low State pension of around £800 a month which is about half the suggested amount required to live a comfortable life here in France.We need to heat our property from September through to May. The average temperatures here in the Charente are 4.5 degrees during the cold winter months, which are below that of the south of England. Our house temperature does not go above 20 degrees during the winter and we have struggled to keep warm in previous winters.

19  -  15/09/2015 Copied from a comment on the AngloInfo forum
http://loire.angloinfo.com/forum/viewtopic/35950/0/winter-fuel-allowance/18
We can't vote after 15 years so we don't count.  Shame on them I say.   As for me, well my husband is suffering from cancer and last winter we needed the heating on 24/7 because he'd lost so much weight he couldn't keep warm.  That extra bit of cash helped a great deal.  I know it's not a lot, and having it withdrawn won't stop me burning the extra oil this winter to keep him warm..  But as folks who are below the tax threshold it did make a difference. 

20 -11 December 2015 I am appalled to learn that Ian Duncan Smith has stopped the Winter Fuel Payment for this  year. 2015- I only got last year’s on 9th March this year which left us in dire straits.
I am sitting in the house in a heavy coat typing this as we have NO HEATING and the house is freezing.
I cannot remember the exact degrees government say you need to sit in and bedroom a couple of degrees lower but I found in the UK with housing benefit that you could spend whatever you liked on TV and Internet but to keep warm or eat - NO WAY.
I am a British citizen and 71yrs old- chronically ill - I get bronchitis which turns to pneumonia- hopefully this year it won't as I have been given a pneumonia vaccine for the first time.
My son is only 36yrs old and chronically ill due to being assaulted in the UK and as he suffers with diabetes and epilepsy he feel the cold terribly and is prone to bronchitis.
It is ridiculous to say we don't need heat- it is freezing here at the moment and has been like this for a week- rain and dampness to top it all.
As the European Court found in our favour surely this is going against EU rules  

Lies - Damned lies - and the DWP Staements of the Winter Fuel Payment


 Keep abreast with this link.
It changes as new information comes in.  There is considerable evidence that the DWP and IDS have deliberately had a campaign to knock the British Citizens who have only tried to live decent and honorable lives by retiring abroad.

http://www.winterfuelpayment.info/

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

The Referendum Bill




Harry Shindler writes --- If there is an 'out' vote, then it will affect personally every expat and every expat family. It's very serious indeed. LETS GET ALL OUR EX-PATS INVOLVED.  We must win the right to vote in the Referendum - it's up to us all .... as the man* said "Never Tire - Never Weary".             *Winston Churchill
 
 
For those who live far from Europe the vote may yet affect you - Please support.

The Referendum Bill  - Update
   Lobbying has already had an impact: see here ITV's report on the debate during committee stage on 2 Nov:---
 
http://www.itv.com/news/2015-11-02/lords-argue-five-million-brits-living-abroad-should-get-a-vote-in-the-eu-referendum/      and also the report on the debate below this email.  However, we need to keep up the pressure!

1.  The Report Stage takes place in the House of Lords from Wed 18 November.  Baroness Miller (Lib Dem) will introduce an amendment to give all British Citizens in the EU a vote in the Referendum.  Those resident outside the EU will not be included as this is unlikely to be accepted.  When Baroness Miller presents her amendment, it is likely that the Government will tell (whip) its members not to vote for it, and may even urge them to vote against it.  Labour might also whip against it. Baroness Miller's amendment is thus likely to fail unless Labour & Conservative peers are persuaded otherwise by our lobbying. 

2.  Keep Lobbying Peers pleaseAs mentioned previously, peers' email addresses can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/.  They are often given as a general contactholmember@parliament.uk     Individual mail addresses are usually (but not always) the surname with an added initial.  Thus for example, Baroness Altmann is altmannr@parliament.uk  

3.  Which peer should you contact?  Some advice from Baroness Miller follows.
Baroness Miller urges -----
“The essential thing now is to get all your friends and family to lobby members of the House of Lords - either ones they know, or just pick someone, but choose people who didn’t speak, rather than those who are already on board. We suggest especially writing to Baroness Anelay (Con) contactholmember@parliament.uk, or anelayj@parliament.uk who is in charge of this bill in the Lords." 
NB absolutely essential that a mail to Baroness Anelay is of a very personalised nature - if not, the clerks will bin it.  Read more in the article from The Connexion  >>>>  :http://goo.gl/IKPm8y
Lord Faulks (Conservative spokesman) spoke against for the government - a personalised and well argued letter to him would also be useful (note that he is a barrister by training).
Baroness Morgan (Labour spokesperson) clearly needs persuasion. Labour does not support the repeal of the 15 year rule in general but it is worth trying to make the argument that the EU referendum is a distinct case as expats are directly affected.   Labour supports the franchise in the EU referendum for 16-17 year olds and has referred to the impact it will have on their futures.  Her email address is  morganeluned@parliament.uk
Please check Hansard below to see who did speak in favour - so that you can then target those peers who did not speak.
  
4.  How to write?  A personalised letter is preferable but here is an example for inspiration.  
Dear [Lord] [B/ness] xxxxx
I have lived outside the UK in [country or countries] for xx years.  As a result I can no longer vote in British general elections and currently would not be able to vote in the EU referendum, although I will be seriously affected [both] personally [and professionally] by its outcome.  Thus the outcome of the referendum is naturally very important to me.  Please vote in favour of any amendment at the Report Stage of the Referendum Bill tabled by Baroness Miller  to give me the vote. 
********************
Hansard report on the Committee Stage of the Referendum Bill  2nd November 2015

During Committee Stage, two amendments were proposed by Lord Hannay (cross bench)  and B/ness Miller (LD). A good deal of cross-party consensus seemed to be building during the debate.  Only Lord Trenchard spoke against, while Lords Dobbs was ambivalent. He was for the principle but raised the practical difficulties.  It was also not entirely clear whether Lord Grocott was supportive.
Fourteen members of the Lords spoke firmly for the proposals:-
[Cons -Lexden, Spicer, Hamilton, Flight, Bowness, Tugendhat, Garel-Jones; Lab -Royall, Liddle, Anderson; LD - Wallace, Tyler, Shipley;  Cross-Bench - Green
Unfortunately, B/ness Morgan of Ely's statement set out Labour's official view as being against repeal of the 15 year rule, and Lord Faulks [contactholmember@parliament.uk], speaking for the Government was also quite clearly against.  The full debate can be found at:- 
Starting at Column 1409 at 3.09 p.m.
                             Brian Cave                              Jane Golding
                                                                                                                                           



Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Referendum Bill




October 13th 2015 the 2nd reading of the Bill was debated in the House of Lords.
Many members spoke about the lack of a democratic voice for those who have lived beyond the UK for more than 15 years.
Relevant extracts are included in this *** digest ***.
Read what Lord Shipley said
If we left the EU, work permits could return, more people could have to apply for skilled migrant visas, reciprocal health schemes could be reduced, the operation of UK state pensions could be affected and the general ease of mobility for UK citizens across the EU would become much more complicated and uncertain. I wonder whether the Government have calculated the impact if large numbers of UK citizens decided to return to the UK in the event of our exit from the EU.
 The full Hansard report is here

 The Liberal Democrat Party intend at the Committee stage to introduce an amendment to widen the franchise (the voting) to include at least ALL British Citizens in Europe.  This concept was supported by at least some members of all parties. Baroness Royall, who was in the last parliament leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords, approved.
Neil Kinnock (Lab) -at one time leader of the Labour Party- and Paddy Ashdown(LD) - similarly a previous leader of the LibDems- have said that they will vote for any such amendment.  Lord Lexden (Cons) has pushed for the life-time vote for years.
The Lib Dem announcement on this is here……………..

Those in countries beyond the EU who receive this item should grasp the thought that voting rights will add force to the claim for pension parity.  They may not get the vote in this amendment, but if they lobby for support for this amendment – it should hasten the Votes-for-Life Bill.
After that may well follow a true and full representation of the Citizens abroad.  But moreover you may want to live in France or Italy later on or may be your family will – Remember all British Citizens are also European Citizens.
What should be done now…. Lobby a likely Lord!
In the following link you will see lists of the members of the House of Lords. 
It can be difficult choosing which member or members to contact – By scanning down the list you can see names who you feel may be supportive e.g. Bakewell, Blunkett, Boothroyd etc.. and you can see also how active they have been as members.  Lobby those who have not spoken in the ***digest*** above.
In sending a mail please modify the following - This is important because the HoL clearing room for emails will not forward perceived identical mails - nor multiple addressed copies of mails.
So personalise it.
“Dear (enter the members name),
The Referendum Bill
Do please support the amendment which will be placed at Committee Stage to ensure that British Citizens abroad who have lost their right to vote and have a sincere interest in the outcome of the Referendum can have a voice in this Referendum.  I understand that leading members of all Parties intend to vote for it including members Kinnock, Ashdown, Lexden and others such as Royall, and many Liberal Democrats and also cross-bench Peers.
Extracts from  Hansard of the debate on October 13th can be read here
www/lefourquet.net/HOL-13-10-15.doc
        Obviously you can invent your own letter or add material to this one.  And when you get a good response do please acknowledge.

FOR those (all British Citizens) who are also European Citizens – this should interest you….. 

To Register  to vote (if less than 15 years abroad) --https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Friday, October 2, 2015

An Upgrade for British State Pensioners.



Important News for British State Pensioners.

Pensioners who were born before 6 April 1951 (6 April 1953 for women) now have a limited period in which to boost their entitlement to their current state pension.  They will be able to buy extra entitlements to their state pension of up to £1300 a year, for life. This will be achieved by making a lump sum payment in the form of voluntary class 3A NIC, between 12 October 2015 and 5 April 2017.

The exact amount that needs to be paid to receive each extra £1 per week of pension depends on the individual’s age at the time they make the payment. There is a table on page 5 of the state pension top-up factsheet, and an online calculator on Gov.uk to help with this calculation.

The ability to top-up the state pension may be particularly useful for women who have taken breaks from employment during their working lives, and for the self-employed with similarly patchy NIC records. Married couples will need to decide which person should make the top-up payment, as an income will be paid to a surviving spouse (or civil partner) of at least 50% of the topped-up amount.

Note the paragraph about customers (they mean pensioners) living overseas on page 3 of the factsheet.
State pension top-up factsheet

State pension top-up calculator for class 3A contributions

The first condition for the top-up is that the pensioner must already be in receipt of a UK state retirement pension.
  To register an interest:
email: paid.caxtonhouse@dwp.gsi.gov.uk or
tel: 0345 6004270

It will be important to register an interest as there will be no doubt an online system to make the payment that may require a person to prove identity. That might be more tricky for someone who lives outside of the
UK
[Example - A male at the age of 83 could pay £11,350. IF he lives 15 years he would receive back a total of  £19,500 plus inflation increases on top. 
If his wife lives on, she would continue to receive at least 50% of the sum. The lump sum payable goes down as one ages and is also related to one's sex.]

Brian Cave

le Fourquet, Gourdon, 46300, France
-Votes for Britons  -http://votes-for-expat-brits.com     


Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The BREXIT, the VOTE and you.

I was sent a copy of an article in the September edition of The Central Brittany Journal (www.thecbj.com) by James Bell – “So what happens if Britain leaves the EU?”

After the Corbyn election as leader of the Labour Party, and the migrant crisis which is seriously affecting sentiment in the UK, the verdict in the Referendum becomes yet more problematic. The pendulum of the decision is swinging violently.

A large number of British Citizens in Europe (i.e. the EU) and elsewhere close their brains, and do not want to think about it.  Yet the tendrils of the British State affect all British Citizens – the so-called expats wherever they live.  I dislike the word ‘expat’. It is too often misspelled expatriot which indicates a rejection of links with one’s homeland. The word expatriate simply indicates that one lives outside of the borders of the homeland. 
But few of us would be living in France if it were not for the treaties signed between the UK and the EU.  James Bell observes that there are as many French living in SE England as Brits living in France. A ‘Brexit’ would affect both. The French in the UK are financially dependent on the UK, being young and active. But the Brits in France include a large contingent of pensioners (>63,000) also financially dependent on the UK.  We expect the British Government to ‘act in our name and in our interest’ when treaties and laws are framed.  How the hell can they do that when there is no adequate representation of our interests in the Westminster parliament?
If you do write to an MP they generally pass your message to some Department which replies with a garbage repetition of policy which gets sent back to you.  It is impossible to change policy unless some dedicated politician has YOUR interest at heart. Most care not a fig.
By default, the Westminster politicians, in effect directed by the Whitehall bureaucrats act as they see it – ‘in the interest of the Nation!  What, one asks! is this Nation?  Is it the rivers, the hills, the towns and villages? Or is it the people, the men women and children who have an affinity with the State of Britain – The British People – wherever they live. Those of British nationality.
The affair of the Winter Fuel Payment is just one example of how the bureaucracy has become twisted to not care for the British citizen, but for the British treasury.  Balancing the books is essential, but it must be achieved in the fairest manner without discrimination.  The State pension affair is a further deplorable instance, where it is frozen for those who desire to live with their children in Australia and could well be frozen for us in Europe if the Brexit should arise [Corbyn is against the freezing!].  Health support is part of the treaties for the British pensioner in France and other EU countries. [see EU regulation 883/2004 on social security].  That could collapse. 
If Brexit came about, we would be foreigners in Europe and no longer EU citizens.  That could open ways for the French State to invent other impositions – An uncertain world would lie before us.
That is why we need Representation at Westminster.  For many of us who have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years we have not a chance of getting our voice heard.  For those who left the UK more recently you can vote.
The VOTE is not full ‘representation’. For that a reform of parliament is necessary. The total number of MPs need to be reduced, but in that re-organisation some space must be found for a few MPs who understand the life of the citizens abroad in the same manner as have the French and the Italians. They, who are resident in England, all have political representation in Paris or Rome!

But for now – our voice, such as it is, must be heard loud and clear in London.  We must vote to stay in the EU.  There are amongst us turkeys who would vote for the Christmas carve up.  But the younger as well as the older citizens will suffer uncertain times if the UK leaves the EU.
Mr. Cameron has promised us the VOTE-for-LIFE this session.  We still await that Bill to be tabled for debate. There are MPs who will say that we do not need it, do not want it, and that it is ‘inappropriate’.  We certainly need it.  We need it as a first step to full representation.
If you register to vote NOW, you will have a vote to stay in the EU. You will also be able to vote in the next general election.  You may get the right to challenge any position of the Government. 
There are those who say ‘I do not want to vote for a UK MP, I want to vote for a French député’.  That is a strong argument.  But why does it have to be an either/or choice?  Whilst you remain British the tendrils of the British bureaucracy stretch towards you.  You need to have a say in any treaty obligation that affects you. You need the chance to express your views to Government about anything that affects you as a British Citizen beyond the shores of the UK.
To claim your right to vote go to this link. It takes 5 minutes to complete it.
And when you have an MP – keep him/her occupied and argue with them by mail.

Friday, August 28, 2015

The Winter Fuel payment - What one must do now.


Mr Frank Field MP DL, Chairman of the Select Committee for Work and Pensions  has replied to me, and he says.....
The Committee has no plans, at present, to investigate the specific matter you raise but I am always open to suggestions from colleagues. Might I suggest, therefore, that any friends or relatives of yours living in the UK should ask their local MP to take up this matter in the House?

This seems encouraging – it is then absolutely necessary to persuade individual MPs to write to Mr. Field, and through him to the Select Committee, requesting the Committee to include in their investigations the issue of the unnecessary hardship to be caused by the selective withdrawal of the WFP in September.  Encourage Friends and Relatives resident in the UK to do so also, for the sake of those less fortunate than yourselves, and in the cause of fairness and honesty.


Suggested wording of a letter to your MP:
*********************************************

To   XXXXX  MP.
Subject – WINTER FUEL PAYMENT.
Dear ------------------   I, as a constituent,  request that you write to Frank Field MP, Chairman of the Select Committee for Work & Pensions, on the basis of the following information:
From this September under the Statutory Instrument 3270 of  2014 introduced by Iain Duncan Smith as Secretary of State for the DWP, this benefit [WFP] is to be withdrawn from elderly British Citizens in 6 countries and one British dependency in the EU (below referred as 7 'countries').
The DWP is claiming that the withdrawal is justified by invoking a temperature check on these 7 'countries', in comparison with SW England but:
* There are many elderly British Citizens living in these 7 'countries' who are in need of the WFP.  Visit www.lefourquet.net/Hardup-dossier.doc  to read of some 17 of these citizens. It is apparent that they are discriminated against by the operation of SI 3270.
* 35 MPs signed the EDM 695 last year ‘praying’ that the SI 3270 be annulled. (11-Con- 12 Lab – 8 LD – 2 SNP – 1 Gr – 1 Ind.)
* There is evidence that these temperature checks have been falsely calculated, for example they include in the case of France, temperatures of Caribbean and Indian Ocean territories which are French possessions, but are not France. 
* It is further clear that the fact that winter temperatures in many districts of France and even Spain fall well below those in SW England.- Spain, Cyprus, Portugal (Estrela) and of course France. e.g. all have tourist ski resorts.
* Furthermore, winter temperatures in these countries all fall below that which require home heating to maintain health.

In addition, this is contrary to  EU Regulation 883/2004  ---- Article 7 which states:
Waiving of residence rules:
Unless otherwise provided for by this Regulation, cash benefits payable under the legislation of one or more Member States or under this Regulation shall not be subject to any reduction, amendment, suspension, withdrawal or confiscation on account of the fact that the beneficiary or the members of his family reside in a Member State other than that in which the institution responsible for providing benefits is situated.

Could you please write to Frank Field MP DL ..  within Parliament  requesting that the Select Committee for Work & Pensions considers in their investigations,  the hardship to be caused by selective withdrawal of the WFP from certain British pensioners resident within the EU in September.

****************************************

Please copy all the above between the lines of  ******* and send to your  MP.   You may of course add any extra material relating to yourself or your family and friends affected by this matter.
And as Frank Field MP suggests, encourage all your friends and relatives in the UK to do likewise.
 Find email and other addresses of MPs  here .... http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

Thursday, May 7, 2015

The UK is Wrong to stop me voting

Within the last  few days (May 7th 2015) I have received copies of complaints from people about the non-reception of voting papers from as far apart as California, Massachusetts,  Norway,  and of course France and Spain.  The forum site SFN is loaded with more.  Why do people want to vote? The passion to do so is clear.  Yet so many politicians in the UK and so many residents there say ‘You have left the country – you don’t deserve to vote.’
A number of those who write to me are young and clearly intelligent.  They have the desire to see that Britain is a country of which they can be proud.  Oddly that archaic institution, The Royal Family, is the focus of so much of this pride.  At a dinner of expats the other day, most of whom could not vote because like me we left the UK over 15 years ago, the meal was interrupted with the cry ‘It’s a girl!’ and glasses were raised to Kate and her baby.  Why cannot the idiots at home realise that we, the citizens abroad, are all ambassadors of the British Nation!  It is we who foster the good will of the country. The ‘country?’ whatever that is – arises from the stupid confusion in the use of words.  We are not a country – hills and towns, a little offshore set of islands.  We are a Nation - a people of a common culture.  Just as the French are a Nation with a shared culture. And as the French passionately hold onto that culture wherever they live so do the British.  Whatever a Nation’s Government does in the world affects each and every citizen.  The Government acts in the name of ALL the citizens.  We are today no longer ‘subjects’ of that Royal Institution that we so much respect but ‘citizens’ with a shared interest in the welfare of  us all. 
Naturally, many of us have material interests for why citizens abroad want a say in the development of the UK.  All of us, young and retired, may wish or need to return.  We need a sound NHS and all the social support systems to be good.  For many, our income is based in the UK. Many are taxed in the UK. Most of us, of all ages, have family at ‘home’ and we have a care for them, for their welfare and education. Our lives depend on treaties between the States – A BREXIT could be a disaster.
For all these reasons we desire the vote.  But do you get the impression, as I do, that most Parties seek power for their own interest rather than the interest of the voter?
I hope that is a false impression, we need the Party in power to act with thoughts for the citizens everywhere. Yet have you heard any of them during this campaign utter a word of concern for the Citizen abroad? – We may be expatriates (out of the homeland), but by no means are we ex-patriots.
Brian Cave, a leading campaigner in the team for UK expat rights whose website is www.votes-for-expat-brits.com, explains why it is important to him to be able to vote even though he has lived abroad for many years

WITHIN the last few days I have received copies of complaints from people about the non-reception of voting papers from as far apart as California, Massachusetts, Norway and, of course, France and Spain.

The Connexion and expat forums have had even more.

So, why do people who no longer live in the UK still want to vote? The passion to do so is clear. Yet so many politicians in the UK and so many residents there say “You have left the country – you don’t deserve to vote.”

A number of those who write to me are young and clearly intelligent. They have the desire to see that Britain is a country of which they can be proud. Oddly, that archaic institution the Royal Family is the focus of so much of this pride.

At a recent dinner of expats, most of whom could not vote because like me we left the UK over 15 years ago, the meal was interrupted with the cry ‘It’s a girl!’ and glasses were raised to Kate and her baby.

Why cannot those at home realise that we, the citizens abroad, are all ambassadors of the British nation? It is we who foster the goodwill of the country.

The ‘country?’ - whatever that is. We are not a country – hills and towns, a little offshore set of islands. We are a nation - a people of a common culture. Just as the French are a nation with a shared culture. And as the French passionately hold on to that culture wherever they live so do the British.

Whatever a nation’s government does in the world affects each and every citizen. The government acts in the name of ALL the citizens.

We are today no longer ‘subjects’ of that Royal Institution that we so much respect but ‘citizens’ with a shared interest in the welfare of us all.

Naturally, many of us have material interests as to why citizens abroad want a say in the development of the UK. All of us, young and retired, may wish or need to return.

We need a sound NHS and for all the social support systems to be good. For many, our income is based in the UK. Many are taxed in the UK.

Most of us, of all ages, have family at ‘home’ and we care for them, for their welfare and education. Our lives depend on treaties between the States – a BREXIT could be a disaster.

For all these reasons we desire the vote. But do you get the impression, as I do, that most parties seek power for their own interest rather than the interest of the voter?

I hope that is a false impression, we need the party in power to act with thoughts for the citizens everywhere.

Yet have you heard any of them during this campaign utter a word of concern for the citizen abroad?

We may be expatriates (‘out of the homeland’), but by no means are we ex-patriots.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/campaigner-Brian-Cave-expat-rights-vote-election-16926-view-article.html#sthash.Ebi4IyaW.dpuf
Brian Cave, a leading campaigner in the team for UK expat rights whose website is www.votes-for-expat-brits.com, explains why it is important to him to be able to vote even though he has lived abroad for many years

WITHIN the last few days I have received copies of complaints from people about the non-reception of voting papers from as far apart as California, Massachusetts, Norway and, of course, France and Spain.

The Connexion and expat forums have had even more.

So, why do people who no longer live in the UK still want to vote? The passion to do so is clear. Yet so many politicians in the UK and so many residents there say “You have left the country – you don’t deserve to vote.”

A number of those who write to me are young and clearly intelligent. They have the desire to see that Britain is a country of which they can be proud. Oddly, that archaic institution the Royal Family is the focus of so much of this pride.

At a recent dinner of expats, most of whom could not vote because like me we left the UK over 15 years ago, the meal was interrupted with the cry ‘It’s a girl!’ and glasses were raised to Kate and her baby.

Why cannot those at home realise that we, the citizens abroad, are all ambassadors of the British nation? It is we who foster the goodwill of the country.

The ‘country?’ - whatever that is. We are not a country – hills and towns, a little offshore set of islands. We are a nation - a people of a common culture. Just as the French are a nation with a shared culture. And as the French passionately hold on to that culture wherever they live so do the British.

Whatever a nation’s government does in the world affects each and every citizen. The government acts in the name of ALL the citizens.

We are today no longer ‘subjects’ of that Royal Institution that we so much respect but ‘citizens’ with a shared interest in the welfare of us all.

Naturally, many of us have material interests as to why citizens abroad want a say in the development of the UK. All of us, young and retired, may wish or need to return.

We need a sound NHS and for all the social support systems to be good. For many, our income is based in the UK. Many are taxed in the UK.

Most of us, of all ages, have family at ‘home’ and we care for them, for their welfare and education. Our lives depend on treaties between the States – a BREXIT could be a disaster.

For all these reasons we desire the vote. But do you get the impression, as I do, that most parties seek power for their own interest rather than the interest of the voter?

I hope that is a false impression, we need the party in power to act with thoughts for the citizens everywhere.

Yet have you heard any of them during this campaign utter a word of concern for the citizen abroad?

We may be expatriates (‘out of the homeland’), but by no means are we ex-patriots.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/campaigner-Brian-Cave-expat-rights-vote-election-16926-view-article.html#sthash.Ebi4IyaW.dpuf