Benefits Fiddling Ex Pats.

[OrcadianOil]

Bet there are some on here who come into this category?

http://www.express.co...-46m-benefits-scandal

[Nosha123]

"MILLIONS of pounds of taxpayers’ money is being sent to Britons living in the sun who claim they are too sick to work."

if they were not ill.. and could work.. would they work in the country they reside in then??? I'm guessing they wouldnt relocate back to UK to get a job...

Then surely they would pay income tax in that country too?

[joeluke]

When you leave this country to live abroad you should not be entitled to any benefits at all from our government......You have chosen to live in that country so any benefits you are entitled to should come from their government, not ours

[Sqad]

joe...really? You have paid your taxes (probably more than most) and get to retirement to be told that to continue your benefits you have to stay in the UK.Balls.
Were does the great British "freedom of choice" come in, not to mention "Human Rights.

[Nosha123]

if.. like my Dad you have worked your whole life.... then moved to spain to retire in the sun and then at the age of 65.. you need blood pressure pills... he cannot even get them on prescription from the UK and has to pay for them in Spain..

He has never claimed a single benefit in his life yet cant get one free prescription now...

Seems a bit unfair!

[society]

You talking bologna, Joe.

[joeluke]

Sqad.....read the link

It doesn't mention retirement, 90% are scroungers who are claiming 'incapacity' benefit

[joeluke]

nosha.....your dad retire to Spain so any healthcare should be from the spaniards

[Sqad]

Nosha...as he is an OAP and lives in Spain, registered with the Social Services, not only can HE get free prescriptions, but so can his dependants even though they are under 65.
Also he would be given a card which contained all his medications which can be "swiped"at the chemist, saving him contacting his GP.

The health care is superb.

[trapped]

Is my calculator broke, anyone able to work that out ?

£46million was paid to 9,660 claimants living abroad last year




Claimants receive £68.95 for the first six months.

This rises to £81.60 and then to £91.40 after a year


Do the figures match up

[joeluke]

Another joke is the heating allowance paid to OAP's living abroad

They chose to live in that country so why should we still have to subsidise them?

[Sqad]

joeluke...the Spaniards are no fools, they say that you have paid taxes in the UK all your working life and now come to Spain for Healthcare (Noway Jose), so what are we (the Spaniards) getting out of it?........answer......nothing.

The British Government pay the Spaniards for healthcare to OAP/s and there dependants.

[joeluke]

trapped.......I think the figures quoted are the amounts paid to each claimant per WEEK not per year

[LoftyLottie]

I obviously think that pensions should be classed differently. You get a state pension linked to what you have paid in and it is only right it should be available to you wherever you choose to live. But health care is different. Your NI contributions don't entitle you to free health care or medications wherever you live and neither should they. We have reciprocal agreements with EU countries, but you should have to come under their health care system if you are domiciled abroad. If you choose to live in another country then you just have to be accept that there are disadvantages as well as advantages and should know the score before actually up and going

[Sqad]

joeluke.........same answer......paid UK taxes all their lives and it get's cold in the Med in the winter.

[craft1948]

OAP living abroad, worked all his life paying taxes etc, never claimed benefits versus OAP living in this country, scrounged everything all his life and never contributed to society..................hmm wonder which one I'd give the winter fuel allowance to?

[joeluke]

Sqad.....and do any countries pay the UK government for healthcare to OAP's of foreigners who move to live in this country?

[joeluke]

Well said LL

[society]

Excellent point Craft.

[Sqad]

Lofty....what are the disadvantages in Spanish Health Care for ex pats?

[trapped]

Joe what is 46million Divided 9,660 then divided by 12