Message from Brian Cave -
Pensions, Double Taxation, Winter Fuel payments and UK bank accounts.
To everyone (I hope) who has contacted me (mostly ordinary folks but also media people and some politicians).. I hope that no-one is irritated in receiving this. It is sent with hope.
If like me you have had heavy colds and bronchitis (besides other ailments!), you just want to curl up and bury your head until the summer arrives. But it is wise to stay alert. One must not lower one's guard!
I think we are in the doldrums of any campaign . But one perseveres. I will attempt to post some comment each month on the blog - The Monthly Comment. This month I have made an analysis of OAP migration to Europe (which see on the blog).
Most people who read the blog site can do damn all about it - but numbers do count in any world which has any political connexion. It matters that those who can take action know that many others are concerned, so never undervalue the numbers game. The importance of this blog site is that amongst the many who read it, now and then it comes to eyes of someone who has power to act. It is important to direct this blogsite in the direction of those who might act and also forever widen and widen its influence by telling others of its existence. Mostly such seeding falls on stony ground, but some seed might land on fertile ground and grow into a 'beanstalk'. So, please, disseminate the address of this site, and get others to read it..
Some concerns...
This last month I was contacted about the problem of not being able to open a UK based bank account from an address in Europe. There is no legal obstruction to doing so and I am sure that this obstruction by the banks has created problems for some expatriates. I have a relative by marriage who is Dutch and lives in England and has opened a German Bank account but has never lived in Germany. It demonstrates a different attitude from the British Banks! The attitude of the British Banks inhibits free movement of the expatriate and is not in the spirit of the EU Treaty (Article 18). There are grounds for creating a personal petition to the EU, but it needs copies of correspondence involving the individual who has been personally affected.
Years ago, before being resident in France, I myself opened a French account from an address in England. This matter needs pushing... but I have my time and brain occupied and importantly am not personally affected. Is there someone out there who can spearhead this objective?
I have had other further comments about people with difficulties over the DLA (Disability Living Allowance) scandal. Fortunately there are other people in the front line of this matter and who are pushing it hard.
The group who is spearheading the Equitable Life scandal is in touch with me and support my blog.
On the matter of the effect of the interpretation of the Double Taxation Convention in France on the Government Pensions... there I myself continue.. Through the 'stats counter' information I note the continuing traffic on the internet to my blog site. I am sure that one repeated viewer (>100 visits) is a Whitehall person (a seed on fertile ground?). I have suspicions (by reading the name of the servers and location involved) that other viewers with EU connections are looking. (A Washington spy network has also peeped!) My EU petition is therefore slowly simmering. One must be patient! And keep one's cool!
From Spain I get various messages and also much guidance from the legal advisor to the Spanish Expatriates.
The whole picture of the disparate issues which fall in hard manner upon the elderly expatriate is complicated. My blog is trying to put all into a coherent framework.
The Winter Fuel Payment is one matter which you yourself could raise with George Osborne. I have written to him (the letter is on the blog site). He says he will retain the WFP - but will the unfairness to so many expatriates be also maintained? Read my letter and judge for yourself. Find the letter via CONCERN 1 (Freedom of Movement) and then under Winter Fuel Payment you find the link to the Letter to George Osborne. Essentially I suggest that the WFP is linked to the Pension and becomes taxable. It should be paid at Christmas time. By that means the poorest benefit most, and it is received at the coldest period so that it is there at a time appropriate for the fuel bills- and moreover the very elderly expatriate OAP, currently denied this payment, will also benefit. George Osborne was sent this letter in October and has not answered.
Getting known.......
If only one could get the ears and hearts of the MPs in Westminster. Foremost amongst the MPs is Roger Gale - who originally was drawn in on the DLA issue via his constituent who is closely involved. If only all the 600+ MPs shared his interest.
The Equitable Life Campaign is doing its best to contact other MPs.
My own MP Mark Harper, is well aware of what is going on. Is yours? Tell them of the blog site! And tell the would-be MPs in May.
The General Election approaches... Please use your vote.. You can find out how to contact the MP of your last area of habitation in the UK via a link on the blog site (It is helpful to know your last UK post code). There are some British Citizens in Europe who have no possibility whatsoever of having a vote!
If you insert 'Find Your MP' into the search engine, you will find various routes to locate the incumbent.
Remember - I am not a young whiz-kid. Finding my way round the computer world is not that easy. Do I need a newly fashioned clever web-site to deploy the message? Can anyone help?
Keep informed....
I have come to realise that the best way to keep informed on changes on the blog site is to raise 'Google Alert' - if you write that phrase in the search engine you will see what to do - add 'Pensioners Debout!' when asked. [The 'followers' route seems to be too difficult.]
Lastly have you anything at all to offer in comments about this blog site, or items which might be worth airing and sharing?
To know that there are people out there who support me is very comforting and enables me to continue. I do not maintain it for fun!
My very best wishes for the Spring to come.
Brian Cave
le Fourquet, Gourdon, 46300, France
Tel: 0033(0)565 41 42 69
email: lefourquet@orange.fr
web site: www.lefourquet.net
Blogs: http://pensionersdebout.blogspot.com/
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