WINTER FUEL PAYMENT - FIGHT FOR IT

British Expats in Cyprus to fight back for their WFP   

15 December 2014

A bombshell was dropped today for British Expats in Cyprus. The British government has set legislation procedures to expel British Expats in Cyprus from receiving the UK Winter Fuel Payments as from September 15 2015.

The changes relate to a Statutory Instrument to The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payments (Amendment) Regulations 2014

Cyprus, along with France, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Malta and Gibraltar will now be excluded from this benefit, which amounts to between GBP100-GBP300. British Expats in these countries have been cast aside using unfair tactics by the Department for Work and Pensions.

British Expats in Cyprus may still apply for their Winter Fuel Payment for 2014/2015, if not paid automatically, here

The Department for Work and Pensions have used very strange calculations to work out their average temperatures and have based their calculations on the average temperature in the south west of England, calculated at 5.6%. This means countries that have average temperatures higher than this, in which Cyprus has been calculated as having, will now be disqualified for consideration as a country to consider for the Winter Fuel Payment.

This has outraged the British Expats in Cyprus, as the Department for Work and Pensions have devised a scheme to include 5 months as being winter, from November till March, when in fact the coldest months in Cyprus are between December till February. By including November and March, they are including 2 warmer months in order to increase the average temperatures.

This is "Dirty Politics" and a below the belt punishment for people who have paid into the UK benefits system for most of their lives. It looks as though this amendment will pass into law without a debate and once more, the British government will be turning their backs on their own.

So, what can the British Expats in Cyprus do about this situation? The fight has to be taken to the British government. They wish to cut off benefits for people who have left the UK, well the British Expats, not only in Cyprus, but elsewhere in the world, are forming associations to fight injustices against them.

British Expats feel that if the British government wishes to proceed along this path, then why should the British Expats have to pay UK Inheritance Tax? Why is it that British Expats who are unlucky enough to move to a "wrong country" have their pensions frozen and not indexed linked, like British Expats in other countries.

There is an election coming up in the UK next year and there is a campaign to get British Expats, who have not yet registered to vote, and are entitled to do so, to register. This way, they can pressure their MP's to listen to their cause.

There is also a growing campaign among British Expats around the world to have an MP(s) to act on their behalf in Parliament, just like they have in France. They will have their voice in the British parliament, and will harness a large voting block, which will no longer be cast aside.

Going back to the Inheritance Tax issue, there has been rumours that the Inheritance Tax threshold will be increased to GBP 1 Million. We have heard all this before, but once in power, the political parties come up with lame excuses and defer it's introduction. This is simply not good enough!

British Expats around the world contribute a vast amount to the UK economy in many ways and this is never mentioned by the British government. It is high time this was corrected!

SOURCE http://www.cyprusexpat.co.uk/blog/read/ … l-payments