Poor Joe.

[Cassandra]

They also expect to receive the Winter Payment of £200. That should be stopped if they live abroad, especially the bigger one due this year.

Surely not, it must be for UK residents only? The Gov know if we live abroad because our pensions (quite rightly) are capped at the rate that was applicable upon departure. I never expected anything other than that paid to me presently, as I refer to above, which I consider a fair presumption of judgement all round.

[Raven]

Ex Pats in Spain were certainly getting the £200.

Hmmmm, went on Google and had a check. Seems not as many as before are still getting the allowance.

https://forthcapital.com/british-expat-winter-fuel-allowance/

[klondike]

Ex-pats to some countries get increases while others don't I think. The problem as I see it is that recipients of a state pension who spend it in the UK pay UK taxes when spending it (VAT etc.) while any money paid to ex-pats is a total loss to the UK economy. Not sure what a fair approach would be.

[Alex]

Many pensioners who retire and then go to live in Europe have paid in to the UK system all their working lives, what are they to live on if not their UK pension  ?. I don't think they should receive any 'extras'

[Raven]

That's my point Alex, they have paid for their pensions so yes of course they should have it.
It's The Winter £200 and any other extras I object to, why should someone who's having Christmas Dinner outside in the lovely warm weather get the heating allowance.  

[morty]

why should someone who's having Christmas Dinner outside in the lovely warm weather get the heating allowance.  

Years back on another forum I was on that was explained to us by an ex-pat ... apparently they need the £200 to pay for their air conditioning in summer.

[Alex]

It can get bloody cold in Spain too in winter, not as bad as here mind but where my friend lives in Murcia, he often has zeroº in January and February.

[Scrumpy]

Some people I know ,who are pensioners, went to Australia to retire.. They are able to draw their pension but it was capped at the payout received on date of departure.. I hope I am right..

[klondike]

https://www.iexpats.com/uk-state-pension-guide-for-expats/#:~:text=following%20April%206.-,Which%20countries%20uprate%20the%20state%20pension%20for%20expats%3F,500%2C000%20are%20excluded%20from%20uprating.

Uprating the state pension increases the payment in line with the cost of living.

Expats paid the UK state pension in one of the countries listed below to pick up the same uprating as someone receiving the pension in the UK.

Here's the list of countries where the expat state pension is uprated:

Austria    Guernsey    Montenegro
Barbados    Hungary    Netherlands
Belgium    Iceland    New Zealand
Bermuda    Ireland    Norway
Bosnia-Herzegovina    Isle of Man    North Macedonia
Bulgaria    Israel    Philippines
Canada    Italy    Poland
Chile    Jamaica    Portugal
Croatia    Japan    Romania
Cyprus    Jersey    Serbia
Czech Republic    Kosovo    Slovakia
Denmark    Latvia    Slovenia
Estonia    Liechtenstein    South Korea
Finland    Lithuania    Spain
France    Luxembourg    Sweden
Germany    Malta    Turkey
Greece    Mauritius    USA

[morty]

Ah makes sense ... I was about to say it depended on which country you retired to and what kind of reciprocal agreement existed between the two countries.

[klondike]

I don't know why you get increases in some places but not others. I just knew that you did.

[Cassandra]

https://www.iexpats.com/uk-state-pension-guide-for-expats/#:~:text=following%20April%206.-,Which%20countries%20uprate%20the%20state%20pension%20for%20expats%3F,500%2C000%20are%20excluded%20from%20uprating.

Uprating the state pension increases the payment in line with the cost of living.

Expats paid the UK state pension in one of the countries listed below to pick up the same uprating as someone receiving the pension in the UK.

Here's the list of countries where the expat state pension is uprated:

The Home Office, or Immigrantion Assistance Office, told me my pension was Frozen until I returned to live in the UK permanently at the rate when I left and indeed it was not uprated this April? From what I made of Klon's very helpful post, it seems I will get it in the second year, which is logical.

However the disinterestedly rude young woman from the 'Gov' (probably working at home, as she sounded like she was either on an exercise bike, or in the middle of an orgasm) that I spoke with, never elicited this important addendum. Thank you Mark.

[Alex]

the disinterestedly rude young woman from the 'Gov' (probably working at home, as she sounded like she was either on an exercise bike, or in the middle of an orgasm) that I spoke with, never elicited this important addendum. Thank you Mark.