I must back up what Brian is saying - do not waste any time in contacting your MP, in any way you can. Roger Gale and Peter Bottomley need the support of their colleagues right across the House of Commons.
Paul, not sure where you live in France, but you should try winters we have experienced in our nearly thirteen years in the Haute Vienne. The extremes of winter weather we have witnessed have never been seen in the SW of England. But, please remember this Government is claiming 7°C makes France a ‘hot’ country. At the same time this Government publishes two booklets providing detailed advice on the care of the elderly in cold winter weather. The advice states quite clearly there is an ‘increased risk of death’ whenever average winter temperatures fall below 8°C! So, Paul, please explain to me what this Government is trying to do to British Pensioners who have moved legally to France, and who have claimed an old-age benefit, which, for the moment is probably the only benefit they can claim over and above their pensions?
So far - Sunday 18 January 8.00 a.m. there are ONLY TWO MPs who have signed this Early Day Motion.
Sir Roger Gale himself and Sir Peter Bottomley. Chase up the MPs - It is vital. It really is.
This is the link to check it.
It would be good to write to your MP too as the motion is in the Commons & needs signing by MPs
I have today received this reply from my MP >>>
I will look at this EDM and will probably sign it when I am back in London next week. If you look on the UK Parliament website, you can see the list of EDMs and the signatories which are added each day.
Regards
Mark LazarowiczMP for Edinburgh North and Leith
Hi Paul, it would be good if you researched this a bit more because it's not so straightforward, for example, expats living in Italy are entitled but not France because the French temperatures are taken including their tropical islands (Doh ??). Also, having lived for a long time in the South West of England, upon which the temperatures are based, I can assure you that a Winter is generally no warmer here in Northern France. Also, it is something that we are entitled to, having paid into the system in the UK all our lives. Also, not being in the UK, we are not using the UK support system there and, therefore, we're a cheaper deal. Also, we still pay our taxes in the UK. This mean government ought to be happier about that, you'd think.
I could go on but I think you'd find it more interesting to do some research of your own.
Because it is illegal to discriminate between payments to Uk citizens on account of their address.
Also I can tell you that it is colder here than it is in the south west of England.
Hi all
If you no longer live in England and are not subject to the british cold weather why should you get a payment ??
I have received a reply from the Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw today. When I lived in Exeter I always found him to be helpful, conscientious and good-hearted - and I say this as someone who, otherwise, has little faith in MPs. I think Ben's one of the good ones.
He is aware of the pros & cons of the Winter Fuel Payment and also the 15 year rule for expat voting. He welcomes the fact that the Electoral Commission has set a target of getting 100,000 more overseas voters before the next General Erection and hopes that we'll all take advantage of the online registration system. I will as I don't feel I have any right to continue to rant about the state of politics in the UK if I don't, at least, vote.
In the light of the ease of modern communications: internet, etc, I believe that the whole antiquated system could do with a serious update - chuck it in the bin and restart from zero.
I will vote even though I think the system is seriously lacking but better to have a say than not…
There are various proposals for changing the system; my daughter, for instance, supports the idea of "Policies, not Parties". Myself, I've been pushing the idea of a "Vote of Veto" for some years now but, so far, it's been ignored. I think it's worth a few minutes of your consideration even if then you reject it. Heres the basics:
Roy, Look at your old Council website and you can register to vote via there.
Or look for voter registration in UK via Google.
We all know that the weather is colder here in France, but the problem is that for some reason and I expect that it is because David Cameron has said that WFP will not be means-tested the DWP has looked for other methods of cutting their expenditure and we are their target, no matter that what they want to do is illegal.
As you have seen on previous posts you can complain to your EMP here in France.
Dear Roger
You may be interested in our message to our ex Mp.Regards
As we are registered to vote in the UK I have written to my new MEP for the South West asking her to take this to the Commission on our behalf.
I had to use Write to Them because the official list for the EU Parliament is out of date!
The only way we can hold them to account is at the ballot box, but it is so complicated because we very rarely agree with everthing in a Party’s manifesto.
Would that so eone would take this on against IDS.
Thank you, Brian. I'll stay on familiar ground in my choice :o)
That's fine - one should choose an MEP whose political outlook might match yours.
e.g. probably Brits would avoid the Front National - Though I have a friend who always votes FN.
How do we know which one to write to - there are five on my list (Massif Central-Centre).
Sent mine (she is SNP so I'm hopeful) and circulated to friends.
That is excellent news Brian. I think I will contact my new MEP, having unfortunately recently lost the very helpful Sir Graham Watson.
One of our correspondents (R.P.) has written to his local French MEP [M.Franck Proust] and has the following reply
It is a question posed for written reply to the EU Commission.
Une nouvelle réglementation est récemment entrée en vigueur au Royaume Uni, amendant les conditions d’éligibilité a un prestation sociale appelée « Winter Fuel Payment »
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3270/regulation/2/made#top
Parmi ces conditions, le Royaume Uni distingue le lieu de résidence du bénéficiaire de la prestation, et notamment les citoyens britanniques résident en France ne sont pas inclus au sein des territoires éligibles, au contraire de ceux de nombreux autres Etats membres de l’Union européenne.
Un résident britannique de ma circonscription m’a donc justement interpellé, car il ne perçoit plus ce type de prestation en raison de sa résidence en France.
Une telle modification de la législation britannique est-elle conforme qu droit de l’Union européenne
Franck Proust MEP 14/01/2014
It is most important that individual MPs sign the Early Day Motion (the Prayer) which Sir Roger Gale has tabled.
In this instance the clerk of the Work & Pensions Committee is not enough.
Find your MP by the link http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/