Author Topic: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP  (Read 6415 times)

johnj

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Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« on: Aug 29, 2018, 11:00:19 AM »
 To Rt., Honourable David Gauke MP                                                            31/10/2017
Minister of Work & Pensions
 
Dear Sir, I would like to request that the Government look at the discriminatory way some pensioners are treated when wishing to retire to some countries, with regard to the state pension annual increase. I have studied the Government position with regard to this and find it incomprehensible that some pensioners wishing to retire in their twilight years to countries where they may have family, to be penalised because of where they wish to retire too. Government legislation states that if you live in a country which has a social security agreement with the UK., you get the annual state pension increase, but if you don’t live in one of these countries you do not get the annual increase. If a pensioner has paid into the NI., contributions all his/her working life, then you should either be given the annual increase if you move abroad, or you should not be given it regardless of where you choose to live. I have read a Briefing Paper Number CBP-01457, 13 April 2017., which states that the UK., will pay the annual increase to retirees that live in any country that has legislation requiring the UK., Government to increase pensions annually. I find it distasteful that the UK., Government it seems will not give the annual increase to pensioners, unless forced to by a foreign Governments requirements. The Philippines is a signatory to this social security agreement with the UK., I have read. I’d like to know how many Philippino retirees are resident in the UK., for the UK., Government to have a reciprical agreement with the Philippines Government. I suspect none, unless they are very wealthy, in which case, unlike most British retirees an annual increase would be of no benefit to any Philippino retirees. I’d also like to ask why if your in receipt of housing benefit, council tax benefit and in receipt of a means tested pension top up, which I am, the time you are allowed outside of the UK., without losing any of these benefits, has been reduced from thirteen weeks to four weeks. In my case I have extended family in Asia and because I cannot go to live with them because of the discrimination to pensioners like myself, with regard to the annual pension increase and the low state pension I receive, I only get the chance to visit them every few years, which is the time it takes me to save enough to make the trip. I’d also like to make the point that the amount of benefits outside of my basic state pension is altogether over 8,000 GBP annually, not including my bus pass and the use of the NHS. Taken that the annual pension increase is approximately, 200 GBP., I would of thought that in many pensioners cases that are the same as mine, it would be grossly more in the Governments favour to allow the annual pension increase regardless of which country you wish to retire too. I cannot see any justification in this descrimination toward pensioners, who as in my case have been low earners in their working lives and do not have access to private pension funds.
                    John Jowett (Umston Manchester)

stuarttootell

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #1 on: Sep 08, 2018, 07:16:34 AM »
A worthy reply and well trodden path by we discriminated against ex pat pensioners.


Our very absence from the U K saves far more than the yearly increase on the state pension, which is incidentally the lowest in Europe too.


The last time the issue was challenged in the European court was under a so called Labour government led by arch self serving con man Tony Blair who fought hard and the case was won to keep our pensions frozen.


Arrive in the U K as a ''refugee'' and the welfare system is indeed a generous benefactor to those who have and all probabilities never will contribute to the system.




GrannyMac

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #2 on: Sep 08, 2018, 09:03:57 AM »
A worthy reply and well trodden path by we discriminated against ex pat pensioners.


Our very absence from the U K saves far more than the yearly increase on the state pension, which is incidentally the lowest in Europe too.


The last time the issue was challenged in the European court was under a so called Labour government led by arch self serving con man Tony Blair who fought hard and the case was won to keep our pensions frozen.


Arrive in the U K as a ''refugee'' and the welfare system is indeed a generous benefactor to those who have and all probabilities never will contribute to the system.


Whilst I agree with comments about ex pat pensioners not getting a good deal, if someone comes here seeking asylum their allowance is around £37 a week.  They also get housed, some in hostels specifically for asylum seekers.  Real luxury living!


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/21/asylum-seekers-allowance-surviving-charities-counting-pennies
Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right.

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sparky

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #3 on: Sep 08, 2018, 10:07:00 AM »
Well, bearing in mind that the majority are not even  genuine asylum seekers, £37 is £37 to much which is funded by often struggling British Taxpayers,

crabbyob

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #4 on: Sep 08, 2018, 03:01:27 PM »
i know what you mean Sparky, but we are British, we dont cross to the other side, if we come across a sick man we help, this is what makes us different... and proud
“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but as we are already here we may as well dance”

sparky

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #5 on: Sep 08, 2018, 04:07:17 PM »
Crabbyob, I'm all for helping the sick man. but only idiots would choose to help all those that come to the UK illegally to ponce off the British  taxpayer.

crabbyob

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #6 on: Sep 08, 2018, 04:42:04 PM »
might it be ok if we helped them to return home?
“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but as we are already here we may as well dance”

fortyone

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #7 on: Sep 08, 2018, 05:15:33 PM »
Our very absence from the U K saves far more than the yearly increase on the state pension, which is incidentally the lowest in Europe too.
By leaving the UK any monies you receive are presumably not spent here so rather than saving the state anything taking your spending outside the UK is potentially a cost to the UK economy.

GrannyMac

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #8 on: Sep 08, 2018, 05:31:35 PM »
Crabbyob, I'm all for helping the sick man. but only idiots would choose to help all those that come to the UK illegally to ponce off the British  taxpayer.


People like interpreters for the British in Afghanistan are at risk if they stay. I don't grudge them help. Or the Syrian refugees. I just wish the process was quicker so they could earn a living. It's all most of the genuine refugees from Syria, Afghanistan etc want. 
Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right.

R. Gervais

johnj

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #9 on: Sep 10, 2018, 09:40:44 AM »
Grannymac, what on earth has asylum seekers got to do with British EX. Taxpayer Pensioners being treated badly?, economic migrants come here because they know about the benefits system here in the UK? People with your outlook think the world owes everybody a living. 37 quid a week is a lot more than scratching in dirt to try to find something to eat. If the so called hard up economic migrants think its worse here than in their own countries, they can always volunteer for repatriation to their respective countries. Or another idea, if your so concerned about them, why don't you find out which charities help them and then you can donate part of your pension to them, that's if your a pensioner. 37 quid a week and funds to pay for wherever they are housed is paid by taxpayers, not the Governments of whichever country they are Nationals of.   

fortyone

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #10 on: Sep 10, 2018, 09:55:29 AM »
We tend to wander off topic a bit here. 

I agree that by working here you have paid for a pension. None of us get a very generous pension considering the amount of tax we've paid in or compared to some other European countries but it is what it is. Moaning about it or the rules attached to it if folks choose to leave the country on this forum will change nothing.

I personally have little sympathy for ex pat pensioners for the reason I already mentioned. If you want the same terms as we get here then come back to the UK and contribute to the UK economy.

johnj

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #11 on: Sep 10, 2018, 10:13:15 AM »
Fortyone, moaning, is not the same as voicing your opinion for what you believe to be morally right. Also I'm already here and unfortunately have to put up with the lawless society that the UK., has become. I lived out of the UK., for 19 years in countries where respect is a way of life and especially for older people. I got a shock when for reasons outside my control, ie., being between 60 & 65 years old, I could not get work in the industry that I'd worked in since 1994, otherwise, if I could of got work until I was a full pensioner I would never of come back to this country. People make comments without asking questions first. Do you venture out after dark here? I guess not. Where I've lived in South East Asia, you can go out anytime 24 hours a day with no fear of being mugged, accosted, or murdered, robbed in your own home, scammed out of your savings, so can you explain to me please, other than the NHS & measly pension what is good about being a pensioner in the UK? Also you have the BBC News going on all the time about an ageing population with regard to the NHS., which causes resentment among the general population, as if its some sort of crime to be a pensioner. Some people need to wake up and smell the coffee.

fortyone

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #12 on: Sep 10, 2018, 10:20:52 AM »
Presumably you built up a nice private pension though during those 19 years working overseas?

johnj

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #13 on: Sep 10, 2018, 10:38:37 AM »
Wrong Fortyone, I was a contract worker, who when a contract was finished then had to live on my salary until and if another contract came along, unlike people who have cushy jobs for life. Government pension only and if I had built up a comfortable nest egg as you seem to think, after reading my last post, do you think I'd of come back to live in a country crime ridden, with streets covered in empty beer cans and litter, with lawless drivers because there are no police on the streets? I never thought I'd think like this about my country, but then again its not hard for me because I've never thought of myself as being a Nationalist. Go to MSN homepage and find the article about the pensioner scammed out of 15,000 pounds and then they tried to get him to transfer another 30,000 pounds to the scammers bank account, luckily the poor guys bank were suspicious and it all came to light. Wonderful twilight years in the UK. Just for your information I will be leaving the UK., next year and the DWP., can stick their pension rises where the sun don't shine. I have people who will look after me financially. no more replies please, with respect I do not want to keep getting into debate with other pensioners, I only have a gripe with the DWP., with regard to discrimination on the pension rise issue and with respect my gripe is nothing to do with other peoples opinions, only with the DWP.
     

crabbyob

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Re: Pension rise & Benefits discrimination by the DWP
« Reply #14 on: Sep 10, 2018, 10:47:14 AM »
lol, when you open a door on this forum it is us who closes it,,, where do you draw the line, we all know pensioners who decided to spend their twilight years with the sun on their back, i dont think anyone can deny them that right, are they entitled to their pension, of course they are, were they entitled to vote in the referendum? certainly NOT.... but to try and say they should spend their pension here is balderdash, does the govt spen our taxes in this country?, some, but not all.. how much do they spend in foreign aid?... how much is invested outside the country?... you will never know... and just before you get to the holier than i part of your sermon... what make of car is parked in your garage?... French?...German?... Italian?... is that spending your money in this country?.. now at the other end of the stick i know of a german guy who came to Scotland as a schoolboy then left to go to canada  as a young man, when he retired [not very well off] it was suggested he apply for a British OAP, he did and he got one, not a full pension, but non the less a pension and as he was married he got a bit more... now how does the team think about that.... what kind of fridge/washing machine?...lol buy British then preach ... me? ive got a Renault, but i'm not preaching
“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but as we are already here we may as well dance”