Expat Costas plight makes Sky News

[John50]

Credit Crunch: Slide In Value Of Pound Hits Ex-Pats Living In Spain | World News | Sky News

This was on the TV today and there are a lot more articles on the Sky site.

[yllig]

I dont think that people in the UK much care John. They must think you've made your bed - lie on it. I suppose we would think the same if positions were reversed. Human nature.

Exchange rate seems to have improved again this afternoon though 1.062.

[Chrisdee]

I saw that news item this morning, they certainly will not get the sympathy vote. They were saying they used to go out for a meal 3-4 times a week, now they can only go out once, all together now, ahhhhhh what a shame.

[Quirkey]

Judging by that article I saw on Sky, people aren't going to get much sympathy. In the UK people just think of the Sun and sangria not the state of the pound.

[simmy]

Credit Crunch: Slide In Value Of Pound Hits Ex-Pats Living In Spain | World News | Sky News

This was on the TV today and there are a lot more articles on the Sky site.

It's nothing like what people in the Uk are cutting back believe me I'm here for Xmas and the pubs are almost empty the ones that are still open that is.

[Duderoo]

Former radio broadcaster Barrie Hands said: "Most of us worked all our life in the UK and contributed a large proportion of our income in taxes and into social security.

"We're not now getting our share of what we paid in compared with those people who decided to stay in cold, old England."

I do think you are, half of the people retired abroad are still claiming winter fuel payments that where meant for the the cold UK winter not the low double figures of the med.

I am visiting my parents next month and my family will not be spending like before, I am not even bring cash over I shall use a cash machine like in the UK and only take out what I need and watch the cash at all times, so a few less brandy and coffees and eating out is needed.

[Brindleboy123]

I do think you are, half of the people retired abroad are still claiming winter fuel payments that where meant for the the cold UK winter not the low double figures of the med.

I am visiting my parents next month and my family will not be spending like before, I am not even bring cash over I shall use a cash machine like in the UK and only take out what I need and watch the cash at all times, so a few less brandy and coffees and eating out is needed.

I "retired" here six years ago and I am now just 50. I have always tried to see both sides to everything and in the past have not always gone alone with all the sorry stories about poor pensioners etc as in my view, many do infact have a fair amount of money behind them. I have had concerns previously forthose who work and earn too much to receive any help but not enough to be "comfortable". However, that said I find that I would support the pensioners living over here with regard to winter fuel allowances. They too in the majority of cases have paid into the system for many years and the fact that they choose to spend their old age abroad should not impact upon their entitlement. If you live here for some time you will also realise that it can and does become very cold here in the winter and there is a definate need for heaters of all types to keep a reasonable temperature in our apartments/houses.

I think there are far more worthy areas of concern with regard to incorrect allocation of public funding that could be discussed rather than fuel allowances for those living abroad! Hope it is available when I am entitled in however many years to come!

[Duderoo]

Sorry but I just see it as the same as the spongers bending the rules to claim what they can, when the needy go without.

[Mazzer]

I'm sorry but how can it be right to penalise a pensioner for wanting to make a better life for themselves, for moving to another country where up until now their meagre pensions went further than in the UK, for not wanting to just sit in the cold waiting to die, but to get on and do something with the latter part of their life, haven't they earned the right to do that, and of course it gets cold in winter in Spain and it doesn't matter if they have paid into the system or not they are just as entitled to a winter allowance as their counterpart in the UK. If a pensioner is considered well off in the UK are they refused the winter allowance, I think not, so why should it be the case here or anywhere else for that matter, they are British pensioners so they should be entitled to everything any other pensioner gets. As for those people who think its right to have a go at pensioners over here, I can only assume its because they are green with envy, because despite what you read in the papers it is still 10 times better here and for every 1 person that suffers hardship there are 10 that are living a very nice life thank you. BTW I am not a pensioner yet but I will be claiming everything I am entitled to when the time comes.