Millions owing to Britsh taxpayers!

[Maisiemoo]

Apparently students from Cyprus top the list of EU countries owing the British taxpayer millions in unpaid student loans. £15 million from Cyprus, one of the smaller EU countries, now why doesn't that surprise me or why more isn't being done to recover this money?

[paddywack]

That is what you brits do, nothing, just like your dog being poisoned, doing nothing, but get a petition.

[waddo]

Little left for us Brits to do once our Government has given away all our money to the poor people in the EU!!

[paddywack]

It is called a ballot box.

[Barbieb]

So sad paddywack, answers not very good, and what is the petitions about, just forget it, this is not what the forum is about!!!

[cyprusishome]

As there are no leaders now or looking likely in the near future to stir up UK politics the only thing a ballot box is good for is keeping warm!

[Kavenkoy]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05 ... 62728.html

Students taking money when they no long live in country ,oaps that get winter fuel allowance they don't live in country ,flying home to UK to have operations done when they don't live in the country .

All the same

[Deniz1]

Of course paying into the health system for donkeys years doesnt count just because you have changed addresses.

[waddo]

Its the "System" that lets it all happen - Brits love a "System" and "Rules" and "Ques". That is why I moved away, the ballot box is of no use at all but then that is the same in every country anyway.

But for just £2 or £3 or £5 or £19 a month you can save somthing that the government is supposed to be saving anyway and that allows them to have their 11% pay rise - which I see they are fighting really hard to stop NOT.

[tinker]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05 ... 62728.html

Students taking money when they no long live in country ,oaps that get winter fuel allowance they don't live in country ,flying home to UK to have operations done when they don't live in the country .

All the same

Regarding oap's. What difference does it make where you choose to live when you retire, having paid all dues for almost 50 years. Still taking tax from our pensions & we don't live there. Surely you must agree it's one or the other.

[Heather on the Hill]

Of course paying into the health system for donkeys years doesnt count just because you have changed addresses.

Hear, hear Deniz. There are those of us who have paid up NI Contribtions and are STILL paying tax on our pensions and dont return to the UK for treatment and DONT qualify for winter fuel allowance and we are subsiding all these others. I would like just a few hundred of those millions ot help with my medical bills (not to mention Vets) and the enormous fuel bill I must be running up this winterdespite being cold to the point of shivering! AND are not longer allowed to vote for or against those politicians who make our lives such a misery!

[Heather on the Hill]

Of course paying into the health system for donkeys years doesnt count just because you have changed addresses.

Hear, hear Deniz. There are those of us who have paid up NI Contribtions and are STILL paying tax on our pensions and dont return to the UK for treatment and DONT qualify for winter fuel allowance and we are subsiding all these others. I would like just a few hundred of those millions ot help with my medical bills (not to mention Vets) and the enormous fuel bill I must be running up this winterdespite being cold to the point of shivering! AND are not longer allowed to vote for or against those politicians who make our lives such a misery!

[woodspeckie]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05 ... 62728.html

Students taking money when they no long live in country ,oaps that get winter fuel allowance they don't live in country ,flying home to UK to have operations done when they don't live in the country .

All the same

And the latest the government are going to crack down on are
ex-pats who are claiming pension for partners who have died, believed to be in the thousands.

[Heather on the Hill]

What is additionally annoying if you read the link Kavenkoy provided is that they are now employing private companies to trace the students who havent paid aboad. What do you think the odds are on recovering the debt from students in countries like , say, the RoC? So the private sector gets a nice paid trip abroad. I hope they come to Cyprus at this time of year, prepared to soak up the sum and discover what winter is like

Surely is would be cheaper and more effective to check the students ass they leave the country? But I suppose EU rules dont let them.

Talking of ballot boxes I seem to remember that a large part of the electorate (plus opposition MPs and some of the Press) were strongly opposed to entry to the EU and acceptance of subsequent rulings, but the PMs of the time have simply ignored them and/or refused to hold a referendum.

[Heather on the Hill]

PS I meant to say "in countries with economies like, say the RoC"!

(Is there an edit facility here? Can someone direct me to it please?

[Kavenkoy]

Touched a few raw nerves on here didn't I.

Paying taxes for 50 years counts for nothing in the UK at present,my dad worked for 53 years and still pays taxes now on pension and I sympathise.

But if you choose to live away that's of course your choice ,but you then way up,the balance of life v cost saving ,v benefits you loose of what you paid into ....can't have you kebab and eat it old chap .

Best one is all kids now get free meals from4 years to I think 7 ...BUT WHO IS PAYING for it ??? Just stopped child benefit from those that earn 50k in a house ,daft thing is two people can earn 49.5 k each (99k and they can get it )

I was told last week I now have to work a extra 3 years ,so not content with 35k tax per year I have to work 3 more years .

Life's changed so much for us all ,but good old blighty all the perks are going to immigrants ,do you get that looked after in NC ?

Kav

[Deniz1]

Heather edit button top right of your post

[waddo]

Kavenkoy, "Do you get that looked after in NC?" I could not comment on what happens in the KKTC/TRNC if you work here but if you retire here then you will get very little, however, you also pay in very little and the benifits of living here (for us) far out weigh the benifits of living in the UK.
No free bus pass here - but I can walk out (and keep healthy) at anytime of day or night in saftey. People actually talk to me in the streets and I don't need to know them either. I talk to my neighbours - lived for years in UK and only just nodded to mine there. I don't get arrested for saying what I mean - I can moan about anything and shout at the football ref without fear of the EU rules taking me to court. Shopkeepers (in the main) are happy to help, things are delivered (eventually) for free, I get a rubbish collection twice a week - everything goes in one bin but things are slowly changing. Yes, I pay to stay here - a huge 250TL (£75.00) a year, about the cost of a reasonable nights B&B in the UK. I don't work so I don't pay tax, I don't rent out a property so I don't pay tax, I have a very small amount of money in the bank and get real interest on it, not just 1%.
I lived and worked in UK all my life and paid my taxes - still do on my pensions (military/Civil Service) - but that was then!!!!!!!!!

This is now and I feel I get a much better deal from the KKTC than I would do if I tried to retire in the UK but that is me - everyone is different. For me the UK is just wasting every Brits money and giving it away so the politicians can look good and I have had it with the lot of them - nuff said!

[Deniz1]

I second everything you say Waddo.

[Jonnie]

I have after the autumn statement got another year to wait before collecting my state pension. I have no problem with that.

School meals for 4 year olds. With the state of nutrition in the UK I think that is a good idea. Too many kids go to school with a poor packed lunch and it is effecting childrens health.

Clamp down on people who do not need winter fuel allowance, all for that.

It should be targeted at those too frightened to put the heating on and are at risk. Segment on TV showed kids watching tv on the sofa whilst under a duvet and some poor mum complaining about fuel costs. Why were the kids wearing only tshirts? and why when you cannot afford it are you having 3 kids anyway? Just so the tax payer can foot the bill.

Why should a fire fighter get to retire at 55? There are 40% less fires than there were 10 years ago yet still the same number of firemen. The unions do not publicise that! On the other hand the ambulance service are struggling and will be especially so over the festive season dealing with drunken mainly British tossers.

Private firms are being used to collect debt, also I believe to catch fraudsters, this I believe is a lot better than using more bloody civil servants as the process is accountable and results orientated.

Immigration whilst important is a bit of a smoke screen, the biggest problem for the benefits system in supporting UK families who have never done anything other than live on handouts and work the system. If you live in the UK try asking for a receipt for a few cash services, my sister asked for a receipt from the window cleaner, he went nuts, she then paid him by cheque, he did not come back. If it were not for the foreigners in the UK nothing would get done. There would be no-one to work the fields, in the service industry etc as the average British benefit drawer will not do it.

This government (UK) is at least trying to address problems they inherited from the previous governments (both sides of the house) that should have been addressed years ago.

[frontalman]

Re message 2 Paddywack why do you assume the petition is all we are doing? For your information there is a lot going in behind the scenes to get the poisoning stopped. Granted we may not succeed overnight but we will get this practice stopped, I assure you. If you have any constructive suggestions to help us then please let us have them. If you want to join our group and find out what we are doing, and what we plan to do, then send me a private message and I will send you information. Your mocking comments help no-one.

[raffs]

What do you think the odds are on recovering the debt from students in countries like , say, the RoC?

Take a leaf out of their book and put a charge on their houses in Cyprus. just as they did to the Oram's in the UK.

[Sandman]

And all you sad individuals continue to ignore the real culprits who avoid/evade taxes at the top end. What is wrong with you?

[Jonnie]

And all you sad individuals continue to ignore the real culprits who avoid/evade taxes at the top end. What is wrong with you?

If you want to join a discussion please do, if you want to be offensive please save your bandwidth, that too may be quite narrow.

[waddo]

Sandman - Ever tried getting to the people at "The Top End" when you are a) not in the same country. b) Do not have the some financial support as the "Top End" and do not have the same legal support available to you?

Or are you just yet another happy and content person, who is going to cure all the worlds problems, if only the people who complain about them would shut up and go away?????

Instead of asking inane questions why not give us all the benifit of your obvious immense knowledge and experiance and "Teach" us how to do it properly. A good starter for you, who are the "Top End"?????

[Heather on the Hill]

I agree with Waldo particularly as far as the friendliness of the Cypriots is concerned. However the point is that the TRNC does not have a NHS or Social Services as we know them. Medical care is generally goood and suprisingly cheap but still has to be paid for by Expatriates, families are expected to provide nursing, care and there is little aftercare. There is , also for instance, no sheltered housingand I dont think that homes for the elderly cater for non Turkish speaking expats . Another thread here covered the lack of provisionfor dementia sufferers and there is no equivalent of the RNIB. Generally facilities for even slight disabilities are poor.

It may be a great country for the younger active pensioner, but comes a time when age , loss of a partner, serious or chronic ill heath or money problems make life very hard, and people neednto return to the UK for the support of their families or for health or social provisions unavailable here. If they are fully paid up NHS subscribers and UK taxpayers (particularly those who paid for private care while abroad and thus saved the NHS quite a bit in routine health care they would have received if they stayed in the UK) is it fair that the should be denied access to the NHS if they return - while their contributions are going to education and health care for people who have never conributed to the UK social economy?

[Philoz]

Who's Waldo?

[Kavenkoy]

[quote="waddo"]Kavenkoy, "Do you get that looked after in NC?" I could not comment on what happens in the KKTC/TRNC if you work here but if you retire here then you will get very little, however, you also pay in very little and the benifits of living here (for us) far out weigh the benifits of living in the UK.
No free bus pass here - but I can walk out (and keep healthy) at anytime of day or night in saftey. People actually talk to me in the streets and I don't need to know them either. I talk to my neighbours - lived for years in UK and only just nodded to mine there. I don't get arrested for saying what I mean - I can moan about anything and shout at the football ref without fear of the EU rules taking me to court. Shopkeepers (in the main) are happy to help, things are delivered (eventually) for free, I get a rubbish collection twice a week - everything goes in one bin but things are slowly changing. Yes, I pay to stay here - a huge 250TL (£75.00) a year, about the cost of a reasonable nights B&B in the UK. I don't work so I don't pay tax, I don't rent out a property so I don't pay tax, I have a very small amount of money in the bank and get real interest on it, not just 1%.
I lived and worked in UK all my life and paid my taxes - still do on my pensions (military/Civil Service) - but that was then!!!!!!!!!

This is now and I feel I get a much better deal from the KKTC than I would do if I tried to retire in the UK but that is me - everyone is different. For me the UK is just wasting every Brits money and giving it away so the politicians

I agree fully with you Waddo on many point s and on the love of NC .
I first bought there in 2005 ,sadly sold in 2011 ....wrong decision ?

Anyway we will all agree,and disagree on points of UK politics and decisions .

But people who choose to live abroad shouldn't get benefits like sick,winter fuel etc .
Ok we all,pay into our NHS ,I agree that if you have paid in then you should be entitled for treatment if you are in UK ,NOT flight home when you need costly treatment .
But I know TC who has dual passport and flys home each year for very expensive treatment ,never pays into UK or never paid for 20 plus years and that's wrong .

I have read previously NC UK pensioners who say they are entitled to winter fuel payments as logs in NC are expensive .

This week good old blighty has asked me to work till I am 68 .
Stopped my partner claiming child benefit for our adopted 3 year old granddaughter and taxed me 3 times on wage,property revenue and pension I pay. Into .....so when we pick up the paper and see lazy UK scrubbers dropping kids and getting more than a UK pensioner it hurts .
Also when migrants or mongrel who have used the UK to Gain benefits they are clearly not entitled to as they have never paid in that hurts .

[Kavenkoy]

Could not post the bit on the bottom


I agree pensions in public sectors need looking at ,police to fire yes stop the big benefits .
MOD sorry same ,I have done over 30 years for my company yet have now 20 to do for my pension ,so what makes public sector workers so special ?
Pay half as much as me in to their pots and get 3 times more out ????. Wrong

Kav

[waddo]

Who's Waldo? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldo - Millions of the little bug**s - lol.

Look - Its good to have a moan now and then, it gets it off your chest but you should always consider both sides of the "Moan" and don't let it get you down. Take this current moan as a good instance and have a bit of thought about it.

There are lots of life changing events in everyones life and normally they are well thought out (accidents aside) for instance if you get married - you normally don't just wander up to a prospective partner because you like the view and marry them straight away do you? How long does it take you to choose your next new car, dress, dog, house, job even meal out? Simple things for the most part theses but you always put some thought into them don't you?

So how much thought did you put into moving your life to a different country then? What will you miss when you leave your home country? Will you ever need to return to it again? Can you afford to move away and then go back? What are the essential things you will need for the rest of your life in your new country and can you get them there? How do the local people live out their lives in your new country and can you do it the same? Important little questions you should have asked yourself before you leave your home country are many but most are "state of mind" questions like - to which country will you have allegiance, where do you want your final resting place to be, who will you leave behind you to carry on and what do they want to do after your departure?

It matters not if you are 25 or 85, the bus that hits you and changes your life forever takes no account for age - what will you do if you can no longer walk, hear, see, talk or even feed yourself? Will you leave family behind you in your home country, would you have relied upon them to look after you in ill health for many years in your home country?

It is not an easy thing to make such a huge leap in late life into a new country but if you do it then you must have planned it, thought about all the things that could happen there and what it is you can do after a life changing event. Remembering that no plan withstands first contact, even with the best plan in the world it can all fail! That's life.

Its good to moan but never moan that the grass is always greener on the other side - because as soon as you have said it, the grass fire breaks out and the other side is ashes!!!!!!

Have fun out there guys and gals and a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - help each other help each other and life is sweeter all around!

[Jonnie]

Kavenkoy, are you saying in your post that selling up here was a wrong decision?


I believe the current government are restoring UK healthcare for expats who have retired abroad and made a substantial contribution into the system. From the document "The policy proposes that those who have paid National Insurance contributions for a
significant period (propose at least 7 years) should also retain the right to free treatment whilst
returning to the UK on a visit."
It is also worth of note that Expats are exempt from charges currently if returning to the UK to resume residence there.

I am wholly against winter fuel allowance being paid to those who do not need it, it should be directed solely at pensioners who desperately need it, it is a joke people get it here. My personal belief based on the people I know who get it is 90% of it is not needed. These resources should be directed better.

[Kavenkoy]

Kavenkoy, are you saying in your post that selling up here was a wrong decision?


I believe the current government are restoring UK healthcare for expats who have retired abroad and made a substantial contribution into the system. From the document "The policy proposes that those who have paid National Insurance contributions for a
significant period (propose at least 7 years) should also retain the right to free treatment whilst
returning to the UK on a visit."
It is also worth of note that Expats are exempt from charges currently if returning to the UK to resume residence there.

I am wholly against winter fuel allowance being paid to those who do not need it, it should be directed solely at pensioners who desperately need it, it is a joke people get it here. My personal belief based on the people I know who get it is 90% of it is not needed. These resources should be directed better.

HI JONNIE

For me I sold to,early but had to,..my circus and life changed in that I had to adopt my grandaughter at 18month old .
That then changed my life for several years and yes for me to early .But that's life and I will work towards making a move in ten plus years etc .
It's a very simple system for me .......use somebody NI number for everything they need .

I them full feel a fair system that suited workers ,and shirkers and all those free loaders would not reveive,more than somebody who had worked hard and paid in .

Winter fuel allowance should only be paid to those living in UK .
I think this started when all the expats in Spain thinking they had the rights

Anyway I could wind myself up even more thinking about what you would do to fix it ,but it wouldn't involve immigrants ,Rumanians migrants or others alike

Kav

[Heather on the Hill]

We seem to have moved a way from students not repaying loans(ie taking money from the British economy which they have not contributed) to Winter Fuel Allowance (ie people claiming something they have entitled to and have contributed to. The Winter Fuel Allowance is age related (ie you get it if you were born before a certain time)and intended to alleviate the sufferings of the elderly. Whether it is fair that the very rich get the same befnefits as the verry poor and whther it should be means tested is a matter for debate. That pensioners who chose to live abroad should be debarred froma benefit they have contributed to is not fair - expatriate pensioners are not necessarily better off than domiciled one, they just chose to spend on different things and the elderly suffer more from extremes of heat and often have to spend more on heating or cooling their houses regardless of where they live. What is even less fair is that an arbitrary decision was made some time back that pensioners who left the UK before they claimed the winter fuel allowance would not get it aboad while those who were receiving the allowance when the lived in the UK still get it aboad., regardless of age (apart from above the limite) financial situation or state of health.

[philyesil]

Gone are the days when you got a grant to study at college or uni and then went on to find a job and pay into the system!
Now you need a £30 -£50000 student loan to start you off in life, and that is well before the responsibilities of a mortgage, marriage, kids etc. How lucky we were back then.

But then there is Turkey, none European country but there students study for free. There students only need to fund living costs. Where did we go wrong?

I am please that my daughter has taken the opartunity to study in Turkey.

[Jonnie]

Philyesil, I think you are harking back to the old days where the elite students competed for the few places available. Now it seems to be everyone's right to go to university, to study History,Art, Psychology then leave with a degree and do nothing with it. My niece is a teacher, her 4 best friends at Uni left, got married and started families, waste of a good education. Do not see why I should pay for it.