A Europe with no barriers and a free movement of people and labour. Not if you are a British pensioner it seems. If you have to move to Spain for health reasons to take advantage of a nicer climate you must have a private income because the British state will not care for you. It is ridiculous to think that as soon as you arrive back in Britain your pension can automatically be doubled.
The crux of the problem appears to be that most people back in the United Kingdom consider that most people living in Spain are wealthy tax exiles who spend their days running themselves around the pool and drinking rioja wine served by a friendly waiter called Pedro. Why do they need cold weather payments if temperatures never fall below 25 degrees Centigrade? Ask that to a British pensioner who faces a massive heating bill this winter.
There are cases of pensioners living in severe poverty in Spain but they do not want to return home for a variety of reasons.
I n the same way as the Bosman ruling changed the football transfer system because the earlier laws broke the free movement of labour, then pensioners should be given some consideration. The benefit system means that many pensioners who would probably like to move abroad can't because their benefits will be dramatically reduced. Free movement? I don't think so.
Jason Moore
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