Pension participation

PALMA
The “Consular and Pension Service Roadshow” came to Palma yesterday, and was met with an audience of contented customers at the two workshops that took place. UK nationals living in Majorca were “satisfied” with the advice and information on offer from the pension and benefit rights team from Newcastle and Madrid.

Outlining its three main objectives as ‘providing general information on claiming UK benefits in Spain, troubleshooting complex cases that require liaison with the Spanish authorities and signposting to other useful organisations', the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) team, currently based in Madrid but which will soon be moving to Malaga and Alicante, gave a detailed talk which dealt with general questions, covering issues of health care, residency and pensions and benefits. A general question and answer session ensued, where the team took the audience through a series of the most asked questions by UK pensioners on moving to Spain.

There then followed a division into three main groups which fielded more individually specific questions from customers.
These included the British consul, Paul Abrey, taking care of any matters concerning passports and recent migrants, while different members of the DWP gave advice on issues concerning all areas of benefits and pension rights, including a representative from the department's headquarters in Newcastle.

Issues which caused the most debate included the matter of Winter Fuel Allowance, which has confused many UK migrants recently after not being informed that it has to have been claimed in the UK in order to be transported to a foreign country.

In addition, the topic of free health care in Spain was under scrutiny.
Several customers were curious about the various health cards required, while questions on the steps required for re-entering the UK were also multiple.

The overwhelming majority of those who attended the roadshow found it helpful and insightful.
Jean Drewitt said that it “clarified the steps needed to register for health care; it was good”.
Donald Gilchrist was also full of praise, stating that “it's very nice to know that the British know you exist. I'm very happy; I'm satisfied.” Asked his reasons for attending, Donald said it was his “duty” as a UK national; “I should come, and I'm thankful for doing so”.
Mr And Mrs Kimberley also said that the DWP team were “very helpful”, although Bill Watson suggested that the talk was “very general”, and perhaps could have been slightly more specific in certain areas. The team gave out various contact details of organisations that could help pensioners know their rights and offer aid in individual cases, while profiling questionnaires and customer satisfaction forms were passed round by the DWP so that “the best service could be offered to pensioners in need.” The meetings continue today in Calvia and tomorrow in Pollensa at the Neighbourhood Association in Puerto Pollensa
The support and liaison pension team has been set up as part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's programme to modernise consular services, extending new and innovative support to the British resident community in Spain.

This was the team's first visit to Majorca..The number of UK citizens living in Spain is rising steadily and now numbers around one million, 650'000 of whom are over the age of 50, according to the latest figures.