UK and the EU

I believe expats in Europe are self sufficient, and do not claim hand-outs from any benefit system
Therefore I do not see a problem, I believe expats would be most welcome

 

Depends what you class as 'benefits', Jack. In France, anyone under British State retirement age either has to provide themselves with health cover via employment, private health insurance or, if they're accepted, by contributing 8% of their income (however gained) to the French 'NHS'. Then you pay again for a top-up policy if you want health costs to be reimbursed fully. But there are plenty of working-age families who, for one reason or another, have fallen on hard times and claim not just child benefit but income support and free healthcare. It's true that at the moment, all those wine-swilling, unpatriotic, hedonistic pensioners have their healthcare paid for by the UK. But there's no guarantee that that arrangement will continue. If the UK government can and did withdraw the two years health cover for early-retirees as well as the winter fuel allowance, then they are more than capable of withdrawing both pension increases and health cover payments. It cracks me up, this perception of anyone who emigrates as being filthy rich...

 

I did read it. It is biased towards the worst case scenario but it is at least factual. Trouble is that for nations such as France, Germany, Italy and a few others it is worth them dragging it out until the last minute.
In the short term we can expect inflation if we leave.

Like GG I am also looking at buying a place abroad (the Canaries in my case). Freeing up funds is not easy and it has already gone up ten grand as the Pound weakens.

 

Hi @noisette47 it looks like it and thanks for the good wishes. It was a toss up for a long time but that horrible old chestnut called compromise reared its ugly head as it does in relationships Plus we have found a place that we want to be in so that helped make our minds up. We'll be looking at properties again when we are there in the spring. Goodness knows what will happen in June, but one of the big stumbling blocks for us is affording private health care as we are both well below retirement age. There is always a workaround if you want it enough so we'll see ...
I guess you are one of the 1mill -2.2mill Brits residing throughout the EU (depending on which stats are used!) so yes I'm sure many people can understand your anxiety and concern.

GG

 

Its a strange situation... IF I were to try to enter a country... Any country without the correct paperwork visas or permissions I would be refused entry and returned from where I came. Repeat the procedure and I might be fined but definitely returned once more.

So why wont this happen if migrants try it here ?

The French can threaten all they like but it will make me all the more determined to vote out..

We will never leave the EU.. The government wont allow it and will.... No wait a minute ARE using the same strategy they used in the last election IE to scare us. Not pleasant and certainly not right.

I wonder though. How many will see through it. How many have had enough of this shower lining their own nests while the real people on the ground struggle on...

 

That's a given for any and all politicians though, isn't it, @Charlie996? Who's to say whether any of the others would be any more concerned with the well-being of the people that they're supposedly elected to represent?

 

Yes your right they are all the same. They have an agenda and stick to it.
It's the tactics that differ. Scare us to death and they win.
Tell us interest rates will rise and most with mortgages will vote to suit their pockets and who can blame them.

But how on earth can we continue on as we are.

The same politicians tell us how much more money they have put into the NHS. Fact is they haven't actually put any in all they have done is pledged to go so. The NHS cannot spend pledges.

So how can we believe what they say ?

 

This is what worries me: what will happen to the foreigners in the UK, and the UK foreigners abroad who have full time jobs, families, homes? At the end of the day, in the government's eyes a foreigner is a foreigner. Will they differentiate between those that are self-sufficient and those who claim benefits? And will a split from the EU mean working permits and visa requirements for (former) EU members in the UK (and vice versa)?

 

I've got a really good idea!

To prevent any more 'neighbour disputes', all housing will be divided into groups of 28 adjacent properties which will have all their separate title deeds merged into only one, and a small group of people (who will be called Commissioners) will be appointed to run everything in how they see their interests as a whole.

For example, all off street car parking on individual properties will be made available to everybody in the group, as will the right to pick fruit, veg and flowers from anybody else's garden. Everybody's door locks will all be operated by the same key and what colour you paint your doors will be decided for you.

That would bring about real neighbourhood 'harmonisation' and everybody will be much happier!

 

I ain't having anybody being able to get into my flat when I ain't around. Even the council have to ask permission

And you touch my Fuchsias and Roses at your own peril ! ! !

 

Is there actually a point you are trying to make or are you just after my taters ???

 

Yes, really odd that some will disagree with that, but agree with essentially the same, the 'disagrees' appear to be disagreeing with their fundamental beliefs!