FROM A HUNTERS POINT

[Bongtrees]

Not all immigrants to the UK can get benifits, If you are from the EU there is a qualifying period before you can claim . this rule was brought in 15 years or so back to stop students from France Spain and Italy who going to the UK during their summer break and were signing on and claiming housing benfit without paying into the system.
The spanish who return to Spain after living abroad have the same problems when they return They are entitled to no more than any EU person coming to live here. it's diffilcult for them to get a job as well.
In fact the just about only extra rights a Spanish national has more than us is that they can work for the Spanish administration and can vote in the national elections

As someone who has helped 3 Spaniards register for job seekers benefit etc in the past 3 months I can tell you that you are wrong.

All 3 registered the day after they landed, all 3 got benefits and all 3 now have jobs!

[Scot]

[katy]

I don't know much about benefits but would even people who have never left the UK be entitled to benefits if a partner was working

Whatever the UK system must be much better than the spanish alternative where many pay into it and can't get anything, isn't that why most people are leaving Spain?

[julian]

if it´s true that most people are leaving spain then at least it should be easier to find a parking space soon.

[markwilding]

.

All 3 registered the day after they landed, all 3 got benefits and all 3 now have jobs!

Bongtrees youv'e missed my point. All I said is that they aren't entitled to more or less than a UK National is. We came to live here in Spain six years ago, My wife who is from here has taken 5 years 9 months to get a job, she wasn't entitled to many benifits until I started working
It's a closed shop even if you're Spanish

[Scot]

As far as I'm aware, there's a range of benefits for the individual even if the partner is working. I just googled it and it says can get income support, housing benefit, council tax relief, child benefit and also, you can get tax credits if you are working and a low wage earner. Well, it all sounds good on paper! All I wanted was a bit of help until I got a job as we didn't have enough coming in and OH can't physically work any more hours. I think I dithered too much as wasn't sure what job I can do. I've changed tactic now and just taken a job and hope I can do it.

[frank]

"I've changed tactic now and just taken a job and hope I can do it."
Bet you can!;-) I had to finish several years ago due to ill health, and I struggle along, but when I feel a bit down I think of a good friend of mine that suffers from MD. He now spends most of his life in a wheelchair yet still manages to teach Spanish. If he falls over in the house, especially in the evenings, his wife cannot lift him, she throws a blanket over him and that's where he stays until the following morning until she can contact someone to come and help lift him. He has a white board operated from a computer that he operates from his wheelchair when in the school, the man's a star! Never complains, just gets on with it!

[Scot]

Blimey and I think I'm positive. I've got a long way to go ................... well, one kid 16 other 9 so I need to keep going for another 7 years at the very least!

[K chameleon]

We've both worked and paid our "dues" for more than 20 years in the U.K., luckily without claiming benefits. I don't begrudge any returning Ex-Pat, a little financial help 'til they get back on their feet.

[Scot]

Thanks for that I do agree that the DWP should post, perhaps on here, the rules for returning ex pats. I thought I'd planned it all well but it cost 4,000 in deposits etc to rent the house here and we had 3 rental properties running for the last 3 months, 1 flat in London that OH was in, this new family home here which we had to take as it was within our budget and the house in Spain. Plus all the bills for all these properties to pay up to date. It costs us approx 2.500 for the journey back and vets fees. We also got let down by our friends who promised to pay back 5.000 we loaned them so just made it back with about 20 quid to spare Our UK friends are coming in their droves to see us here unaware that we have no money at the moment. We don't own credit cards and pay our way with the cash we have. Their timing is terrible as I'm shopping and cooking for them. One friend yesterday was aghast that we had no money left. He had come in the hope of setting up a business with my OH. He said "you haven't blown all the money, have you?" I had to "politely" remind him that as a single man, with no partner or children, he lasted 3 years in Benalmadena unsuccessfully looking for work and returned minus his 55k that he came over with

Oh, I'm going to find out too tomorrow if I qualify for the 20" colour television and free tv licence

[markwilding]

I don't know much about benefits but would even people who have never left the UK be entitled to benefits if a partner was working

Whatever the UK system must be much better than the spanish alternative where many pay into it and can't get anything, isn't that why most people are leaving Spain?

If you pay social security, You get paid unemployment. In the summer I go down to the office to sign on and I get two thirds of what I've earned monthly during the year
Unemployment benifit is capped to maximum amount of around two thousand euros and for a maximum duration of I think 18 months to 2 years
The problem is if you are selfemployed up to now the entitlement has been zero, but this is changing and Autonomos will be able to claim for up to three months.

[Scot]

Yes I was autonomo I am referring to the UK system in my posts, just so there's no confusion tho I'm

[pete_l]

... We also got let down by our friends who promised to pay back 5.000 ....... Our UK friends are coming in their droves to see us here unaware that we have no money at the moment. ...... One friend yesterday was aghast that we had no money left. He had come in the hope of setting up a business with my OH.

Errrm, how to put this delicately Are these people really friends. There does seem to be a bit of a common theme to your post.
I suppose you'll find out from the number who are prepared to offer you some financial support to tide you over.

[Scot]

Hmmmmm point taken. However, everyone who is coming to visit us here in Kent are old friends from childhood, excited that we are back and unaware of any financial difficulties we are experiencing. We have never been poor before. Trouble is, as they call and invite themselves over to see us settled in our new home, I can hardly say no, can I? I think when I serve the sandwich with the wafer thin slice of ham they understand our plight, no words seem necessary

[Mowser]

Scot

1 Tell them all to bring a house-warming present.
2 Regarding friends who owe you £5,000, here's a suggestion. Ask for the money back!

[Devils Advocate]

I hope the "friends" who owe the cash are in the UK and not Spain.

[Mowser]

Scot

If your "friends" who owe you money ask how things are, point them in the direction of this thread!

[Scot]

Got some of it back and hoping the balance comes in my Xmas card from Spain this year!

[brucexpat]

i could shoot them like i might all of you that hijacked my thread

[katy]

this is written as i think of things but is meant to be advice for people that may be thinking of moving here

welcome to your dream,we got the sun,hooray,its bad tho,like the rest of the world at the moment except a lot more people lose everything here,mainly the gullible expats that may or may not use this site

of course some do live the dream and good luck to you,you are either rich or just moved here

the signs are all around,just compare it to a few years ago,it was booming
the estate agents have gone bust ,hip hip hooray,but the developers make it hard to get money back for people who are still waiting for their dream apartments,on the plus side the greedy buggers that overspent hoping to make a quick killing suffer too

shops(mainly small businesses)are closing,the number of empty locals on the costa is sad to see

bars,haha,you bought one,didnt bother to look into it much but hey,it was cheap,you have lost the money you made on your uk house and now look forward to living with your parents

the timeshare/holidayclubs,when will people learn,only mugs that got caught put up a front that its great to save their face as they know they got caught

the carnation sellers what other country allows theiving gypsys to rob tourists generally pensioners,a few i guess but that aint the point,pass a bye law so it is illegal to sell flowers without a licence

hygene in bars,get more inspections,the places are filthy

estate agents,make them at least have qualifications and regulate the fees they charge

lawyers,im sure their walls are full up with swimming certificates

drivers.lol.lmfao

rudeness,the spanish are great at this,top attribute

you dont get a bill,but you owe us money so we will put this on some obscure websire
LOOK ILL PAY JUST SEND ME THE BILL!@!!!

supermarkets,can we have some decent food and decent offers please

developers,well they have mostly made a killing,ripped a lot off,if you got caught maybe you should have got your own lawyer to sort it not the agents/developers

internet and phone,damn expensive and unreliable as i am writing this internet has gone

price of papers,damn expensive,why,printed in spain,how can they charge 2 quid for something they sell for 30p in uk yet still advertise all the freebies that you dont get

general prices,damn expensive

wages,low for a 'civilised' country

taxi drivers,crooks but i guess that general

ignorance of staff in supermarkets,dont even get a hello or thank you,dont these fools know i pay their wages

councils,a law unto themselves,and only look after themselves while spending the money the rest of europe gives them

no dogs on beaches/tramps are ok,i clean up after my dogs,i aint cleaning the tramps *beep* up

the money wasted in communities,mostly goes to some stupid admin that charges a stupid fee to balance the books once a year,what a stupid system,the rest is ripped off by the president and his cronies

sport,the *beep* win a lot,c'mon england in south africa

thieves in postal service,ever wonder why you never got the tenner that granny sent you?

towing cars is more important that sorting crime out,its how the council pay the wages

looky looky,celebrate a crackdown in the press,not that hard to spot tho,surely the dopey spanish traders would moan when soneone is selling illegal good outside their shop

lack of entertainment,great idea ban entertainment in holiday resorts by making it impossible to get a licence

contracts,illegal employers,not exactly hard to spot,but nothing seems to be done

hunting,i like to hunt,the authorities make it hard for me to do my hobby,im moving back to usa as soon as i sell my house

just a rant all correct i reckon
brucie(good game good game)

Yes the thread is way off topic...just for you Bruce

[Jool]

I thought the welfare state was set up to help those who had fallen on hard times? It was based on people working and contributing and then if there was no work or other difficulties there was financial help to keep a roof over your head and food on the table........

Wasn´t it designed to be for those not fortunate enough to be able to save sufficiently etc as a result of clear and known inequalities in education system and individual backgrounds, thus reducing the changed of higher paid employment?

There will always be unfairness in this system but it is a safety net for those who have contributed....I think the UK needs to stop entirely the system of supporting those who have NEVER contributed.........

Brucexpat - your post read like a rant covering loads of topics so how can you say it was hi-jacked???? Was there a single point you were trying to make?

[masterob]

bongtrees wrote:

Why dont the DWP ever contribute to this type of thread.
Scot obviously was twice given the wrong info.
The position of expats returning to the UK should be clarified on here once and for all by the DWP..

Why should they? As a UK taxpayer I would not expect to find someone from the DWP spending their time monitoring a Forum such as this one.

In any case the information is available -

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentc ... DG_4000140

Just as it's the responsibility of individuals to check their status/position before they move to Spain, the same applies when they go back to the UK surely? If you believe the gutter press (and some people seem to) then so called immigrants/asylum seekers coming to the UK are briefed on their entitlements before they arrive, if they can do it why are indigenious Brits unable to do so?

[Campo Steve]

Jool and Masterob

Totally agree.

However, as for DWP, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that they do monitor sites such as this if they are going to clamp down on benefit cheats.

[Jool]

If you believe the gutter press (and some people seem to) then so called immigrants/asylum seekers coming to the UK are briefed on their entitlements before they arrive, if they can do it why are indigenious Brits unable to do so?

Perhaps because indigenous brits are not paying someone huge sums of money to get them in to the UK illegally and fleece the system? Have you ever spoken to anyone who works IN the Immigration Dept in the UK, either at Customs or entry points, or social services staff associated with immigrant and asylum seekers? If you had you would find that the "gutter" press, as you so snobbishly call it, is actually reporting the facts accurately, albeit in a potentially inflammatory way.

[masterob]

No I haven't, have you? Quite frankly, if such public servants are doing their jobs properly, I would not expect them to be making any public comments about those people they deal with in a professional capacity.

If choosing to read unbiased and reasonably accurate news reporting rather than right wing bigotry is snobbish then, yes I am unashamedly a snob! I also have a mind of my own and, I hope, am sufficiently intelligent do not slavishly believe everything that is reported in the Press from whatever side of the political spectrum it may come from.

The difficulty I have with those who make "foreigners get this and we don't" statements is that either they are made by extreme right wing xenophobes with their own agenda, or by people who inevitably preface their comments with "I was told by" or " It was reported in such a such newspaper". It always seems to be hearsay evidence.

You may think me naive, snobbish or whatever but, I am prepared to believe that overall the UK system broadly provides for those in need and is not just the milk-cow for so called illegal immigrants that seemingly you think it is.

[Lavanda]

Dear All,
Calm down and don't worry. We are now all in the EU Constitution thingy and as such under the umbrella of the EU. They will organize the future for all of us. Continuing on from the left-wing plan to saturate the UK with immigrants, illegal or otherwise, wanted or not, criminal or insane, the EU will create a special role for the UK. The small, insignificant and troublesome island off the coast of mainland (and therefore 'real') Europe will become the dustbin of the EU. Rather like a penal colony in years gone by, the UK will become the repository of all the undesirable flotsam and jetsam of the EU. Then we can all, finally, be happy with the positive contribution the UK will be making for the good of the whole.
Much love XXX

[Devils Advocate]

That post will get the expats looking for help in the UK a warm reception from the public

[julian]

they can´t pull the wool over your eyes Lavanda, well spotted !!

[katy]

I think there are a few posters on here who hopes Lavandas prediction comes true. Perhaps they don't have any friends or family in the UK.

[Scot]

Lavandas post reads beautifully but I don't fully understand it tho I get the general gist. My brain isn't known for it's clarity anymore

Masterob I wasn't told anything by anyone. I didn't know I would return with absolutely nothing but it happened. My first stop was the Jobcentre to see if there was a job I was able to do and to ask if we were entitled to any help? I'm not ashamed in anyway and I simply wanted others to be aware of the 26 week ruling as no one else mentioned it to me on my return. I spent hours filling in forms and wasting peoples valuable time. I don't care what "foreigners" get but I do care that I don't qualify when they do After all, I was a "foreigner" once myself!