Praise to The Connexion for digging out some facts.
*********************
Below --- Copied from The Connexion - The English journal printed in France and also online.
August 30th 2013
"French tropic link to UK fuel pay
ban
French tropic link to UK fuel pay ban
THE FIVE French overseas
departments - all of which have tropical climates - were included in the
calculation of France's
average winter temperature which was then used to determine whether British
expatriates should continue to receive the winter fuel allowance, Connexion
has found.
The Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mayotte and French Guiana in South America were all included. Méteo France data is only available for the first three online but shows an average winter temperature of 26C.
The islands' temperatures were used with those of mainland France to gain an average which was then compared with 5.6C for the south-west of England. If the resulting figure was higher - as was the case with France - the country was deemed "too hot" and the payments will be stopped.
This may explain why Italy, which does not have any overseas tropical territories, was deemed acceptably cold while France was not.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said the DOMs were included because they are considered to be part of France and therefore the EU - so Britons who live there could claim the winter fuel allowance. Connexion is searching for information on how many Britons live in these departments.
If you believe WFA should not be stopped for Britons in France sign the petition at epetitions.direct.gov.uk
This is open to UK residents or nationals - if your non-UK postcode is not accepted, leave that section blank.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/winter-fuel-allowance-uk-expat-france-temperature-overseas-tropical-islands-15000-view-article.html#sthash.j5nZkBWy.pngs05qM.dpuf "
"There are lies, damned lies and statistics!"
It is astounding that any official could believe the temperature figures resulting from this data, relate it to the mainland of France and then claim that the 59600 British pensioners resident in France are living in a hot country! The Government statistics show that only 30 British pensioners live in the tropical French overseas territories.
Yes do sign the petition above - It mounted about a thousand signatures the day the Connexion published. But I urge you also to think a step back from this .
WHY does the British Government ignore the British Pensioner abroad - Simply because we do not count! We do not count because we are not counted. We have no representation in the Government of the British Nation. We have no votes that can be counted!
So please sign another petition http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43238
and add your comments to this site www.votes-for-expat-brits.com
The Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mayotte and French Guiana in South America were all included. Méteo France data is only available for the first three online but shows an average winter temperature of 26C.
The islands' temperatures were used with those of mainland France to gain an average which was then compared with 5.6C for the south-west of England. If the resulting figure was higher - as was the case with France - the country was deemed "too hot" and the payments will be stopped.
This may explain why Italy, which does not have any overseas tropical territories, was deemed acceptably cold while France was not.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said the DOMs were included because they are considered to be part of France and therefore the EU - so Britons who live there could claim the winter fuel allowance. Connexion is searching for information on how many Britons live in these departments.
If you believe WFA should not be stopped for Britons in France sign the petition at epetitions.direct.gov.uk
This is open to UK residents or nationals - if your non-UK postcode is not accepted, leave that section blank.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/winter-fuel-allowance-uk-expat-france-temperature-overseas-tropical-islands-15000-view-article.html#sthash.j5nZkBWy.pngs05qM.dpuf "
**********************
Comment -- As Mark Twain is purported to have said "There are lies, damned lies and statistics!"
It is astounding that any official could believe the temperature figures resulting from this data, relate it to the mainland of France and then claim that the 59600 British pensioners resident in France are living in a hot country! The Government statistics show that only 30 British pensioners live in the tropical French overseas territories.
Yes do sign the petition above - It mounted about a thousand signatures the day the Connexion published. But I urge you also to think a step back from this .
WHY does the British Government ignore the British Pensioner abroad - Simply because we do not count! We do not count because we are not counted. We have no representation in the Government of the British Nation. We have no votes that can be counted!
So please sign another petition http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43238
and add your comments to this site www.votes-for-expat-brits.com
And PLEASE - Circulate to Accumulate
THE
FIVE French overseas departments - all of which have tropical climates -
were included in the calculation of France's average winter temperature
which was then used to determine whether British expatriates should
continue to receive the winter fuel allowance, Connexion has found.
The Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mayotte and French Guiana in South America were all included. Méteo France data is only available for the first three online but shows an average winter temperature of 26C.
The islands' temperatures were used with those of mainland France to gain an average which was then compared with 5.6C for the south-west of England. If the resulting figure was higher - as was the case with France - the country was deemed "too hot" and the payments will be stopped.
This may explain why Italy, which does not have any overseas tropical territories, was deemed acceptably cold while France was not.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said the DOMs were included because they are considered to be part of France and therefore the EU - so Britons who live there could claim the winter fuel allowance. Connexion is searching for information on how many Britons live in these departments.
If you believe WFA should not be stopped for Britons in France sign the petition at epetitions.direct.gov.uk
This is open to UK residents or nationals - if your non-UK postcode is not accepted, leave that section blank.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/winter-fuel-allowance-uk-expat-france-temperature-overseas-tropical-islands-15000-view-article.html#sthash.j5nZkBWy.pngs05qM.dpuf
The Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mayotte and French Guiana in South America were all included. Méteo France data is only available for the first three online but shows an average winter temperature of 26C.
The islands' temperatures were used with those of mainland France to gain an average which was then compared with 5.6C for the south-west of England. If the resulting figure was higher - as was the case with France - the country was deemed "too hot" and the payments will be stopped.
This may explain why Italy, which does not have any overseas tropical territories, was deemed acceptably cold while France was not.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said the DOMs were included because they are considered to be part of France and therefore the EU - so Britons who live there could claim the winter fuel allowance. Connexion is searching for information on how many Britons live in these departments.
If you believe WFA should not be stopped for Britons in France sign the petition at epetitions.direct.gov.uk
This is open to UK residents or nationals - if your non-UK postcode is not accepted, leave that section blank.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/winter-fuel-allowance-uk-expat-france-temperature-overseas-tropical-islands-15000-view-article.html#sthash.j5nZkBWy.pngs05qM.dpuf
No comments:
Post a Comment