A LAST-DITCH bid to stop the ending of British Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) to expats in so-called ‘warm countries’ like France has been launched – and needs readers’ urgent help. British MP Roger Gale has today tabled a motion in the House of Commons asking for the ‘statutory instrument’ (SI)... Read more →
British couple find 16th Century coins in wall during building work
A BRITISH couple got a bit of a surprise when doing some renovation work on an old coach house in south west France. As Ron Whetton, who lives in Castillonnès, worked away on a wall he discovered a collection of Spanish gold coins dating from the 16th Century in a... Read more →
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UK nationals who sold property in France urged to act after changes to ‘social charges’ rule
FRANCE has one of the highest percentages of property owned by people not native to the country, with over three million French properties, or 10% of the national housing stock, owned by non-French nationals, writes Guillaume Barlet. About 2.7 million of those properties are owned by EU citizens, with the... Read more →
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Legislation to end winter fuel allowance for UK expats begins progress in Parliament
A CHANGE in regulations that will see an end to the winter fuel allowance for British expats in France has started its way through Parliament. The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2014 have been laid before Parliament today, and is set to come into force on September 21,... Read more →
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CGT set to be charged on British property sold by overseas nationals and expats
IT looks increasingly likely that the UK Chancellor, George Osborne, will decide that capital gains tax (CGT) should be charged on British property sold by overseas nationals and expats. In his autumn statement, on 5 December, the chancellor is expected to impose CGT on sales by wealthy foreign nationals, but... Read more →
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Rising prices have an impact on more UK expats in France
AN increasing number of UK expats in France say that life is proving increasingly difficult as rising prices have an impact on their day-to-day lives. In a survey by the Post Office, 14% of respondents in France said they were unaffected by increasing prices, this compares to 24% in 2012,... Read more →
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UK government says it will save £30m a year from changing expat entitlement to Winter Fuel Payments
THE UK government has said it will save £30 million a year by ending the automatic right to Winter Fuel Payments (WFP) for pensioners living in seven EU countries, including France. The ending of the Winter Fuel Payment was first announce in June when George Osborne gave his spending review,... Read more →
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Expat campaigner's anger over winter fuel payment cut
A LEADING campaigner for the rights of UK expatiates has voiced his anger at George Osborne's plans to end the winter fuel allowance for pensioners living in France. Brian Cave, of the Votes for Expat Brits website, says the chancellor has used inflammatory phrases when outlining the 'temperature test' plan... Read more →
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Expats in France look set to lose winter fuel allowance
EXPATS living in France are set to lose their entitlement to the winter fuel allowance after the chancellor introduced a 'temperature test' in his spending review. George Osborne said: "From the autumn of 2015, we will link the winter fuel payment to a temperature test. People in hot countries will... Read more →
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Real time maps of water levels in French rivers
THE north east corner of France has experienced very heavy rain over the past few days, with many rivers bursting their banks and flooding local homes. There is an Environment Ministry website that is particularly focussed on rivers and the dangers of flooding, its Carte de Vigilance "crues" provides a... Read more →
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