Thread: British Expats Get £92 Million in Benefits

EXPATS are raking in £92million in benefits from taxpayers in the UK, it has emerged.
Latest government figures, seen by The Sun, reveal emigrants are allowed to claim EIGHT different types of handouts.
This means that even though they no longer pay into the tax pot, British expats still receive payouts from home.
Successive governments have agreed two-way deals with EU states, as well as with some former Commonwealth nations.


Incapacity benefits cost most with a bill of £41million, followed by bereavement benefits of £18million and £16million in winter fuel allowances, the figures for 2010/2011 show.
The Government has tried to ditch winter fuel payments to emigrants in the EU, but could not get out of the deal — despite a vast percentage of expats living in sunny SPAIN.
Under European law, benefits obtained in one EU nation must be paid to anyone who moves to another member state. The deal includes non-EU states Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
Around 808,000 people have left these shores for sweltering Spain but many still rake in a heating allowance of between £100 and £300 tax-free per year for a couple. And there are around 10,000 expats receiving sickness benefits — taking in up to £94 per WEEK.
Anyone who paid National Insurance could also qualify for permanent incapacity benefit when in other EU states.

Interesting! Good to know for an expat like us!