The number of expats paid winter fuel allowance increased by 44% even though they lived in warmer countries than the UK.
In total, the government 139,000 up to £300 a household even though the expats live in a warmer climate than the UK.
This pay out triggered a review of benefit rules for expats aimed at scrapping the allowance for any that live outside the Britain.
The number of expats claiming the allowance has steadily risen over recent years.
In 2013-14, a record £22 million was paid in winter fuel allowances to expats.
Around 57% of all expats claiming the allowance live in Spain (50,000) and France (29,500).
Cold shoulder for expats
The next largest expat enclaves were in Cyprus (8,200) and Greece (2,100).
The remaining 49,300 expats were spread across Europe and the rest of the world.
Only expats born on or before July 5, 1952 qualify for the payment.
Under benefit payment rules, receiving winter fuel allowance should be means-tested so only the neediest expats can claim the allowance.
MPs are expected to agree the government’s proposal that only expats living in countries that have a colder winter temperature than that in Britain’s warmest region.
This condition will exclude most Southern European countries, even though they have some mountainous areas which have a much colder average winter temperature than Britain.
Winter fuel allowance payments to expats have almost doubled in the past three years.
In 2011-12, the government paid £13 million to 74.700 expats. Almost 40,000 lived in Spain and 18,200 in France.
In Britain, more than 9 million households were paid an allowance between November 2012 and May 2013.
The total winter fuel allowance bill was £2.15 billion in 2013.
Unfair expectation
The benefit is paid at £200 for a household over the women’s state pension age and £300 for a household where someone aged 80 years or over lives.
The allowance is to help the elderly keep their homes warm without worrying about the cost of increased energy bills.
The government hopes to save the cash spent on expat fuel allowances as part of plans to reduce spending on benefits.
Pensions Minister Steve Webb said: “The winter fuel allowance keeps thousands of vulnerable people warm in the coldest winter temperatures and lets them turn up their heating without worrying unnecessarily about the bills.
“However, it seems unfair pensioners in warmer countries should take advantage of this benefit when they are not facing the same weather conditions as pensioners in Britain.”
It is necessary to quash arguments concerning the notions that a/France particularly, but also Spain Cyprus are in Winter warmer than SW England. Climatology knowledge should inform people that France and most of Spain have ‘continental’ climates, whlist England and Wales and the Western Isles have Atlantic climates. i.e such are more equable all-year-round. Have readers not noticed that France and Cyprus have ski resorts. In central France night winter temperatures frequently drop to minus six and in Burgundy, Auvergne and elsewhere to minus twenty. Have visitors not observed that houses all have double glazed windows and anciently large fireplaces/ Have they not seen the large stacks of firewood near many houses?
Concerning the statistics issued by the DWP, do you not find it strange that Sicily and Italy are considered as cold countries, while France is considered Hot?
Have you noticed that this false information is distributed to make it appear that the pensioner in Europe is somehow unfairly milking the exchequer of further funds? These pensioners would have received the same funding if they resided in the UK. It is not an extra sum. Many pensioners move to Europe continental because housing is cheaper and they have move space to develop interests. Many are no richer than those at ‘home’ . Many live on little more than their pensions. The UK Government knocks at the pensioner abroad again and again and treats them as second class citizens. It is time this attitude ceased and that we all were treated as honourable citizens who in many respects are ambassadors for Britain and in fact relieves the housing stock and the NHS at ‘home’ and thus actually in some respects saves the UK some financial strain.
Temps go down to minus 30-40 here in Canada……never had the winter fuel allowance. It would be nice to have especially as Canada is one of the countries where our state pension is frozen.
Brian Cave, your comment is extremely well written, but you omitted to mention that Iain Duncan Smith used flawed figures to include figures to increase the average temperature for France by including Guadeloupe and Reunion Islands in his calculations. They are located in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.