Just as a matter of interest, I still pay UK tax, and get NO benefits from my host Government (or expect to). But I do expect to be treated the same as any other pensioner who has paid into the system for more than 40 years! As regards the currency exchange rate, when I first moved to Thailand (my host country) the exchange rate was 73 baht to 1 GBP - it is now 43 baht to 1 GBP - almost halved in value! So apart from no annual increments to my State Pension (I do get an annual increase to my small works pension, and they don't care where I live - I'm entitled to it so I get it - the same as pensioners that live in the UK), apart from paying UK tax on my works pension, apart from no benefits from my host Government, apart from having to pay for all my medications (which I would get free in the UK) I am managing to survive! (If I hadn't sold my house in the UK a few years ago, it would be a far bleaker picture - and no, I didn't get a fantastic amount from the sale of my house - after the mortgage was paid off, I was left with about 50K GBP) So, I do feel a bit aggrieved that every other country in Europe (as far as I know) pays its pensioners annual increments, regardless of where they live, and also I believe that the rate of State Pension in the UK is the lowest in Europe. However, I can not complain about the weather! 😊
