Last summer we ran a piece about “Living on funny money” – the plight of those expats who have to live on sterling (or dollar) incomes. As Paul, a retired UK police officer living in the Var, told us: “When our pensions are converted we realise every month that we’re getting worse off all the time.” And that’s even more the case now, for sure, as the pound sinks to near parity with the euro. British expats across Europe have been depicted in the UK press, sometimes with barely concealed glee, as embroiled in financial disaster. The Sunday Times, known for its Wapping lies, has announced “a mass exodus”.
It depends where you look, of course. Within our own community, and especially in the Alpes-Maritimes, there are a large number of people on euro salaries, nowadays even on euro pensions. In the Var, though, there are admittedly more Brits like Paul and his wife, living on sterling pensions (from April as a couple their state pension will be £132.50 a week).

So what’s the solution?

Benefits expert Godfrey Corfield points out that those who’ve worked at all in France, are in the tax system (even if they don’t pay any income tax) and can demonstrate their permanent residence (with an EDF bill, for example) qualify for the allocation de solidarité aux personnes agées (ASPA). This will bring their basic income up to €633 a month for a single person, €1135 for a couple. This can be applied for at the local CRAM office which handles pensions. Those who’ve never worked in France can also qualify for a form of the ASPA. Advice can be had at the Centre Communal d’Action Sociale. It has to be said that dealing with the officials involved is much easier for those who’ve troubled to learn adequate French .

From Riviera Reporter Issue 131: Feb/March 2009

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