Why Silver Haired Ex-Pats

I'm a blog virgin. This is the first time I have felt compelled to air my thoughts or opinions for the general consumption of all and sundry. I usually save that for the few friends I possess, which is probably why I possess only a few friends.

The reason for the blog is to highlight what I consider stupid, unfair and in some cases unjust treatment by numerous organisations towards those retired British citizens who choose to settle in a country other than Great Britain.

For example, why cannot I open an account with a British bank of my choice on the British mainland just because I have an address in France. The banks tell you it is not their policy to do so but cannot, or will not, tell you why it is not. They will also blame the Government but, to my knowledge there is no such ruling by the Government, merely the application of money laundering regulations, to which I can comply by proving who I am and from where my income is sourced.

I will admit I am not a rich, ex mafia foreign citizen with enough money to buy a English football club for the purposes of bankrupting them. I am a British citizen, a British passport holder and pay income tax in both the U.K. and my adopted country, so why do I not have the freedom of choice as to where to deposit my small local government pension, which has to be paid into a U.K bank?

There are other examples of the frustrations of living the ex-pat life, some of which I will no doubt ramble on about in the future, until then the politicians should remember that many of use still retain the right to vote in the U.K. elections and May is not far away.