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UK AND ITALY

Can British people in Italy claim the UK’s winter fuel payment?

In the UK, there are various benefits available to help eligible people through the cold winter months – one of which is the winter fuel payment. But can Britons living in Italy really claim this benefit to cover the cost of heating their Italian homes?

Can British people in Italy claim the UK’s winter fuel payment?
Can Brits living abroad still claim the winter fuel payment? Photo: he gong / Unsplash

Average winter temperatures vary across Italy, but those who move here after only experiencing scorching summers are often surprised to discover just how cold the country can get.

Even the hardiest of arrivals from colder climes will no doubt have to switch on the radiators or fire up the woodburner between November and February – despite the surging costs.

READ ALSO: Not just gas: How the cost of heating has soared in Italy

As the cost of living crisis bites, some UK nationals who reside in Italy may wonder if they could still be eligible for winter fuel financial support from the UK.

What is the UK’s winter fuel payment?

The UK’s winter fuel payment is a tax-free payment to help older people with heating costs during the cold winter months.

Those eligible must have been born before September 26th 1956, according to the UK government’s website.

How much people receive depends on their age and whether anyone else in the household is also eligible, but the amount is usually between £250 and £600.

I’m a UK national living in Italy. Can I claim the winter fuel payment?

Yes, if you meet the following criteria according to the British government’s website:

“If you do not live in the UK, you’re only eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if:

  • you moved to an eligible country before 1 January 2021
  • you were born before 26 September 1956
  • you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK – this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK”

Unlike Spain and France, which the British government has deemed to be too warm on average, Italy is on the list of eligible countries along with Austria, Germany, Sweden, and others.

Find out how to claim the fuel payment on the UK government’s website here.

According to the UK government, during winter the average temperature is between 2 and 7 degrees Celsius in the UK.

READ ALSO: At what time of day is electricity cheapest in Italy?

The Italian government divides the country into six ‘climate zones’ which determine when and for how long residents should have their heating switched on each winter.

According to the government’s classification, the coldest parts of the country are the northern provinces of Cuneo, Trento, and Belluno, where no heating restrictions apply.

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TAXES

Did you know: Italy has a special income tax rate for foreign retirees?

With its warm climate and relaxed ways of life, Italy is a dream retirement destination for many. But moving to certain parts of the country can also lead to big savings on your tax bill.

Did you know: Italy has a special income tax rate for foreign retirees?

Italy is already an extremely attractive destination for foreign retirees for many obvious reasons

But there’s another element that contributes to the appeal: a special flat income tax rate of just seven percent for people with foreign-sourced pensions who choose to retire in certain areas of the country.

READ ALSO – Retirement in Italy: What you need to know about visas and residency

First introduced in 2019 in a bid to repopulate areas of southern Italy following decades of emigration north or abroad, the flat tax rate has since garnered a lot of interest worldwide – and it’s easy to see why.

If you meet the necessary requirements, the seven-percent rate doesn’t apply just to your pension income but to all foreign earnings, such as rental income and dividends overseas.

This can equate to substantial savings considering that Italy’s personal income tax (or Irpef) ranges from 23 to 43 percent depending on your earnings bracket.

There are three main requirements that need to be met in order to qualify for the special flat rate, with the main one being that you must receive a private or public pension from another country.

You also can’t have been a legal resident of Italy at any time in the previous five years. This means that if you’re already living elsewhere in the country, you can’t move to benefit from the low rate.

Finally, you must settle in a town with no more than 20,000 inhabitants. There’s no official list of these, but almost all of the eligible towns are in one of the following regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, or Sicily.

For more details on who’s eligible and how to apply, see our Q&A on Italy’s low tax rate for retirees here.

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