March 2010
Please Scroll down the Page for all the information
New Tax Planning
Opportunities For British Expatriates In France –
QNUPS
On the 15th February 2010, a new UK HM
Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
statutory instrument came into force, the implications of
which create
significant opportunities for British expatriates to
save
local taxes in
See Blevins Franks Article for more details
Cost Saving Proposal
Ryanair is currently
developing a cost-saving option in order to reduce fares, increase efficiencies
and lower costs
A charge for toilet use onboard short sector flights
(those of one hour or less) the fee is estimated to be £1 or €1.
Rynair hopes to change passenger’s behaviour in order
to remove two of the three toilets
onboard
some aircraft so up to six extra seats can be installed. This will help reduce fares by at least 5%
Ryanair will encourage passengers to use the toilet
facilities in the airport terminals before boarding,
and is working with Boeing to develop a coin-operated door
release.
www.le-cinema.fr. English speaking movies most months
There are 4 English Speaking movies this month visit
the web site for further detail
So pleased to be able to tell visitors to the area, no need to fear
they won't be able to eat well here.
With the advent of a THIRD Macdonald's in
and it'll be almost opposite the "Quick"
fast-food resto near Carrefour. Cheers,
New Tax Planning
Opportunities For British Expatriates In France –
QNUPS
By
On the 15th February 2010, a new
UK HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) statutory instrument came into force,
the implications of which create significant
opportunities for British expatriates to save local taxes in France as well as
UK inheritance tax (IHT).
The
As pension
schemes are one of the key ways that most governments incentivise
their citizens to save for their retirement, the tax rules
are generally more favourable than other investment structures.
The problem for most retired expatriates is that they
believe that their days of being able to put money
into pension schemes are behind them; however QNUPS may
significantly change many retired expatriates view on this.
1)
There is no
maximum age at which you can invest in a QNUPS.
2)
You do not need
to have any earned income from an employment in order to make a contribution.
3)
There is no
maximum contribution that can be made into a QNUPS.
The rules are sufficiently flexible to allow someone
who is 85 years of age and has been retired for 25 years
to put large investments into a QNUPS and immediately
create significant tax advantages for themselves.
So what benefits do QNUPS give to retired
British expatriates?
A QNUPS is a pension scheme trust and as such you are
entitled to take a cash lump sum
and income during your lifetime, with the remainder of
your fund being able to be passed to your spouse
or heirs on your death free from all taxes. The following advantages are available to you
through a QNUPS:
²
As a pension
scheme, a QNUPS is very tax efficient in most countries as
²
it can avoid both
local wealth taxes during your lifetime and succession taxes on your death.
²
A QNUPS also
avoids local succession law, so that you
²
are free to choose exactly who inherits your money and in
what shares.
²
Income can be
taken from age 55 (after 6th April 2010) or it can be deferred, as
it does not need t0
²
be taken until age 75.
In certain countries it can be paid in a
²
manner where a
significant portion can be paid to you tax free.
²
When income is
taken it is drawn down from the fund, thus leaving your scheme assets invested.
²
Otherwise the assets grow free from tax.
²
On death the
value of the QNUPS will be exempt from
²
²
A QNUPS offers
considerable investment flexibility and choice.
Furthermore your assets can be
²
invested and any
benefits taken in a currency of your choice, giving you the opportunity to
remove currency risk.
²
The trustees of a
QNUPS have no reporting obligations to HMRC unless the scheme also holds
²
any assets
transferred from an authorised
In essence QNUPS allow retired British expatriates to
put their investable wealth
into a pension structure and significantly improve their
personal tax position as a result.
A QNUPS will escape
the tax even if you never left the
years to avoid the tax or give the assets away,
so you and your spouse/partner can continue to benefit
from the assets.
For more information or advice contact your
local Blevins Franks Partner,
European Health Insurance
Card
“You are advised to take out private travel insurance before you
go to another country
regardless of whether you are covered by your EHIC
. This is because the EHIC does not cover all situations in which you
might find
yourself. For example it will not
cover the cost of your journey back to your country
of residence if you need to be
sent home.”
Quote from the Pensions Office
in the
Following last months
that will issue a TRAVEL POLICY IN ENGLISH THAT WILL START AND FINISH HERE IN
FRANCE
The real costs when things go wrong.
An emergency abroad can be extremely expensive. If you
need to be returned home,
it could
cost you a small fortune, unless you are adequately insured. Here are a few
examples of the cost of repatriation.
£35 - £45,000 – Air ambulance from
£12 - £16,000 Air ambulance from
£15 - £20,000 scheduled flight, stretcher and Doctor
Escort from
Globelink specialise in providing
Travel Insurance for people living in all EU countries, Authorised and
Regulated by the Financial Services
Authority and Approved by EU Regulators. Globelink have been providing
specialist
Travel Insurance policies for many
years and offer a unique combination of personal service,
sensible cover and
security including a 24 hour multi-lingual emergency assistance service.
This enables you to relax and enjoy
your holiday with the comfort
of knowing that you will be looked
after by experts if things go wrong.
Globelink Annual Multi Trip policies give cover for an unlimited
number of trips with a choice of cover for Worldwide
or
This is reduced
to a maximum of 60 days for people aged 66 to 70 and 31 days
for people aged 71 to 74. Family Annual Multi Trip cover is
also available.
In some parts of the world, even
finding a reputable doctor or hospital can be a real problem,
especially if you cannot speak the language,
but our assistance service will take
care of everything and
guarantee payment for your treatment directly
with the doctor, clinic or hospital.
Also included is cover of up to £100
per person towards the replacement of a Passport,
which is lost or stolen whilst you are
travelling outside your home country.
Policies for single trips are available for
people aged up to 84 for European travel,
or 74 for Worldwide cover. Single Trip polices from 11 Euro.
For an instant quote and to arrange cover securely
online, enabling you to print your policy documents immediately,
visit the
link now set up on www.lfn.org.uk you can telephone Globelink on 00 44 1353
699082
Globelink have agreed to pay a contribution to the
British Legion Poppy Appeal on all policies effected
from our website.
If you go direct please tell them you found their
information from the
Travel Safely - go and return in the knowledge that you will
be cared for if necessary.
ITEMS REQUIRED For Charities
Coins in any
currency: Knitting Wool:
Old Spectacles: Used Postage Stamps:
You could hand them in at the next book exchange.
Also you can
drop them in at Best of British English Shop in
In the garden – March
Mid February brought us the third cold spell of a
harsher than average winter.
Cold weather, particularly frost, causes the water in
the cells
of a
plant to freeze and damages the cell wall.
Damage from frost shows as limp, distorted and blackened foliage.
A prolonged
period of cold can also mean that the ground freezes and roots become unable to
take up water,
strange
to think that a plant can die of lack of moisture in the winter!
This can be a particular problem for recently planted
items whose roots have not yet penetrated deep into the ground.
If you do have plants with frost damage this doesn’t
necessarily mean the end,
many
plants will recover given time so don’t rush to dig out apparently dead plants,
some may
reshoot from their roots as late as June.
There are ways of minimising frost damage;
protect plants from morning sun which causes the plant to
thaw out too quickly,
check
that newly planted plants haven’t been lifted out of the soil by the frost and
replant if necessary,
and once
spring arrives cut back damaged shoots to a new, healthy bud – this will
encourage the plant to make new growth.
One hopes that March will bring milder weather and we
can look at the following tasks in the garden:
- start to remove
winter protection from plants to start hardening them up, but remember to
replace protection if frost is forecast
- start to clean up
the foliage on perennials, sub shrubs and deciduous grasses, cut back many
plants to the base,
- sub shrubby sages
such as the microphylla cultivars will shoot up much more vigorously
following a heavy cutting back
- keep an eye on the
new shoots of trees and shrubs and act accordingly if you see slug damage
- compost or an
organic soil improver such as “Or Brun” can be put around the base of
shrubs
- aerate the soil of
your flower beds and keep ahead of the weeding
- Think about planting
trees, shrubs and climbing plants. If you buy plants at this time of the
year
- check to see if “ils
ont été sorti d’une serre” ie brought out of a greenhouse.
- It is usual for a grower to protect young
plants in a greenhouse over winter but they
- will need some
hardening before planting, especially if March brings a return to colder
weather
- prune roses
- prune summer
flowering shrubs which flower on the current season’s growth
- if you have a lawn
scarify it to remove moss and dried grass
1 2 3 4 5
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In the garden there are a number of early flowerers
that will brighten up the garden.
The
Mediterranean native Helleborus corsicus
(1) has wonderful luminous green flowers and is a great plant for dry shade.
The many hybrids
of Helleborus orientalis (2) also do
well.
There are many euphorbias that do well around here, just about the first into flower is Euphorbia rigida,
an excellent plant for a hot, sunny position and also
very drought resistant. Euphorbia myrsinites
(3) is another excellent plant for a similar situation.
The attractive, indigenous flowering shrub Coronilla glauca (5) has lovely scented
flowers during late
February and March and the tree ceanothus, (4) Ceanothus arboreus Trewithen Blue, will
also be in flower now.
For further information contact
Gill Pound at La Petite Pépinière de Caunes,
21, Avenue de la Montagne Noire,
(route de Citou) 11160, Caunes-Minervois.
Tel: 04 68 78 43 81, email Gill@lapetitepepiniere.com
We re-open on the 5th March and will then
be open March to November
10h – 18h Fridays and Saturdays, 10h – 12h Sundays, or
by appointment.
www.lapetitepepiniere.com
–unusual plants for summer dry climates
www.hiddengardensfrance.com
– garden tours of the
GOOD HOME WANTED FOR TWO DALMATIANS
The
two Dalmatians, a girl nearly 5 and a boy aged 6 looking for a good home,
can be separated, they are small for this breed, very obedient:
For further information please call Yolande Rouanet
on 0468 461 749 or e-mail mather11@wanadoo.fr
CURRIED CHICKEN & TOMATO PILAF
Mild Indian curry paste adds all round flavour to this
easy one-pot dinner. Preparation Time 20 Minutes: Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)
Olive oil spray: 2 (about
450g) single chicken breast fillets, cut into 4 cm pieces: 1 onion, coarsely chopped:
2 tbs Pataks mild Korma curry paste: 400g basmati rice: 1 oxo chicken cube: 2
tbs toasted slivered almonds: 1 large tomato, coarsely chopped: fresh coriander
leaves: Low fat natural yoghurt, to serve.
Method:
1: Heat a saucepan over medium
–high heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes each
side. Transfer to a plate.
2: Add the onion to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook,
stirring, for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the chicken and
stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 12 minutes
or until liquid is absorbed. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Top the pilaf with almonds,
tomato and coriander. Serve with yoghurt.
Eating a curry once or twice a week could help
prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, a
The
key ingredient is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric. Curcumin appears
to prevent the spread of amyloid protein plaques - thought to cause dementia -
in the brain.
The Next Book and DVD Exchange
will be held on Tuesday 6th April 2010,
10am till 12 noon at G20
Supermarket Olonzac.
Bring one and go away with one;
no cost and no profit,
just a facility in
the supermarket for the English and or French who like to read books.
Pop along with your book or
books, you will get a cup of coffee and biscuits.
If you have no books or
DVDs to swop, still come along,
you may find a book you want
to read,
and a small donation in the
British Legion Poppy box is all we ask.
Please Note we have two book exchanges in
April
Tuesday 6th and Friday 23rd
April
BRUCE THE COMPUTER MAN - TIPS FOR THE
MONTH
Virus, Trojan, Spyware, Worm, Malware,
Addware, Spam –
What is the difference and which should I
be worried about? Well all are a potential risk to your computer; an infection
of any kind is something to worry about.
As the old saying goes “Prevention is
better than cure” it is much better to try and stop anything nasty getting into
your computer, than to try and clean it up afterwards.
Virus – A program that is looking to infect a computer and pass
itself along to other computers, usually trying to protect itself by damaging
Windows and stopping virus scanners.
Trojan – A program that contains something it should not, is usually a second program that spies on your computer
or installs a virus.
Spyware – A program that is trying to gather information especially
a password and send it out via the internet to the hacker, usually looks for
banking information or secure login.
Worm – A newer type of Virus – it usually tries to get the computer to
do other things like sending emails
or connecting 100’s of times to a web site in the hope that
if enough computers try to access a web site
all at the same time it will get the web site to crash. Worms
are very good at hiding and evading virus scanners.
Malware – Very similar to a Virus or Worm – usually tries to do as
much damage to windows as it can
so that other viruses can access the computer, the most
usual form of malware is a fake virus scanner.
Addware – This tries to install popup adverts on the computer and
usually changes
the home
Spam – Junk email, this is less of a risk than other items listed
here,
but still a nuisance and a possible risk of being taken to an
infected web site.
(The above descriptions are simplified
explanations to serve as a guide only).
What can you do to protect your computer?
1. Install a good virus
scanner and keep it up to date.
2.
Install a good anti malware scanner and do regular
scans.
3.
Make
sure Windows is up to date using Microsoft/Windows update.
4.
Make
sure software that uses the internet like Firefox, Chrome, Java,
Adobe
Flash and Reader are all up to date.
Some Free Software that will help you to
stay safe.
Anti Virus Software
AVG – http://free.avg.com (Recommended)
Avast – http://www.avast.com Avira
– http://www.avira.com
Anti Malware – (Trojan, Spyware, Worm, Malware,
Addware)
Anti Malware Bytes – http://www.malwarebytes.org/
(Recommended)
Ad-aware – http://www.lavasoft.com
Anti Spam
Spam Fighter - http://www.spamfighter.com (Recommended)
BullGuard Antispam - http://www.bullguard.com
Please note you should only install ONE
item from each category, installing more than one will cause your
computer to slow down and may cause it to crash.
You should also uninstall old or out of date security software from your
computer before installing the new software.
If you need help or have any questions or
think you may have an infection on your computer
please give me a call or send me an email for
FREE advice. Bruce@mirax.org or Telephone 05 61 60 84 23.
GEOFF
THE HANDYMAN
One of the properties we look after in
I went to the police HQ the
following lunchtime. I was seen very quickly, but only managed to register that
there had been a problem. No details were taken because I did not have the
owner’s written permission to lodge the complaint. All I needed was an email
from them…
Two days later I returned,
with the email. The police station was shut. As it was now Saturday lunchtime,
I thought maybe it would reopen at two-ish, so I wandered around for half an
hour. I returned at five past two, and the door was still locked. As I stood
wondering what to do next, a policeman came out from what I had assumed was the
staff entrance asking me what I wanted. I pointed to the door and asked if it
would be opened today, and waved the pile of paperwork I’d accumulated. He
looked at the papers and beckoned me in. Once inside, no less than four police
officers shuffled through the paperwork before one of them asked me what I was
doing there. When the penny dropped, I was taken through corridors and arrived
behind the counter in the public area. After a different police officer
photocopied everything six or seven times, I was asked to take a seat – someone
would be with me soon.
No sooner had I sat down than
there was someone else trying to get in through the same door I had found
locked. I went over and pointed to the other door. When I turned round there
was yet another policeman stood behind me who muttered something and unlocked
the door. Clearly someone had forgotten to open the police station that day…
In no time at all I was being
interviewed by the Brigadier, Chef de
Police. Wow! In fact, he’s a detective sergeant. But he was helpful,
courteous and good humoured. I’d already prepared a written statement in both
English and French to save time. I had the email of authority from the owners,
so nothing had been left to chance. Or had it? He asked the date and place of
birth of the owner. I had no idea though a quick phone call easily established
this obviously vital piece of information. He asked for an identity document. I
offered my driver’s licence - which he accepted.
There are a few points to
make following this interface with the farces (sorry forces) of law and order.
Never, ever, underestimate the capacity of French bureaucracy to make anything
difficult; never, ever, underestimate the need for what seems to us a pointless
piece of paper; never, ever, underestimate the French bureaucrat’s ability to
ask a pointless question and turn it into a vital one. Always be over-prepared.
And above all, if you have
someone looking after your house while you’re away, make sure they have your
written permission to report crimes to the police. Give them your place of
birth and your date of birth. Maybe even your inside
leg measurement as well, unless, of course, it’s different in your commune…
And finally, a septic tank
system that was not working presented some unusual challenges beyond simply
emptying the tanks. First, trying to figure out why one house had three septic
tanks, and second, removing several rocks and pieces of plaster from the
pipework. But the square metre of lino in one of the tanks was left where it
was. (That’s not a typo. There was a square metre of lino, as in floor
covering, in one of the tanks.) The mind boggles.
I
've just got back from a week in the
All homes tend to sell after they
are prepared properly for the market, and I would not let a small budget for
home selling dissuade you. After all, in some areas such as the bathrooms,
buyers spend about 2 seconds peeking into those rooms.
May I suggest that you start on the
outside, ask a friend or neighbour to come over and give you objective advice. Because after you live in a home for a while, you
might not see the things that will distract home buyers.
Home Selling Starts with the Exterior
First impressions count. That's why
your front area needs to be inviting. Trim back the bushes and trees,
especially if they block views from the windows and make your home difficult to
see from the street. Here are a few other low-cost curb appeal
improvements that you can do for less than €200:
·
Keep the lawn mowed, preferably on the diagonal.
·
Plant yellow flowers such as marigolds along the
walk or by the front door. The colour
yellow sells.
·
Wash the exterior windows.
·
Paint or replace the front door and buy new
hardware.
·
Power spray the house
to get rid of dirt and cobwebs.
·
Buy a new welcome mat for the front steps.
·
Paint or replace the mailbox.
·
Buy a plaque displaying your house number and
install near the entry.
·
Wash or replace a front porch light fixture.
Despite
the present low in the house market, the feed back "on the ground"
which I see myself and hear from other local Agents is that things are
generally moving a lot faster for the time of year so it promises to be a much
better year than last; and there is some hope of increases. So, if you're
looking to buy then now is a good time before it gets more expensive.
If
any of you are looking for a nice plot of land with a view of the sea, near
Fitou then take a look at this plot. It’s a real snip:
http://jo-slater.green-acres.com/en/properties/352a-js312.htm
Good
luck, Jo Slater http://www.french-property-sale.com
RYANAIR CREDIT CARD FEES
You may recall in the
December 2009
IF you are a regular user of
this airline you can apply to “MONEY X EXPRESS”
you require a UK address (to have the card sent to), your Passport
Number and a French phone number is acceptable or your 0844 number if you have
one. The card has many other uses, check out their website for further
information www.moneyexpresscard.com
Their advert reads “Money X
Express offer a MasterCard Prepaid card that in addition to offering all the
normal benefits of a MasterCard, also enables money to be transferred from say
the UK to France for a flat rate of 2.5%”
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RETURNING FROM THE Please remember if you or any of your friends are returning, by road, to this area from the we will pay you to
bring back our shop products. Please contact Tel: 0468 40 97 11 or e-mail norm@lfn.org.uk |
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Eye Glasses 70% less than the high street See our new prescription sunglasses range from only £27
complete |
OF WETLANDS AND WADERS with the
I have just returned
from an impromptu visit to
An encounter with a
group of telescope bearing males with the latest technology soon bore fruit and
they generously allowed us to observe a very shy bittern (butor etoile) the
other side of the lake that was skulking behind some reeds in the reedbeds. The bittern is a large wader with distinctive
mottled brown feathers and a dagger like bill and lives for up to 12
years. It is still an endangered species
as much of its habitat (it can only survive in deep water reed beds) has been
disappearing. Fortunately steps have been taken to reintroduce this magnificent
bird and there is now an increase in numbers. This was fantastic as my first
ever sighting of a bittern was near the Canal du Robine at Gruissan and this
was another first in
Onward to the next hide
and I saw something blue and interesting not far from our observation
point. The powdery blue had caught my
eye and I saw a medium sized wader with a bluish breast and long orange
streaked beak trying unsuccessfully to swallow a fish. As our group of telescoping friends arrived
there was great excitement and it was soon intimated that the object of our
interest was a Water Rail (Râle d’eau). Another first. I have never seen a water rail before and
like the bittern this bird prefers to hide away but the lure of the fish must
have been its undoing as there were now a group of us with a clear view as the
bird made several attempts to swallow the fish. This bird lives for up to six
years and is not endangered though rarely observed. Eventually successful in swallowing the fish
the bird faded into the reeds.
Predictably, my friend was not overly impressed with all the excitement
(I think a trip to Marks and Spencer’s would have held more interest for her)
and asserted that on my next visit she would furnish me with sandwiches and a
flask and I could spend the whole day at wetlands (unaccompanied). On the same visit I was also lucky enough to
spot a water vole and this engaging little animal very quickly disappeared
before I could focus my camera!
Back home I am watching
a female blackcap (Fauvette à tête noire) on the birdbath. This pretty little warbler unlike her male
counterpart has a brownish/red cap and is a daily visitor to the birdbath.
Wherever we are it is a
real privilege to be able to watch these tiny beings living their lives
alongside us.
Maybe I will be able to convert my friend.
Happy
bird watching folks.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Book Exchange on
Tuesday 9th February, we raised a further €152.31 for next year’s poppy appeal.
Well done!
Advance notice for St Georges Day,
Friday 23rd April 2010.
We are organising an additional
book exchange in G20. You will be able
to change your books and DVDs,
plus you can have an
English style buttered scone with your tea or coffee for a small donation,
which is going to be
shared between the BREAST CANCER Campaign and The British Legion.
For those readers who live in the
Carcassonne Area the English Shop, Best of British,
will also have scones with tea and
coffee available on St Georges Day,
Friday, 23 April
in aid of the same charities. Rosie, the owner
also has a large selection of books in the shop.
ITEMS FOR SALE on www.lfn.org.uk
small adds section
Air Condition Units:
Aluminium Sliding Door:
Baby’s
Blanket: Bouyancy
Aid: Brass Mixer Tap: Central Heating Radiators:
Computer Keyboard
(English): Colour Scanner: Computer Mouse:
Colour Scanner: Frying Pan:
HP 710C Printer:
Laptop Bag: Largest Bean Bag in
Log Burning Unit Built in: Mazout
Boiler: : Mitre Saw:
Motor Home Burstner A645: M P 4 Player: Pello Chairs:
Musto Boat Coat:
Ping Golf Clubs; Renault Kangoo:
Sliding Wardrobe Doors (Mirrors):
Timber Front Door
and Frame:
Timber Porte Fenetre:
Two Seater Sofa:
Television-DVD-CD Player:
Volkswagen Golf:
REAL ESTATE FOR
Assignan(€125k):
Azille (€100):
Fitou Bed & Breakfast Business (750K) Fitou (197k)
Fraisse Des Corbieres (90K)
Puisserquier (€425) Saint Frichoux (€280):
St Andre de Roquelongue (€299K) Sainte
Visit www.lfn.org.uk for further details small adds
section
The www.lfn.org.uk small adds
service is available for the readers of the
for further details of the items and
services below please
click here
and visit the small ads.
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SERVICES AVAILABLE Art Classes: Avon Agent: Builders: Cabinet
Maker-Joiner: Catering: Computer
Support and Repair: French Lessons:
Gardening Services: Home Improvements: House & Car Insurance:
House Sitters: Insurance (Top Up Medical): Landscaper & Designer: Long –
Short Term Lets: Man with Van (UK-France): Painter & Decorator: Plumbing – Heating Engineer: Pool
Maintenance: Prescription Spectacles and Sunglasses: Property
Management: Satellite TV: Sign
Writer: Slimming Guidance: Storage Facilities: Telephone Calls cost Advice:
Translation Services: Welder: Massage
for well Being, Reiki – Cranio-sacral work |
