Brits on benefits in Poland?

Quite an interesting one. Catches the feel of the place a bit more accurately than a lot of articles (and more so than that particular writer's article about Warsaw expats a few years back). I liked the quote from the blog at the end...


theguardian/world/2015/jan/19/-sp-search-for-only-briton-poland-claiming-benefits

This sums up Poland, and why it's population is shrinking.

The journalist should have saved time and just perused the posts on PF. They immediately reveal that the number of unproductive Brits slumming it in Poland is far higher than any government statistics will show.

I've long suspected that many of these idle beings managed to get on some sort of incapacity benefit years ago back in Blighty and then hopped it over to Poland to take further advantage of the low cost of living and exchange rate in favor of the pound.

The article in question also mentioned what has always been known to PF members and guests "...a different theory as to why so few Britons sign on in Poland. "So few of them bother to learn the language..."

I would go further and suggest that showing up at benefits office in Poland posed an element of fear because it would create an official record and therefore risk bringing the cattle class gravy train of many a British carpetbagger to a screeching halt.

I have been saying that for years now like I said LIVING A CHEAP HIGH LIFE>

I wonder what they're living on. You live in a little world of your own, just like your pig friend.
Just one Brit claiming benefits. Sounds like the kind of immigrants Poland needs.

mostly teaching english as a carrier,if that gives you an idea.

Carrier? Sounds like you need one.

I think thats a sign of one doing same work in Poland to point out spelling mistakes.

The


that Bieggers amused us about? 1 out of 4500! Not much of a number is it...

Now the number of British citizens paying at least double the median amount of annual income tax would be a much higher number. As would the net ZUS contributions from which that one solitary claimant (worth repeating: 1/4500) wanted to claim. Not that he received any cash in the end.

And why "slumming it"? Obviously Bieggers never having been to PL can't be expected to have first hand knowledge of the country we live in, but it isn't as bad as he thinks. Certainly not "slumming it".

Interesting but not what one would describe as 'surprising'; if anything the surprising fact is that even one Brit thought it was worth the hassle for such a small amount of money.

I see this is not a comfortable topic for you. Personal experience, huh?

Like I mentioned, they are very likely living on benefits from back home courtesy of the nanny state. Posts on PF also show that many work low paying, cash only jobs trying to teach English since that is the only transferable skill set they bring to Poland and even that is no longer needed. I also recall seeing another thread on here not too long ago mentioning how many of them have now turned to busking in a desperate move for more income.

It's people like this who are living in their own little world quite apart from the working population. It's fine if a person's only ambition in life is to have enough money to get another tattoo and buy booze, cigarettes, drugs and junk food. But for most in society life is not a non-stop party. And that is why most people prefer to work and be productive wherever they live.

that is possibly the most stupid thing I have ever read on these forums in about five years.

Blimey - shafts of wisdoms here!!

Obviously we all defer to the extensive experience that only a teenager can have in respect of the labour market in a continent you've only looked at on a map (plus your remarkable insight into "cash only jobs" which would come as a surprise to most people familiar to the way things work in Poland) however it's worth mentioning that unemployment benefit (or jobseekers' allowance as it's now called) does not easily allow people to live abroad and indeed comes with very stringent conditions.

There may well be some (but only some) people living in PL who receive an old age pension, military/police pension or disability benefits from other European countries; that is their right and choice, since they've paid into the system for it.

Basically, a highly productive demographic group within society.

However that's an irrelevance and a red herring that you were trying to introduce. As the article says, Brits in Poland do not claim from the state. Rather, they contribute far more than they take out. Most British people in PL by the way, pay higher rate tax and proportionately more indirect taxation than those born there.

As for busking, tattoos, booze, drugs and cigarettes, that's something for you to experience when (and if) you're a grown-up.

Source: gov.uk/claim-benefits-abroad/overview


Source: nidirect.gov.uk/payment-of-disability-benefits-in-other-european-countries

You were saying?

Indeed I was, and as usual you were wrong, either deliberately or just through ignorance. Jobseeker's Allowance is not, repeat not, available to people who are not available for immediate work in the UK.

"As I was saying" disability payments, pensions etc are something people have paid for themselves and deserve. You'll also notice the bit in the quote you managed to find about people being eligible for locally provided benefits in the country they're going to: something that tens of thousands of Poles in the UK have availed themselves of but so far only 1 Brit (out of 4,500) tried to get.

Which proves my point perfectly. Thanks for providing the quote and hopefully you enjoyed trawling the web for it.

As I say, Brits in Poland put plenty into the state's coffers but as the original article shows take nothing out.

How old did you say you were? Last time you were ranting you let slip you were 14 - perhaps you're 15 now. My, haven't you grown!

Nah. Your lot have been posting on here for years and virtually around the clock when not banned. The guest posters obviously from the UK are usually looking to score drugs or loose women.

That is not a "highly productive demographic group within society" by any stretch of the imagination. Rather it is typical workshy Britain on holiday as long as other people's money doesn't run out.

No wonder none of you can find jobs either in Blighty or abroad.

That's certainly an 'interesting' point of view, especially as the regular posters (I suppose it does seem "round the clock" in your time zone) are all gainfully employed, mostly in very well-paid jobs. Boasting is never good, but you might be surprised at how much some Brits on here earn. I suspect most have never claimed the unemployment benefits that seem to fascinate you so much.

As far as "drugs and loose women" are concerned, it would be inappropriate to discuss either with you given your age; it might potentially be seen as 'grooming' and I would suggest you direct your internet activities in a more wholesome, age-appropriate direction.

However. Those residents of Poland who came from Britain are certainly a highly productive group of people - none of them receive unemployment benefit, as the original article confirms and most are higher than average earners, especially in the capital.

Perhaps one day you'll get to visit and find out for yourself. Meanwhile, you may enjoy the same journalist's previous article on Brits in Warsaw. As a demographic, they do tend to be high achievers.

oh don't be so silly Brits in Poland are hardworking and enterprising types, you sound so .......chippy really.
Just jealous I suppose.

Such as?

you have no idea about anything, I bet you have never been to Europe but live in Pitsville or East Fumbuck convinced you are Polish.

Such as the people I know from this forum and elsewhere who have gone there to work or to set up businesses, silly.

I merely asked you to support what you said with examples. Instead you get all chippy about it and respond with name calling.


Your friends on this forum and elsewhere haven't made a single dent in life. You know this and are simply trying to brush off any scrutiny by giving a vague answer, with no concrete examples, and ending your remark with another jibe.

If you are going to post then at least try to make your responses relevant.

what do you want, named case studies? and you are complaining about me being 'chippy' - my word to describe you that you then stole because you have no imagination - after your hate fillled post about Brits. LOL.

Tell you what, get yourself a passport and come on over!
oh..sorry...I forgot your mom would have to sign the papers.....

Yes. You shouldn't have any problem backing up what you are claiming.

whatever I am not going to share private details of people with a fool like you.
Tell us, what 'dent' have you made?
Have you even been out of your state?
I highly doubt it.

Hardworking and enterprising people are well known in the career fields. They are out there making a difference and are anything but reclusive. If they are not household names already then at the very least they have their names attached to successes such as published studies, technological patents or business deals creating jobs in a community. They may even be involved in humanitarian or charitable causes. They may also have been acknowledged publicly for their accomplishments.

So what's there to hide? If you can't provide any examples then the take away is your original claim can be dismissed due to having no substance.

That's a meaningless phrase.


So everyone who is hardworking and enterprising is a "household name"? That's hilarious!!!!


So a shopkeeper, a financial analyst, a language school owner, a publican, a builder, a computer operator, an old-age pensioner or a farmer should have "published studies" or "technological patents".

I know you're only 14 or 15, but that must be just about the daftest thing I've seen here in 6 years.

And doesn't detract from the confirmed fact that only 0.0002% Brits claim unemployment benefits from PL - the rest are by and large highly productive and have a larger than average income (with correspondingly higher tax/ZUS) - basically an elite section of society who contribute far, far more than they take.

Yes, about twenty-two years' experience. I won't go into detail as to the "dent" I have made here (modesty forbids), but let's just say that I have been contributing to Poland for a long time. How about you? What have you ever done, anywhere?

All I can give is my example.....late 50,s (both of us) wife is a Pole who spent 30 years in UK, don't work here, don't need to, came for a good easy country life, plenty of fresh food and wall to wall trees and hills. I honestly would not have contemplated city life in Poland, nor anywhere to be honest. Had enough of 'urban urgency' The alternative to this place we have, was a small country cottage on the edge of Dartmoor (Hound of the Baskervilles territory) very pretty, but this alternative was bigger (several hectares bigger) and more exciting. Again modesty would preclude saying how much we have put into the local economy, but the amount would make a lot people here faint or have a nasty turn at the sight of all the noughts!!! (at the local garage we are 'apparently' the only locals who always buy a full tank of diesel!!! The only thing I buy outside Poland is books from Amazon, I even buy parts for my foreign cars from Dealers in Poland. If I suddenly came into even bigger money, it would all be spent in Poland, moving to a higher hill, surrounded by even more trees.

You are the first person to make claims, so you are the first who needs to back your laughable claims.

I'll be more than happy to provide named examples of such British persons in Poland. But as you were first to make claims, you are the one who needs to provide named case studies. Given that you admit you have been thinking about this for a long time, you shouldn't have any problem backing up what you are claiming. If you can't provide any examples then the take away is your original claim can be dismissed due to having no substance and just another of the Cartmanesque fantasies produced by your teenage mind.

There was other article about benefits linked under the one from json"
At least 30,000 Britons on unemployment benefit in EU, Guardian research shows

theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/19/-sp-thousands-britons-claim-benefits-eu
static.guim.co.uk/ni/1418312656641/EU_Unemployment_Datablog_do.svg

It looks that the most benefits per capita get Slovakians, Lithuanian and Latvians These are countries 7 to 15 times more populous than Poland, but they get only 2.5 to 5 times less benefits.