News & Insights

The value of having expat regular savings has been underlined by a recent survey which showed that the typical 55-year-old borrows £6,785 against the value of their home in order to take a holiday, with others borrowing an average of £58,850 in order to buy a holiday property.

“With an average spend approaching £7,000 for holidays, travel is a popular choice for those unlocking cash from their homes, often alongside other uses to improve their lifestyle in retirement,” said Dean Mirfin, technical director at Key Retirement, the firm behind the survey.

Expats living in Gilbraltar who currently enjoying the benefits of a QROPS will be pleased to hear that the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, has said that the impending Brexit negotiations are an opportunity for the Rock to seize the moment and to ensure that the future is something it can “write for itself”.

The Chief Minister, making a statement in the days leading up to the first session of Parliament, said that it was important not to become bogged down in the contentious “in, out” arguments that marred so much of the pre-referendum campaigning. Rather, said the Chief Minister, those involved in discussions should focus on achieving positive outcomes so that Gibraltar can continue to be heavily engaged with the European Union.

British expats with regular savings could soon have to make applications for long-term residency visas if they wish to begin living in the European Union following Brexit, according to sources within the Home Office.

Any such move, which would represent something of a victory for hard-line EU negotiators, could see British expats having to provide proof of their regular savings, income and QROPS or QNUPS pensions arrangements.

The Government has revealed that the proposed annuity flexibility plan which was announced in April 2015 – along with all the new pension flexibility changes that are now in force – is not going to go ahead.

On the 21st of October, this month, DBRS (Canadian rating agency) publishes its decision on whether it will maintain its BBB rating to Portugal. DBRS is the only rating agency – on a world scale – underpinning Portugal’s credit worthiness.