The finest brains in Britain.....

[ajpearson]

Aj, I am very uneasy with Help for Heroes charity for two reasons. Firstly soldiers welfare has been looked after by the British legion for 100 years.

But, more importantly, looking after soldiers injured in service is our responsibility. It's one of the genuine reasons we pay taxes.

It's disgusting the way our young injured men serving their country are treated by us.

We have been brainwashed into thinking the government are our rulers and we must accept what they dictate. The days of an effective opposition our in the past.

 

 

Well I do not support them for a completely different reason, that being that they do not support either the RN or RM properly.  When I was last overseas, 71% of personnel were RN (including the RM), yet only about 3% of H4H money goes to RN personnel, injured RM personnel have to find help from our own charities.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Passports in the UK are sent recorded delivery by Royal Mail.

 

My understanding is that that is only the case in very rare circumstances (and our recent ones certainly haven't been).  But if you've got an authoritative source to back up the assertion that it's the norm, then I'm happy to be corrected...

[Captain Colonial]

My understanding is that that is only the case in very rare circumstances (and our recent ones certainly haven't been).  But if you've got an authoritative source to back up the assertion that it's the norm, then I'm happy to be corrected...

 

The renewal one for me delivered to my house last Tuesday was by Recorded Mail - but despite it being addressed for me specifically, she signed for it without Postman Pat so much as blinking an eye, so judge its effectiveness for yourself.

[Wile E. Coyote]

One swallow does not a summer make.

 

My question was perhaps a little mischievous, as I know that Norman won't be able to find anything authoritative that states that the majority are sent via Royal Mail.  In fact, unless it's been changed in the past few weeks, he does have a document in his possession that states that Secure Delivery is the norm... I know as I've just binned the one for my Son's application now that his has arrived.

[Norman Verona]

Wile, I was repeating what Scott said. 

 

It's the same as "terrorism", and "saving the planet", "security" is a great excuse to ramp charges up.

 

As it happens I do not have a document about UK passports to the UK, the one I've got is for overseas passports.

 

Wile, at what point do you start to question what the Government does with your money and how much you pay over and above tax to be a British subject?

[Wile E. Coyote]

As it happens I do not have a document about UK passports to the UK, the one I've got is for overseas passports.

 

In that case, I apologise for suggesting you might have access to the same information.  Perhaps there are other things in there that are different?... things that might preclude their being printed on a passport application form which, one assumes, is standardised?

 

The fact remains though: for a good few years, a secure courier has held the contract to deliver passports in the UK, with a minority of "low risk" addresses being served by Royal Mail Recorded.  You are NOT being stung for a secure service whilst the majority of the UK's citizens are served by a much lower cost one.  Instead it appears that you're being asked to pay for an equivalent service that happens to cost more because you (through choice I assume) live in France.

 

However, it's more more convenient for the "rip off" argument to go with the poster who said they got theirs via Royal Mail than the one who said a specialist courier was used or to check the facts.

 

I regularly question how HMG spends my money and would prefer it to be more efficient where possible - I do however hold certain parts of HMG/the broader public sector in high regard.  However, thinking more broadly about passports, I'm actually pretty comfortable with the notion of paying a little extra to have them more secure in transit.  If, however, things got to the stage where I felt there was a conspiracy, I'd probably find somewhere more agreeable to live... and then seek citizenship so that I'd really have nothing to complain about.

 

I know you like to say that people get the government they deserve.  As it happens, I have a 100 trillion dollar banknote: looking at that today (for reasons you'll appreciate if you keep up with international politics) leaves me questioning the extent to which that is actually true.  Against that backdrop, I don't think we have it too bad.

[Norman Verona]

 

Instead it appears that you're being asked to pay for an equivalent service that happens to cost more because you (through choice I assume) live in France.

 

 

 

 

I'm pleased to note that you don't think that £72.86 MORE, nearly double, to deliver a package to France is an equivalent service when I can get a secure delivery for £15.

 

Let me make this absolutely clear. I do not mind paying more. I would not be complaining at £100, £25 more than a delivery in the UK. But £73 more can only be described as a rip-off, If you think it's OK then there's no point in continuing the discussion. You seem to disagree with everything I say, or not to answer the questions raised.

 

I got no health service from the UK when I moved here, We still pay certain taxes in the UK but no account is made for that. Everything I have to do with the UK government is just a nightmare.

 

How about if the country ever needed me, for whatever reason, do you think I would return to help? 

 

I've no problem about providing health services to immigrants, but a British subject who decides to retire to warmer climes is denied this even though they will probably pay far more in taxes and NI than most immigrants ever will.

 

I would call it loyalty to subjects who have worked hard all their lives, paid their taxes and NI for 44 years  and created wealth for the country by starting a successful business. If that's the way our government want to treat us they can hardly expect us to return loyalty.

 

One final example. I have to produce a self assessment return every year. Last year I decide to do this myself (instead of my accountant) so set up a gateway to complete it online. Even though I had all the hassle with the gateway code no one explained that the online form couldn't be used if I was overseas. I had to purchase an external software package to complete my online return. The form and questions are identical to the government form online.

 

This year I've completed the form on paper and sent it off. Hardly efficient.