Some of my UK expat friends have asked me about the September hearing at the European Court, when overseas residents sought to force the British Government to give them equal treatment, changing the current position whereby their pensions are frozen at the level reached when they departed the Olld Country's shores.

Basically, it was just an initial hearing, no judgement likely till next Spring. Brit pensioners in Canada and Australia are affected, and their counterparts in Indonesia too.

Perfidous Albion gives priv status to those who move to (inter alia) the old Axis countries, but not to those dwelling in Britain's oldest allies.

The folks in Canada and Oz have organised themselves into pressure groups so why don't all you guys and gals here do the same.

The welfare system is a mess. It would take pages to explain it, and Canad's is pretty skewed too.

What I was focusing on is the fact that you get a senior citizen pension when you hit 65, though that may be changing. Every year it rises, as of course do prices and wages. But if you move abroad, you don't get the rises!

Happily I am not yet old enough to worry about my pension status, British, Canadian or otherwise, but for those in that position, it seems very unfair.