9th February 2014

So, a person living alone in France needs at least  €1,490 euros a month to live in France, according to a new survey.  Try telling that to the many impoverished British expats living here - especially those living on just the British state pension - c.450 pounds a month!  I understand that the French state pension pays as much as 70% of final salary. Are you listening Mr. Cameron?  
Apparently, in Paris they say you need a net income of  €1,620 euros a month, while those living in more rural areas said they could live on €1,430, the poll of 4,000 people for the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (DREES) revealed. Did they ask them if they could live on around  €700 a month, like their British pensioner counterparts I wonder?
According to France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee), the median monthly wage in France in 2011 after taxes was €1,630. In the same year, 8.7m people lived below the poverty line of €977 per month.  58% of those polled thought living standards were worse for pensioners. Are you listening Mr. Cameron?  The French poverty line is  €977 per month. TG we don't still have our old British bank manager, Mr. Ronseal - always treating us with dis-tain!