French social security reforms

President Sarkozy began his onslaught on the French Social Security system last week with an announcement that “inactive” expats below retirement age would no longer be eligible for health care under the new regime.

This ruling will affect many Brits living in France, and the panic is being fueled by articles such as this one from the telegraph. “Thousands of Britons could be forced to return home.”

It’s a sorry state of affairs when a “respectable” newspaper leads out with this kind of scaremongering. I certainly empathize with the couple featured in the story, but the fact is, Britons moving to France before retirement age are only covered for 2 years anyway, so to suggest that this lady, who is 24 years beneath the retirement age, will have to up sticks and move home is just plain ridiculous. Run out of news to report Mr. Savill?