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Make a one-off donation to help us with our work
Why one-off donations are important
One-off donations to the British Overseas Voters Foundation (BOVF) are incredibly important because they provide immediate, flexible funding that allows the organization to respond quickly to emerging challenges and opportunities.
These donations enable BOVF to tackle urgent issues, such as rapid-response campaigns or unforeseen costs related to key advocacy efforts, without having to delay due to budget constraints.
Additionally, one-off donations can help fund specific projects, such as research initiatives, public awareness campaigns, or the development of new resources that directly benefit British citizens living abroad.
Every one-off donation, no matter the size, contributes to making a significant impact by fueling the momentum needed to address injustices and drive meaningful change for the overseas British community.
Christine’s Story
Christine worked all her life, starting work at 15. As soon as she was required, she paid taxes throughout her life and made full National Insurance contributions until she retired at the age of 60. Not long after she had retired, her son moved to Asia.
With no other family ties in the UK, Christine decided to follow him and be nearer to him and her grandchildren.
Her state pension was immediately frozen. No one had ever explained to her this would happen, and when it did, it was too late. She had sold or given away all the belongings she had not packed to travel with.
Having lived in Asia for over 15 years, Christine receives just under £300 monthly. Nearly all of this money is spent on medication each month to deal with her multiple health conditions. Christine lives in poverty.
Christine relies on her son for a place to live and all living costs.
So what’s the answer?
If people like Christine were well enough to fly back to the UK, they would rely on the welfare state for their housing, health and social care.
The costs would be considerably more expensive than simply giving British overseas voters a pension on par with their UK peers, which would give them the dignity of a more independent life.
