hotandsticky

Now, THAT'S the sort of contribution I was expecting from you. ????

I quite like the 'new' Cheap Charlie's. Doesn't have the vibe of the original but still has character.

To be fair, that quote is from the 'retire abroad' page. https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad/report-a-change-in-your-circumstances

I guess you mean life certificates, not death certificates. Just because you haven't heard of them doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Call me a liar if you wish but, 1) Why would I do that and 2) I was sat with my friend when he called DWP and they told him that his pension had been stopped because a life certificate was not responded to. He is also the only person with a UK address that I know has received a life cert. The only 'quirk' in his circumstances was a slight enhancement to his pension because his wife died. But - he was definitely sent, otherwise he would still be getting the annual increases. I am disappointed in your post because I specifically mentioned you in the OP as someone who knows their way around systems/procedures.

I think your first paragraph makes him worse than Prayut as far as Thailand is concerned. Prayut isn't bright enough, and lacks Thaksin's skills, in raping the country.

Yes they are. That was the only way my friend was caught out originally.

You don't have to read them if they have no relevance to you.

I don't think we have had a discussion on this for a few weeks. A friend was looking at getting his UK state pension increased by going back to the UK for 6 months. His story is that he came here at 65 years of age and didn't tell the UK authorities that he had moved to Thailand. After 3 years his pension payment was stopped because a life certificate had been sent to his son's address - and the son had moved without anyone thinking to tell DWP. He said that he was in Thailand and had decided to stay permanently, so his pension was frozen at that point. He is now 76 years old and interested in the possibility of 'thawing' his pension. Bar stool experts had told him that he could go back to the UK for 6 months, claim an increase to current levels, then return to Thailand. That is partially true but he did not realise that he could not legitimately keep the increases on his return - the payments revert to the previous frozen level. He asked me if I thought there was a way round it. I replied that there was; but he would have to lie about his visit to the UK and he would have to lie (by not advising DWP) about his return to Thailand. Rather like recent posts about claiming the state pension on the basis of being UK based vs Thailand based, it becomes a moral question. Here, let me declare my hand. I spent most of my working life in the banking industry where I think I played everything with a straight bat - and there was little/no opportunity to make a discretionary decision to play outside the rules. After that I ran my own businesses and became more street-wise, discovering the opportunities to 'play the system'. I quickly realised that the authorities give you sod all and are quick to take anything or put up obstacles to doing business. They are also not the sharpest at policing their own regulations. I think everyone agrees that freezing UK Pensions for expats in Thailand is not fair, and (despite numerous petitions/legal cases etc) no government is going to reverse the decision. But, the door is open for those who want to take justice in their own hands. I am not for one moment encouraging any righteous person (note, I genuinely avoided 'self-righteous') to do something that they are uncomfortable with - and any natural justice in this context carries it's own risks. I am looking forward to Brit Man Too expressing how simple and (relatively) risk free it actually is....... which is true IMO. Lie, remember the lie and repeat the lie is the mantra for my friend to maximise the thawing of his pension. In his case, after a nominal increase in tax liability, and after the anticipated 10% rise in April, he would take home an extra 100,000+ Baht per annum (and receive future annual increases). The risk is simply that of being caught out; he wasn't smart last time and many experienced posters on here know that this is not a 'benefit fraud' and therefore has minimal consequences if 'caught'. For him, he could simply visit his son for a month. Tell DWP that, for health reasons, he is returning to the UK to live with his son. Return to Thailand. Job done. Understand the lie and live with it; be prepared for any subsequent challenge via life certificate or other. I wonder how the members of ASEAN NOW will view this one. (Please note - please do not fire your bullets at me; I am not recommending any illegitimate actions - I am simply highlighting how a friend of mine could 'unfreeze' his UK pension.

Have you thought about having it paid into Wise? It puts you in control.

Wise don't ????

I would like to see that calculation. Deferring for 12 months means that it takes 17 years to recover the 'lost' 1year's pension income. https://www.gov.uk/deferring-state-pension/what-you-get

You have not been invited, your partner (remember this is HER application)is staying at your house - your sponsor letter will make that clear. Invitation letters are appropriate where, for example, the applicant will be staying with a family member. ..Example, a friend lives with his mother. His wife's visa application needs an invitation letter from the mother-in-law. A fancy folder will serve no purpose; everything is done online and VfS simply take out your partner's papers and scan them to India.

I agree - including Cheap Charlie's.............. I wasn't the one with my nose in the air ????

GUINNESS FACTS How Old? Arthur Guinness signed the lease for the St. James's Gate Brewery on 31st December 1759. Ingredients GUINNESS stout is made from four natural ingredients: Water Barley – malted and roasted Hops Yeast No artificial colourings or flavourings are added. Colour GUINNESS stout is ruby red in colour. It's the roasted barley that gives GUINNESS its colour. Global GUINNESS is brewed in 49 countries worldwide and sold in over 150. Guinness owns 5 breweries in 5 countries around the world. These are in: Ireland (Dublin), Malaysia, and three in Africa - Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon. Where is GUINNESS sold? The most GUINNESS is sold in Great Britain, followed by Ireland, Nigeria, United States of America and Cameroon. How much is sold? 10 million glasses of GUINNESS are enjoyed every day around the world.

Blimey Mansell, how old are you?

Snob! ???? Sitting where exactly ?

DOH!!! Evidence? This is not the International Criminal Court in the Hague.... I don't need evidence. This is a forum, I was expressing an opinion. (albeit a well-informed opinion honed over 17 years of extensive knowledge and experience of Thai women!)

Not even Posh?? ????

I will never forget the first time I walked into the long bar at the Arlington hotel in Dublin at 10.20 one morning. There must have been 30/40 two-thirds filled glasses of stout on the counter. A sight to behold.

I never found that to be a particularly onerous task.

Whoever writes these headlines needs some serious guidance. I read that as relating to the airline industry!

Fancy the French being unprepared for overseas invasions.......who would have thought it?

Keep trolling.....you have already had posts deleted.

How specific do you want me to be..... Let's start at 90% of the 18-50 age bracket.