theoldgit

The restaurant rated as number 1 isn't in a resort, it's alongside a supermarket, though eight of the following nine are in hotels.

Troll post removed.

May I suggest a slight edit to your response? "Frozen pensioners remain liable for tax on their combined UK incomes, but are prohibited from using the NHS for anything but emergency treatment, being charged 150% of the actual cost of ongoing care" As a matter of interest I know a number of people whose UK tax liabilty on their combined private and state pensions exceeds what they receive in their actual State Pension.

Isn't much of their food imported, wouldn't that put the prices up? I accept that a weaker pound makes exports cheaper, but wouldn't that mean they got less less stable currencies in return? I have to admit I don't really understand the economics of all this.

This is a month old "news story", I think it's run its useful course.

Thanks Tony M, I'd noticed that they've updated their guidance page for visa decision waiting time, as you say, citing the Ukrain excuse, which also doesn't seem to be doing too well. There are more processing times on their guidance site for other classes of application. Join family in the UK You should get a decision within 24 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre to, if you are applying to settle in the UK as the spouse, partner or family member of someone who has British citizenship or is settled in the UK. Visit the UK Standard visitor visa applications are currently taking on average 6 weeks to process. We are working hard to process applications to get back to the 3-week service standard. Travelling through the UK Transit visa applications are currently taking on average 6 weeks to process. We are working hard to process applications to get back to the 3-week service standard. visa-decision-waiting-times-applications-outside-the-UK

This is the information from the official channel http://pcscenter.sb.police.go.th/filedownload/infomation-service-4.pdf There are a number of agencies who will do it on your behalf https://www.thaipolicecertificate.org/ I believe that you can also apply via the Thai Embassy in London.

Though "Asylum Seekers" and refugees are, as are those who've been refused asylum, or at least get their basic needs funded. The cost of detaining Illegal Immigrants is in the region of £100m per year, though most are housed in hostels and also get cash support via a cash card.

When I deferred my pension for a few weeks I subsequently received the payment that was in force in the new financial year, not the one that was in force when I actually reached pensionable age a few weeks earlier.

We made a small claim for some damage I did to my wifes car when I was driving it, it's insured for any driver. I needed to present my driving licence to the insurance guy on his motorbike at the scene as well as at the insurance office who actually process the claim, as did my wife. Copies of both of our licences were sent of by the local office.

"What are the best contact details to sort this out with the DWP? There is very little information on how to arrange this on the DWP website – this is rather typical of all communications provided to support pensioners overseas and mirrors the distinct lack of communication informing a pensioner that their state pension might be frozen should they move abroad." It's regarded as a change of circumstances, and you need to report changes to your personal details (such as your address or bank details) by telephone or letter. When I visit the UK, which I haven't done for a couple of years, it's one of my first phone calls on arrival, though I imagine it's pretty hard to get through at the moment. If you travel via the EU on your inward or outward journies, remember to include those details in your claim. https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre

The temporary concession for those who were visiting the UK and couldn't return to be able to be able apply for Settlement from within the UK ended some time ago, I can't remember the actual date but it was shortly after the travel restrictions eased.

I'd prefer to keep the wearing of masks on motorbikes, but no helmet rule though. ????

@GinBoy2I like Singapore and we visit quite a bit, I will add that I'm glad I had my heart attack there and not the day before we left Thailand for the weekend.

This has been posted in the wrong forum, the question has nothing to do with visas to countries outside of Thailand. I'll moved to the correct forum.

Noted, however, in my recent notification from the HMRC they advise me my tax code for 2022/23, which is the standard Personal Allowance minus my actual State Pension, the reduced tax code is what my pension provider uses to calculate my tax liability.

It is strictly true, but maybe not consistently applied despite the fact that the Charging Regulations place a legal obligation on providers of relevant services to establish whether a person is an overseas visitor to whom charges apply, or whether they are exempt from charges. Your pharmacist is of course correct that some conditions are exempt from the Charging Regulations for everybody, and are laid out in the instructions. Owning a property in the UK doesn't automatically allow unconditional and free access to the NHS, think of all the Qatar rulers who would be entitled to free ongoing NHS care should they ever fall on hard times. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1029984/guidance-on-implementing-the-overseas-visitor-charging-regulations.pdf

Indeed, l should have clarified that I meant an independent Singapore, when they finally cast of the shackles of the UK and Malaya/Malaysia. I’ve stayed in “his” hotel, but he’d be turning in his grave if he knew it was now owned by a French Company.

Had Singapore been in existence during Shaws lifetime, he may well have done.

It's up to you to prove that you do, the first question they may ask is the name of your GP, that would be a good starting point for the NHS who are now required by law to check by that you are actually resident in the UK. Many NHS Trusts have a dedicated department to ensure compliance of this rule, which was brought in by the Cameron/Clegg Coalition. But I digress, apologies.

I think it was the famous playwright George Bernard Shaw who once noted that Britain and the US are "two nations separated by a common language".

Indeed, and an expat taken ill and requiring ongoing NHS care when visiting the UK would be charged 150% of the actual cost, their 40 years of NI Contributions and current income tax liability, with more being dragged into the 40% bracket, count for nothing every year.

Possible I suppose, but that would be over £240 a week, I'm not sure that many get that. As you'll be aware, but maybe @Mac Mickmanus isn't, the Personal Allowance is reduced by the total of the State Pension, thus ensuring, those with maybe an occupational pension, pay tax on their total pension income. I know a number of people who actually pay more tax than their State Pension on their total pension income.

I wouldn't say that nobody would support an increase for those living overseas, but certainly a fair few would have this view, in fact some would probably take the view that, despite the fact we've contributed to the scheme and probably still do so, we shouldn't actually receive a pension when living overseas. I suspect this view has give Ministers, of all persuasions, cold comfort over the years, along with the fact that there are insufficient votes in correcting it to make it worth their while.

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