UK Pensions (2018)

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, evadgib said:

HMG are or have made changes to their GSI accounts. If the above no longer works DWP can be contacted as explained here.

Well spotted. Yes the GSI domain was supposed to have been phased out by March of this year.

It has always been a headache trying to email the DWP and I only picked up the email address after a formal complaint.

Each year I make a claim for additional pension while in the UK. The claim is usually protracted and ends up in an exchange of emails. This year however the money was credited to my account within 2 weeks so there was no need to communicate with them.

[denby45]

On 11/6/2019 at 8:14 PM, denby45 said:

Thanks for that. I did some further research and came up with this statement:

The DTA between the UK and Thailand does not permit the payment of UK pensions to a Thai resident without being subject to UK taxation at the marginal rate. This means that residents of Thailand will pay up to 45% tax on their pensions.

and this statement:

If you’re not a UK resident, you don’t usually pay UK tax on your pension. But you might have to pay tax in the country you live in. There are a few exceptions - for example, UK civil service pensions will always be taxed in the UK.

I already took drawdown payments from one of my pension and they were subject to UK Tax. I was advised from the pension company to keep the claims below the personal threshold after deducting the 25% tax free, so I could claim my tax back. In that case I did what they said. They were aware that I was non resident. That is why I made my statement. Was I advised incorrectly? I will ask my FA about this. I have a meeting with him on 12th. I will report back and confirm the same.

 

 

Den 

OK as promised I asked the question about taxable pensions to the Fry Group FA. He confirmed that all pensions which are not related to government or civil service paid from the UK count towards your tax liability. I did mention to him that some people had managed to get the nil rate tax band. He told me he was aware of this as he had examples of this happening before. He told me that of course anyone can request this band and it will depend on who you talk to whether you get it or not. The problem with this is he told me will be that although you are given nil rate tax band, at sometime, someone will realize that you were given it in error and you will be required to back pay all the taxes you have avoided. Not only that but you could also be liable for penalties. This is directly from a FA from Fry Group who do have a very good reputation as far as expats are concerned. I choose err on the safe side and pay the tax.

Den

[billd766]

I got a brown envelope yesterday.

 

Was it full of cash? No way Jose.

 

It was from the DWP, officially notifying me that from 06 April 2020 my Adult dependency will no longer be paid.

 

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/circumstances-change

 

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/what-youll-get

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2019 by billd766
added extra text

[elwood]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

I got a brown envelope yesterday.

 

Was it full of cash? No way Jose.

 

It was from the DWP, officially notifying me that from 06 April 2020 my Adult dependency will no longer be paid.

 

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/circumstances-change

 

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/what-youll-get

 

 

 

 

I received mine a few days ago. I appreciate the advice given;

"You could consider whether...........you may be entitled to any additional benefits...from the country where you reside"

 

In other words...tough <deleted> mister, you're on your own.

 

Edited November 15, 2019 by elwood
Altered sentence.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, elwood said:

I received mine a few days ago. I appreciate the advice given;

"You could consider whether...........you may be entitled to any additional benefits...from the country where you reside"

 

In other words...tough <deleted> mister, you're on your own.

 

Oddly enough at our age we need the Adult Dependency Allowance as we are getting older and needing more help and assistance.

 

For instance I fell over in  the toilet one evening and I was unable to get up. Fortunately my son who is 15 and his mate picked me up. I certainly wasn't drunk and I cannot remember falling.

 

I am concerned as my wife works in the food stall about 50 metres away and if I fall again I would need to call her for help, but around the house who carries their mobile all the time?

 

I have an idea of installing a double firebell triggered by a WiFi or Blue tooth device that I can carry or wear all the time, and the alarm bells will need to be manually reset. Unfortunately I have no idea where to get one from.

 

Age UK do one but I am not in the UK.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/products/mobility-and-independence-at-home/personal-alarms/

 

This one looks more interesting.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32987146943.html

 

https://www.notifier.co.th/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk7TuBRDQARIsAMRrfUYCenLVuPUAVZRax-bxZ39_tb_wrbk7LJ-u92Flf0_VrjkoKnBuDyIaAjtDEALw_wcB

 

 

[transam]

41 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Oddly enough at our age we need the Adult Dependency Allowance as we are getting older and needing more help and assistance.

 

For instance I fell over in  the toilet one evening and I was unable to get up. Fortunately my son who is 15 and his mate picked me up. I certainly wasn't drunk and I cannot remember falling.

 

I am concerned as my wife works in the food stall about 50 metres away and if I fall again I would need to call her for help, but around the house who carries their mobile all the time?

 

I have an idea of installing a double firebell triggered by a WiFi or Blue tooth device that I can carry or wear all the time, and the alarm bells will need to be manually reset. Unfortunately I have no idea where to get one from.

 

Age UK do one but I am not in the UK.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/products/mobility-and-independence-at-home/personal-alarms/

 

This one looks more interesting.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32987146943.html

 

https://www.notifier.co.th/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk7TuBRDQARIsAMRrfUYCenLVuPUAVZRax-bxZ39_tb_wrbk7LJ-u92Flf0_VrjkoKnBuDyIaAjtDEALw_wcB

 

 

Not being nosy ol' chum, but am I right in saying the wifey top up is around half your pension, or is there a set rate, or something else...?

 

I never found out because I retired after 2010.....????

[chickenslegs]

49 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Oddly enough at our age we need the Adult Dependency Allowance as we are getting older and needing more help and assistance.

 

For instance I fell over in  the toilet one evening and I was unable to get up. Fortunately my son who is 15 and his mate picked me up. I certainly wasn't drunk and I cannot remember falling.

 

I am concerned as my wife works in the food stall about 50 metres away and if I fall again I would need to call her for help, but around the house who carries their mobile all the time?

 

I have an idea of installing a double firebell triggered by a WiFi or Blue tooth device that I can carry or wear all the time, and the alarm bells will need to be manually reset. Unfortunately I have no idea where to get one from.

 

Age UK do one but I am not in the UK.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/products/mobility-and-independence-at-home/personal-alarms/

 

This one looks more interesting.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32987146943.html

 

https://www.notifier.co.th/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk7TuBRDQARIsAMRrfUYCenLVuPUAVZRax-bxZ39_tb_wrbk7LJ-u92Flf0_VrjkoKnBuDyIaAjtDEALw_wcB

 

 

I'm not very knowledgable about phones etc., but could you use a smart watch to call your wife?

[billd766]

5 minutes ago, transam said:

Not being nosy ol' chum, but am I right in saying the wifey top up is around half your pension, or is there a set rate, or something else...?

 

I never found out because I retired after 2010.....????

It is less than half of my pension which isn't saying a lot and TBH if the rate was set as a percentage or a set figure. It was done about 10 years ago and my memory is a bit hazy at times. I had just come back from my last working job in NZ after a year there.

 

I can picture some of the people I worked with but not attach a name to the face. OTOH I can remember a lot about my childhood 65 to 70 years ago.

[billd766]

6 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

I'm not very knowledgable about phones etc., but could you use a smart watch to call your wife?

I have no idea at all and I haven't worn a watch since I took mine off and put it somewhere 10 years ago.

[evadgib]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

I have no idea at all and I haven't worn a watch since I took mine off and put it somewhere 10 years ago.

I haven't worn a watch this century ????

[transam]

1 minute ago, evadgib said:

I haven't worn a watch this century ????

They all seem to be the size of an alarm clock nower days, perhaps a trendy thing..... ⏰

Though I do have a pocket watch in my trinket cabinet, was my granddads....????

[steve187]

1 hour ago, transam said:

Not being nosy ol' chum, but am I right in saying the wifey top up is around half your pension, or is there a set rate, or something else...?

 

I never found out because I retired after 2010.....????

the wifey top up is around £65 a week, could be less if pension is frozen i suspect, 

[transam]

4 minutes ago, steve187 said:

the wifey top up is around £65 a week, could be less if pension is frozen i suspect, 

That's a lot of dosh to lose....Gonna be a lot of unhappy bunnies come April....????

[elwood]

2 hours ago, transam said:

That's a lot of dosh to lose....Gonna be a lot of unhappy bunnies come April....????

For me it will mean losing one third.

Happy Days????

 

[billd766]

4 hours ago, steve187 said:

the wifey top up is around £65 a week, could be less if pension is frozen i suspect, 

It is.

 

The only good thing is that I will be paying less income tax.

Edited November 15, 2019 by billd766
added extra text

[sandyf]

On 11/15/2019 at 12:26 PM, billd766 said:

Oddly enough at our age we need the Adult Dependency Allowance as we are getting older and needing more help and assistance.

 

For instance I fell over in  the toilet one evening and I was unable to get up. Fortunately my son who is 15 and his mate picked me up. I certainly wasn't drunk and I cannot remember falling.

 

I am concerned as my wife works in the food stall about 50 metres away and if I fall again I would need to call her for help, but around the house who carries their mobile all the time?

 

I have an idea of installing a double firebell triggered by a WiFi or Blue tooth device that I can carry or wear all the time, and the alarm bells will need to be manually reset. Unfortunately I have no idea where to get one from.

 

Age UK do one but I am not in the UK.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/products/mobility-and-independence-at-home/personal-alarms/

 

This one looks more interesting.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32987146943.html

 

https://www.notifier.co.th/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk7TuBRDQARIsAMRrfUYCenLVuPUAVZRax-bxZ39_tb_wrbk7LJ-u92Flf0_VrjkoKnBuDyIaAjtDEALw_wcB

 

 

I had a wi fi doorbell that became an ants nest and packed up. It came as package with one push button and 2 ringers. I really needed 3 ringers and when I was looking on Lazada for a replacement I came across one that said could be individually set up. Not sure what it meant but took a chance and bought 3. Turned out you could set up a different ring tone for each pushbutton across all three. 

I have put one button at the gate and given one button to my wife's sister who lives alone as a "panic" button. She is about 50 metres away but the range is supposed to be 300 metres.  Works quite well and just keeping the 3rd button as a spare for the time being.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/us-plug-wireless-doorbell-60-musics-5-volume-300m-remote-cacazi-call-waterproof-smart-door-bell-chime-110v-220v-1-button-2-receiver-intl-i122605015-s550916764.html?

[nong38]

I think that when the new financial year starts next April the ex-Chancellor Hammond was giving a nil increase on the basic tax allowance not something to look forward to eh? Looking on the words coming out of moth of Boris today he is saying that rather than increase the allowance on the higher rate band he wants to concentrate on and help the lower paid in society. There may be hope that ex pat pensioners fall into that category, you cannot always believe what is said and read but a reason to be hopeful, we have a new chancellor from a working class background so lets hope the manifesto has some good news, should be out in the next week, the Labour one is due out Thursday.

[NoshowJones]

On 11/17/2019 at 10:15 AM, nong38 said:

I think that when the new financial year starts next April the ex-Chancellor Hammond was giving a nil increase on the basic tax allowance not something to look forward to eh? Looking on the words coming out of moth of Boris today he is saying that rather than increase the allowance on the higher rate band he wants to concentrate on and help the lower paid in society. There may be hope that ex pat pensioners fall into that category, you cannot always believe what is said and read but a reason to be hopeful, we have a new chancellor from a working class background so lets hope the manifesto has some good news, should be out in the next week, the Labour one is due out Thursday.

There is a much chance of the UK government doing anything for OAPs as there is for the Thai government doing 

anything for us expats.

[thequietman]

On 11/3/2019 at 5:50 AM, steve187 said:

For those of us still paying Class 2 NI contributions towards our state pension

What is the procedure for doing that please? Many thanks.

[steve187]

1 hour ago, thequietman said:

What is the procedure for doing that please? Many thanks.

i never posted that, it was harry2, you have misquoted, i do pay class 2 NI contributions, but i am self employed in the UK, some over here pay them as well but i don;t know the rules on that

[thequietman]

On 11/2/2019 at 11:37 PM, Harry2 said:

to decide whether to let us keep paying Class 2

How does one begin to pay class 2 from here in Thailand please?

 

Can one declare that they are self employed in the UK without proving it to be so?

[evadgib]

21 hours ago, thequietman said:

How does one begin to pay class 2 from here in Thailand please?

 

Can one declare that they are self employed in the UK without proving it to be so?

I tried to resume cl2 a few months ago and was well and truly fobbed off & told cl3 was my only option; the difference being around 13 extra quid per week.

 

I declined.

 

HTH

 

(I had a zero hrs contract with a UK startup company at the time but they were less than helpful when I ran this past them)

Edited November 21, 2019 by evadgib

[steve187]

21 hours ago, thequietman said:

How does one begin to pay class 2 from here in Thailand please?

 

Can one declare that they are self employed in the UK without proving it to be so?

say you were self employed in the UK earning up to £6365 a year you could voluntary choose to pay class 2 stamps at around £3.00 a week, over £6365 a year you have to pay, over £8632 you would have to pay class 4 stamp at 9% in addition to class 2,

 

if they stop class 2 stamps, if earning up to £6365 a year the only option would be class 3 at £16 a week, between £6365 and £8632 you would have to pay class 4 stamps, but they would be zero rated ie free, over £8632 the normal rate of about 9% would apply

 

so you see the problem the government have with low earners, they would jump big time from an option of paying £3.00 ( class 2) a week to having to pay class 3 £16.00 a week, until they get to £6366 a year when the free ( zero rated ) class 4 would kick in.

Edited November 21, 2019 by steve187

[thequietman]

1 hour ago, evadgib said:

I tried to resume cl2 a few months ago and was well and truly fobbed off & told cl3 was my only option; the difference being around 13 extra quid per week.

are you in Thailand?

 

What reason did they give for not allowing class 2 ?

[evadgib]

13 minutes ago, thequietman said:

are you in Thailand?

 

What reason did they give for not allowing class 2 ?

- Yes

- Their tone by phone lead me to believe that they thought i was pulling a master stroke and they were having none of it. When I presented the zero hours contract this seemed to open a can of worms despite being perfectly legal and above board therefore I pulled out.

 

Prior to 2016 when they moved the goalposts I had been paying Cl2 at their suggestion until I reached the 30 year point which had been the maximum.....until they added a further five years & slammed the 'cl2' door!

Edited November 21, 2019 by evadgib

[steve187]

30 minutes ago, evadgib said:

- Yes

- Their tone by phone lead me to believe that they thought i was pulling a master stroke and they were having none of it. When I presented the zero hours contract this seemed to open a can of worms despite being perfectly legal and above board therefore I pulled out.

 

Prior to 2016 when they moved the goalposts I had been paying Cl2 at their suggestion until I reached the 30 year point which had been the maximum.....until they added a further five years & slammed the 'cl2' door!

my wife is self employed in the UK and paying class 2 voluntarily, she has some gaps prior to starting self employment, these can be paid but at class 3, not 2, 

[izod10]

On 11/20/2019 at 9:17 AM, possum1931 said:

There is a much chance of the UK government doing anything for OAPs as there is for the Thai government doing 

anything for us expats.

Agree,thoughts of frozen pensions being abolished is a pipe dream,never happen.

  Now talk of pension age going up to 70 ,is there a point of even starting a paid for pension?,the vast majority will never reach that age if having to work that long

 

  Everyone gets a pension,being state or credit or a mix of the two,but pension credit restricts movement out of GB for prolonged period,and now evidence of sanctionable benefits being monitored at entry/exit points in GB (not sure of UK)

makes punishment unavoidable,even a trip over the Irish sea for onward travel from Dublin airport is in doubt

 

Still at 70 years old, starting date for OA pension,plenty of time to get the 35 years worth of contributions made

Edited November 22, 2019 by izod10

[evadgib]

Joining/Supporting the consortium and/or posting questions to the bbc for next Fridays leaders debate might garner some interest among the electorate.

[theoldgit]

22 hours ago, evadgib said:

Joining/Supporting the consortium and/or posting questions to the bbc for next Fridays leaders debate might garner some interest among the electorate.

Whilst I'm inclined to agree, I doubt very much if the such a question would be chosen.

I also doubt if either of the main parties would commit to unfreezing pensions, they're too busy appeasing those who want Brexit at any cost, many of who have no interest whatsoever in justice for those expat pensioners who are affected by this rule and are unlikely to be swayed by a commitment to address it. 

[sandyf]

6 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Whilst I'm inclined to agree, I doubt very much if the such a question would be chosen.

I also doubt if either of the main parties would commit to unfreezing pensions, they're too busy appeasing those who want Brexit at any cost, many of who have no interest whatsoever in justice for those expat pensioners who are affected by this rule and are unlikely to be swayed by a commitment to address it. 

Reality in a nutshell.

Unfortunately we do not have a "Gina Miller" to stand up for us. I am fairly sure a good case could have been made from the Amber Rudd statement.

 

"And I want to give them peace of mind that we will automatically continue to pay the State Pension they’re entitled to into their bank account as normal when we leave the EU, with or without a deal and they don’t need to do anything to make this happen."

 

The entitlement to the increase comes to an end on leaving the EU. What justifies a new arrangement for those in the EU over any other country?