I've searched UK Pension site to no avail. I want to change the bank where my pension is paid into. From UK bank to Thai bank. I know it must be done in writing and I presume to the Wolverhampton address? And supplying the receiving bank account details. Is any other information required? Thanks for any advice on this.

Wrong forum. MOVED.

No, you can tell them of the change by phone - I've done it in the last couple of weeks and it only takes a few minutes if you have all the necessary info. available.

 

https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre   - look under 'Telephone', number is *****7777. They open at 8am UK time so if you call at 3pm Thai (at the moment) you can usually get in with no wait.

 

Have your Thai bank name and Swift Code, account number and account name to hand. Address might also be handy but not essential.

 

Just a word of warning - if your account number is 10 digits, as mine, with the branch code as the first 3, make sure they record the number EXACTLY as it's printed in your bank book (minus the hyphens). For some reason, the first time I changed my bank, they missed out the branch code which meant the payment had nowhere to go and was returned. Easily and efficiently sorted out when brought to their attention using the 7777 number again.

friendly warning  be very precise in all detail other wise when you think you have it all off pat   it all falls down   with the dept /intermidiatory  bank/then Thai bank    took me loads of where is my money phone calls   good in the end   

3 hours ago, Gandtee said:

From UK bank to Thai bank.

I chose my Thai bank a/c for UK govt pension to be paid into.

From memory if I want to change it I believe not less than 1 month notice is required and it can only be done annually.

Best on phone to talk to someone so they get all the Thai bank details.

I did this a few years ago by email and all went well. I think email is a better way because there is no chance of mistaking verbal instructions.

So now your pension will be frozen. Why not keep it going into your UK account?

Just write a letter with new details. Nothing more. I've done it and they changed the bank details.

1 hour ago, jimn said:

So now your pension will be frozen. Why not keep it going into your UK account?

This is called cheating.

I phoned UK Pension Office about 1 year ago to have my pension sent direct to my Thai bank, rather than to my UK bank. All went well until I was told that payments would be made 10 - 14 days later than at present. No explanation for this delay was forthcoming, so I thought you don't allow annual increases (8 years) and now you want to delay the pittance you pay, so I hung up!

17 minutes ago, Letseng said:

This is called cheating.

So is freezing the lowest pension in the EU for expats of some countries but not others. Do you think the MP's enormous pensions get frozen when they move abroad?

45 minutes ago, Letseng said:

This is called cheating.

It is frozen already.

3 hours ago, Muhendis said:

I did this a few years ago by email and all went well. I think email is a better way because there is no chance of mistaking verbal instructions.

Email? The pension site says it must be done by phone or letter.

I did just this 2 days ago using Skype. So simple just phone them. Have your National Insurance No: ready Oh and bank details, and they can get all your information from that. Tell them what you want to do and it'll all be sorted on the phone. No need to send anything.  

6 hours ago, Muhendis said:

I did this a few years ago by email and all went well. I think email is a better way because there is no chance of mistaking verbal instructions.

I am with you on that, the telephone is the most unreliable form of communication created by man.

When I did it following the referendum I completed the relevant pages from the application and sent them in.

Direct Payment -.pdf

4 hours ago, Letseng said:

5 hours ago, jimn said:

So now your pension will be frozen. Why not keep it going into your UK account?

3 hours ago, Letseng said:

This is called cheating.

It's actually called fraud or theft!

 

 

7 hours ago, Muhendis said:

I did this a few years ago by email and all went well. I think email is a better way because there is no chance of mistaking verbal instructions.

They won’t accept emails as authorization due to fraud potential. Telephone with security questions are fine

4 hours ago, Letseng said:

This is called cheating.

The cheating is from the government,otherwise can you explain why your pension is arbitrarily frozen in thailand,Australia, Canada but not in Philippines,USA or Israel?

7 hours ago, Letseng said:

This is called cheating.

And you my friend are so naive

4 hours ago, nchuckle said:

The cheating is from the government,otherwise can you explain why your pension is arbitrarily frozen in thailand,Australia, Canada but not in Philippines,USA or Israel?

No reciprocal agreements with the former countries.

16 hours ago, nchuckle said:

They won’t accept emails as authorization due to fraud potential. Telephone with security questions are fine

Form for bank detail change sent from work and pensions department via email, completed, signed and scanned back also by email. This was acceptable at that time.

17 hours ago, treetops said:

No reciprocal agreements with the former countries.

I know that’s what’s trotted out but what is the manifestation of this reciprocity? As far as I’m aware there is NO contribution to either my pension nor other benefits from the Philippines or any other of those countries.Its wholly funded by UK DWP.

6 hours ago, nchuckle said:

I know that’s what’s trotted out but what is the manifestation of this reciprocity? As far as I’m aware there is NO contribution to either my pension nor other benefits from the Philippines or any other of those countries.Its wholly funded by UK DWP.

Yes, that's what happens as I understand it.   And Philippinos in the UK continue to get their benefits from the equivalent to the DWP there.