UK Pensions and related info

[DUS]

13 hours ago, steve187 said:

can you not register on gov.uk, use NI number etc, should be able to sort out coding on there

Will give it a go! Thank you!

[DUS]

14 hours ago, cleopatra2 said:

Your pension provider will ask for your NINO . The pension provider will then obtain your Tax Code from the HMRC.

Oh, that´s good to know! 

 

When the customer support rep from HL wrote back that without a tax code provided by me, they would tax me at an emergency tax rate, I assumed that it was me who must provide a valid tax code to HL and not just the NINO. Will send another message to HL to get confirmation on this. Thank you so much, cleopatra2.

[BobBKK]

On 2/22/2023 at 6:29 AM, theoldgit said:

The retired Civil Servants amongst us will be relieved to learn that our 10.1% pension increase has been confirmed, effective from 10 April. Civil Service pension increase confirmed

I am ex-NHS does the same apply?

[BobBKK]

On 2/22/2023 at 1:36 PM, Mike Teavee said:

Thanks, funny enough mine is a Barclays pension (I believe yours is HSBC) & my GF is 20.5 years my junior so I'm guessing it will be the same & she will also lose 10% of the money.

 

BUT even then it is enough for her to live a comfortable life so, as you say, probably the best provision we can make them.

 

I enquired about a significant others pension in the NHS scheme (GF) but my forms were rejected.

[theoldgit]

4 hours ago, BobBKK said:

I am ex-NHS does the same apply?

l would think so, l believe there are a number of NHS schemes, you’d need to check.

[lamyai3]

The cutoff date for paying voluntary NI contributions going back to 2006 is now extended until 31st July:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/taxpayers-given-more-time-for-voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

[BobBKK]

On 3/1/2023 at 1:17 PM, theoldgit said:

l would think so, l believe there are a number of NHS schemes, you’d need to check.

For info yes the 10.1% applies to NHS pensions - be great to get another big increase next year as I take my pension late 2024 (after that it's fixed no increases).

[brewsterbudgen]

On 2/22/2023 at 7:39 AM, hotandsticky said:

Correct Mike. The widow's pension is calculated on the original 'gross' amount before the 25% cash free payment.

 

My partner will get that amount (increased to current levels) @ 50%. She will then lose 10% of that because of our 19 year age difference. She will finish up with 45% or around 40,000 Baht per month.

 

It is probably the best provision we can make for our loved ones.

My wife is 30 years younger than me so gets a larger percentage reduction.  I hope she lives to 100+.

[Yorkshire Tea]

On 3/9/2023 at 2:54 AM, lamyai3 said:

The cutoff date for paying voluntary NI contributions going back to 2006 is now extended until 31st July:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/taxpayers-given-more-time-for-voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

Thanks for that.  Started looking into topping up my contributions, but can't get past proving my ID on UK Gov Gateway.  Tried to scan my passport, but phone doesn't have a chip reader.  Manual proof requires passport info & photo card for driving licence.  My DL is out of date, as I don't live in UK.  Other options such as credit record don't apply either.  Any suggestions?

[lamyai3]

On 3/11/2023 at 6:21 PM, Yorkshire Tea said:

Thanks for that.  Started looking into topping up my contributions, but can't get past proving my ID on UK Gov Gateway.  Tried to scan my passport, but phone doesn't have a chip reader.  Manual proof requires passport info & photo card for driving licence.  My DL is out of date, as I don't live in UK.  Other options such as credit record don't apply either.  Any suggestions?

The ID thing seems to be causing no end of problems, all the more so after they ditched the Post Office verification option recently. Not sure if you can find any help in this HMRC forum, though unfortunately there seem to quite a few "computer says no" type responses. 

 

https://community.hmrc.gov.uk/customerforums/sa/c65d5c15-7f64-eb11-8fed-00155d975df7

 

[Kwasaki]

On 3/11/2023 at 6:21 PM, Yorkshire Tea said:

Thanks for that.  Started looking into topping up my contributions, but can't get past proving my ID on UK Gov Gateway.  Tried to scan my passport, but phone doesn't have a chip reader.  Manual proof requires passport info & photo card for driving licence.  My DL is out of date, as I don't live in UK.  Other options such as credit record don't apply either.  Any suggestions?

Telephone them. 

[Yorkshire Tea]

57 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Telephone them. 

Yes, will do.  Was just waiting to see if anyone came on to add their experiences.

[BritManToo]

37 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Yes, will do.  Was just waiting to see if anyone came on to add their experiences.

Topping up is all done by phone (three phone calls to two different agencies).

 

One tells you what additional NI contributions you can pay

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/national-insurance-enquiries-for-employees-and-individuals

The other confirms those payments will make a difference to your pension payout.

https://www.gov.uk/future-pension-centre

Then back to the HMRC to confirm would like to make a payment.

HMRC will ask if you contacted the Future Pensions Centre.

 

HMRC then give you a reference code to use when paying by bank transfer.

20 days later you can phone them back to manually enter your payment into your records. If you wait for them to do it automatically it can take 6 months.

 

Would point out buying years before the New Pension Scheme in 2016 is usually worthless, buying years after 2016 generally will add approx 4.5GBP/week per year purchased to your state pension until you hit the maximum.

 

 

I did all this last year using a 10GBP Skype credit calling their UK numbers.

Edited March 13, 2023 by BritManToo

[Yorkshire Tea]

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Topping up is all done by phone (three phone calls to two different agencies).

Thanks, most helpful ????

[fulhamster]

I got as far as actually making the payment by bank transfer, but they wanted my UTR number which I have never had.

So I cannot make the payment.

Do I have any options or is it too late ?

 

[Kwasaki]

32 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Yes, will do.  Was just waiting to see if anyone came on to add their experiences.

Yeah sure but horses month best as it is very important for your future, so good luck and get it sorted. 

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

I got as far as actually making the payment by bank transfer, but they wanted my UTR number which I have never had.

So I cannot make the payment.

Do I have any options or is it too late ?

 

Telephone them. ????

[fulhamster]

32 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Telephone them. ????

The Future Pensions number ?

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

The Future Pensions number ?

5 posts back info from BritManToo.

[lamyai3]

8 hours ago, fulhamster said:

The Future Pensions number ?

0800 731 0175

Since they're a bit deluged with people wanting to meet the deadline, call wait times are very long. Spoke to both FPC and HMRC recently and in both cases I was on hold almost an hour before getting put through. 

[lamyai3]

9 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Would point out buying years before the New Pension Scheme in 2016 is usually worthless, buying years after 2016 generally will add approx 4.5GBP/week per year purchased to your state pension until you hit the maximum.

While it's definitely best to calculate all post 2016 years up to pension age first, the difference between pre and post 2016 is only 12% (£4.73 vs £5.29 for current year). For anyone short of qualifying years, those pre 2016 years are well worth the money.

[Eff1n2ret]

14 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

0800 731 0175

Since they're a bit deluged with people wanting to meet the deadline, call wait times are very long. Spoke to both FPC and HMRC recently and in both cases I was on hold almost an hour before getting put through. 

Phoned HMRC last week to challenge my tax coding (they assumed a 10% increase in my pension which I won't be getting) - 35 minutes to get through.

Phoned DWP yesterday to ask if they sent a Life certificate (they have, but it's not arrived) - got through in 5 minutes.

Only about 40 pence for the HMRC call on Skype, less than 5p for DWP.

Skype doesn't connect 0800 numbers. The DWP number I got through on is 00441912187777.

[lamyai3]

11 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

Skype doesn't connect 0800 numbers. The DWP number I got through on is 00441912187777.

Skype is what I used for both FPC and HMRC. No problem with either the 0300 or the 0800 prefix calling from Thailand. 

[topt]

On 3/13/2023 at 8:28 PM, lamyai3 said:

While it's definitely best to calculate all post 2016 years up to pension age first, the difference between pre and post 2016 is only 12% (£4.73 vs £5.29 for current year). For anyone short of qualifying years, those pre 2016 years are well worth the money.

It is not that simple. Will depend on a calculation based on contributions at the change date (2016) as to whether you would be better off on the old or new basis. Did you not see BritManToo post above?

 

On 3/13/2023 at 10:49 AM, BritManToo said:

Would point out buying years before the New Pension Scheme in 2016 is usually worthless,

Caused a lot of people a lot of pain in the UK buy paying for extra NICs which bought them nothing. Money Mail Online ran a campaign for some years trying to get the govt to refund those contributions. Hence why you should take advice first.

[BritManToo]

On 3/14/2023 at 10:30 AM, Eff1n2ret said:

Only about 40 pence for the HMRC call on Skype, less than 5p for DWP.

Skype doesn't connect 0800 numbers. The DWP number I got through on is 00441912187777.

Pretty sure Skype did connect to the 0800/0300 numbers.

Although I pay the extra $25/3 months for a 'pretend landline' in the UK.

 

I use the 0300 number as 'I'm in the UK'

The 0044 number is for people calling from outside the UK.

Edited March 15, 2023 by BritManToo

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Pretty sure Skype did connect to the 0800 numbers.

Although I pay the extra $25/3 months for a 'pretend landline' in the UK.

Careful the internet has taken over from lipstick on the collar.

[Eff1n2ret]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Pretty sure Skype did connect to the 0800 numbers.

Although I pay the extra $25/3 months for a 'pretend landline' in the UK.

I guess that's the difference. I just pre-loaded 10 quid a couple of years back, which lasts quite a long time.

[hotandsticky]

On 3/14/2023 at 10:30 AM, Eff1n2ret said:

Phoned HMRC last week to challenge my tax coding (they assumed a 10% increase in my pension which I won't be getting) - 35 minutes to get through.

Phoned DWP yesterday to ask if they sent a Life certificate (they have, but it's not arrived) - got through in 5 minutes.

Only about 40 pence for the HMRC call on Skype, less than 5p for DWP.

Skype doesn't connect 0800 numbers. The DWP number I got through on is 00441912187777.

Can I ask if DWP noted your existence on their records and said "don't bother about the life certificate"?

[lamyai3]

1 hour ago, topt said:

is not that simple. Will depend on a calculation based on contributions at the change date (2016) as to whether you would be better off on the old or new basis. Did you not see BritManToo post above?

Yes, it's a simplification, as is the case with the post I was replying to. To clarify the figures I'm quoting, £5.29 is 1/35 of the new state pension (£185.15), and £4.73 is 1/30 of the basic state pension (£141.85) pre 2016. In my own situation I missed out on many years of contributions, so the figures I was given by the FPC for topping up correlate exactly with these maximum amounts. For someone with a long contracted out history the calculations will be more complicated and they may require considerably more qualifying years to get the maximum.

 

I think everyone here is in agreement about the need to speak to FPC and get specific information. 

Edited March 15, 2023 by lamyai3

[lamyai3]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Pretty sure Skype did connect to the 0800/0300 numbers.

Although I pay the extra $25/3 months for a 'pretend landline' in the UK.

 

I use the 0300 number as 'I'm in the UK'

The 0044 number is for people calling from outside the UK.

The Skype thing is terrific, very cheap and crystal clear calls. Before I used it I was using True Intersim and kept getting disconnected after about 30 minutes. I was interested to find that my bank and HMRC had no idea I was calling from overseas, the Skype call just showed on their system as number withheld.