UK State Pension Increases - trying to understand

[dsfbrit]

I live in Thailand and am about to get the UK state pension. I understand this rule below about the pension never being increased in certain countries. However, I think it is confusing/ambiguous:

 

"If a country is not listed, the British government will pay the state pension, but the amount remains at the sum first paid unless the expat returns permanently to the UK. "

 

I think if I went to live in the Philippines and not the UK, I would get the increase as it is on the list of countries referenced.

 

Could someone please confirm this, or is it the case that as I first received my pension in Thailand I cannot now receive it outside the UK in the Philippines if I want the annual increase.

 

So simply I am asking, if I now went to live in the Philippines would I get the annual increases.

 

Also, how long would I have to live in the UK (or Philippines) for the increase to become permanent.

 

For example, if I went to live in the UK and my pension was 160 pounds a week and in the UK it was 200 pounds a week, how long would I have to live in the UK before I could return to Thailand and keep the new rate of 200 pounds per week??

 

If anyone could answer this it would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by dsfbrit

[Kwasaki]

22 minutes ago, dsfbrit said:

So simply I am asking, if I now went to live in the Philippines would I get the annual increases.

 

Also, how long would I have to live in the UK (or Philippines) for the increase to become permanent.

 

For example, if I went to live in the UK and my pension was 160 pounds a week and in the UK it was 200 pounds a week, how long would I have to live in the UK before I could return to Thailand and keep the new rate of 200 pounds per week??

If you live in the Philippines and have an address you will get annual uk govt increases.

You have to stay 2 years in UK to maintain your annual uk govt increase after receipt of it in Thailand. 

Some retirees do 6 months UK and 6 months Thailand to get increases.

[steve187]

21 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

If you live in the Philippines and have an address you will get annual uk govt increases.

You have to stay 2 years in UK to maintain your annual uk govt increase after receipt of it in Thailand. 

Some retirees do 6 months UK and 6 months Thailand to get increases.

is that 2 years in black and white anywhere,

on returning to the UK for a holiday you are entitled to the increase while in the country, if that is correct, then by staying in the country instead of leaving, you would keep the increase, is that not correct,

so where does the 2 years fit in.

[izod10]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

is that 2 years in black and white anywhere,

on returning to the UK for a holiday you are entitled to the increase while in the country, if that is correct, then by staying in the country instead of leaving, you would keep the increase, is that not correct,

so where does the 2 years fit in.

It does not,tell them,if needs must,but no need actually.  Nobody checks,collect it,nothing can be done about anything,even if Thailand  you are not here forever

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, steve187 said:

is that 2 years in black and white anywhere,

on returning to the UK for a holiday you are entitled to the increase while in the country, if that is correct, then by staying in the country instead of leaving, you would keep the increase, is that not correct,

so where does the 2 years fit in.

This is how I understand after talking to IPC.

Whilst retired I qualified to get my uk govt pension when living in Thailand and told it will be frozen.

If l go back UK for a holiday say while I am there IPC would increase my pension for the time I am there and revert back to the previous amount I received when back in Thailand. 

If I stayed UK 2 Years when I go back Thailand the increase will remain  but the amount will be frozen again.

You can get increases all the time I beleive if you do 6 months Thailand 6 months UK.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

[dsfbrit]

Thanks very much for the replies.

 

I am beginning to think it is not worth trying to get the increases over the next 5 years. I don't want to go to the UK at all and it would not be practical for me to spend 6 months in the Philippines.

 

However, in 5 years time I could easily spend 6 months in the Philippines and get the new rate at that date.

 

If I went to the Philippines for 6 months and then returned to LOS, would I keep the new rate permanently?

 

Thanks again for your advice

[OJAS]

On 1/25/2020 at 9:42 AM, dsfbrit said:

If I went to the Philippines for 6 months and then returned to LOS, would I keep the new rate permanently?

Even if this were possible, might not the costs of to-ing and fro-ing between the Philippines & LOS every 6 months more than swallow up any increase you might receive for each 6 months you were in LOS? If so, then better, in practice, to just remain in LOS on a frozen pension full time IMHO.

Edited January 26, 2020 by OJAS

[fredob43]

I don't think it's worth any of the aggro. The last increase I received was a lot less than 2UK a month or around 63bht. In other words peanuts. I have now just forgotten about it.   

[Guderian]

On 1/26/2020 at 11:17 AM, fredob43 said:

I don't think it's worth any of the aggro. The last increase I received was a lot less than 2UK a month or around 63bht. In other words peanuts. I have now just forgotten about it.   

Blimey mate, you must have been short of a few years NI contributions if your pension is that low, I feel sorry for you.

 

The increase in the state pension this year, due to be paid from April, is 3.9% under the triple lock.

 

Assuming that you're on the old, basic state pension since you're already claiming it, the 2020 increase if you have the full number of qualifying years will amount to £5/week or £260 for the full year. Not a fortune, I know, but more than peanuts.

 

People lucky enough to be under the new system will get a rise of £6.60/week, taking their annual state pension to over £9,000/year as long as they have 35 years of contributions.

[DPKANKAN]

On 1/25/2020 at 9:42 AM, dsfbrit said:

Thanks very much for the replies.

 

I am beginning to think it is not worth trying to get the increases over the next 5 years. I don't want to go to the UK at all and it would not be practical for me to spend 6 months in the Philippines.

 

However, in 5 years time I could easily spend 6 months in the Philippines and get the new rate at that date.

 

If I went to the Philippines for 6 months and then returned to LOS, would I keep the new rate permanently?

 

Thanks again for your advice

It would cost more in flights than the increase anyway!!!

 

[crazykopite]

If you live in Thailand your pension is frozen from the day you claim it , in ,the Philippines where there is a reciprocal arrangement the U.K. pension increases each year . I would suggest you delay claiming your pension until after 6 April as it will increase by 3+ % to around £175 per week providing you have paid full stamp for 35 years . If you don’t need the money you can defer the pension if you do this it will rise in the region of 5% for each year if you had of done this since April 2016 and decided to take your pension this April you would see an increase of around £44 per week so it is worth considering delaying your pension if you can afford to . Prior to April 2016 if you differed you could of taken the payment as a lump sum but this is no longer available. Another thing to note is that if for example you take a trip back to the U.K. or any country that has a reciprocal arrangement you can claim the current rate of pension during the time that you are there . I hope you understand if not pm me

[Guderian]

The annual increase may not sound like much, but there's a compounding effect as you don't just not receive it in that year, but in every subsequent year as well. And, of course, the same thing applies for each annual increase thereafter.

 

Just do a quick spreadsheet of what you'll have lost after ten years if the increase is, say, 4% per annum every year.

[nickmondo]

contact Gov.uk and then you will find out fact and not ambiguous stuff from the opinion makers on here.

if you want accurate info, just go to Gov.uk

 

[HHTel]

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

Blimey mate, you must have been short of a few years NI contributions if your pension is that low, I feel sorry for you.

 

The increase in the state pension this year, due to be paid from April, is 3.9% under the triple lock.

 

Assuming that you're on the old, basic state pension since you're already claiming it, the 2020 increase if you have the full number of qualifying years will amount to £5/week or £260 for the full year. Not a fortune, I know, but more than peanuts.

 

People lucky enough to be under the new system will get a rise of £6.60/week, taking their annual state pension to over £9,000/year as long as they have 35 years of contributions.

I think you'll find he's talking about his increase from some time ago and not his actual pension.

[thonglorjimmy]

56 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

contact Gov.uk and then you will find out fact and not ambiguous stuff from the opinion makers on here.

if you want accurate info, just go to Gov.uk

I thought that was the whole idea of a forum like this, people share their actual experiences to help other.

 

I know that when I called their hotline to check advice that I was given here some years ago, I got three totally responses, thankfully one of them was correct.

 

Your link is pretty generic and covers many Government Departments.

[Jumbo1968]

I made 2 calls to the Pension Services, I still have my property in the UK, 2 different replies, 1 said nothing to worry about the one no your Pension will be frozen, I told both of them I spend more than 6 months in Thailand.

There is no level playing field, if you spend more than 6 months in Thailand you lose NHS free treatment yet as I own a property in the UK I pay tax on earnings up my Tax Allowance most of which is used up by State Pension ?

[BritManToo]

On 1/24/2020 at 11:07 AM, dsfbrit said:

Could someone please confirm this, or is it the case that as I first received my pension in Thailand I cannot now receive it outside the UK in the Philippines if I want the annual increase.

If you really must tell them you're outside the UK (no relatives or friends in the UK?)

I'd move to the Philippines for a month before claiming the pension (paid into a UK bank account), how could they tell where you went after the initial claim?

 

Best not to phone them, they can see your phone number so it tips them off you're overseas.

 

Best not to be too open in this forum, or in private messages, rumour has it one poster tries to discover your real name, then reports you to the DWP as being overseas.

Edited February 1, 2020 by BritManToo

[BritManToo]

11 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

There is no level playing field, if you spend more than 6 months in Thailand you lose NHS free treatment

That's not actually true, unless you're daft enough to walk into your local doctor and claim you're living overseas.

Still registered with my UK doctor after being away 10+ years, still got my EHIC card for claiming free health care in the EU (but that might get cancelled 1 year after Brexit). I've still got the option of declaring PR in France before the end of the year.

Edited February 1, 2020 by BritManToo

[Jumbo1968]

Just now, BritManToo said:

That's not actually true, unless you're daft enough to walk into your local doctor and claim you're living overseas.

Still registered with my UK doctor after being away 10+ years.

When my daughter lived in Croydon and attended the Doctor/Hospital she had to produce ID, her Passport to prove she was a UK Resident, not sure what they would say if she had said she didn’t have a Passport.

When I attend the hospital they always ask my if I have lived in the UK for the previous 6 months, it’s up to the individual how they reply to that.

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

When my daughter lived in Croydon and attended the Doctor/Hospital she had to produce ID, her Passport to prove she was a UK Resident, not sure what they would say if she had said she didn’t have a Passport.

When I attend the hospital they always ask my if I have lived in the UK for the previous 6 months, it’s up to the individual how they reply to that.

They just ask me my GPs name, and that's always been good enough.

They do have computers, they can check you are registered.

But then I'm white, is your daughter white?

 

I don't have a passport, British Citizens aren't required to carry or produce ID.

Edited February 1, 2020 by BritManToo

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, DPKANKAN said:

It would cost more in flights than the increase anyway!!!

 

Include the cost of setting up home, rentals, trransport etc

[BobBKK]

I think if anyone has serious worries about the meagre pension and if it gets increases then you have serious financial problems ahead. When i did my planning to retire here at 50 I made sure pensions kicked in at 60 and I never even considered the government pension (now at 67 - I'm not there yet). Surely no one is actually worried about 260 GBP a year?  that's a dinner at a nice restaurant for four.

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

Surely no one is actually worried about 260 GBP a year?  that's a dinner at a nice restaurant for four.

I'm not worried about 260 pounds/year either.

But after 4 years that becomes 1,000 pounds a year less.

After 8 years, you're getting 2,000 pounds/year less than your peers back in the UK (or over in the Philippines).

Edited February 1, 2020 by BritManToo

[BritManToo]

On 1/25/2020 at 9:42 AM, dsfbrit said:

Thanks very much for the replies.

 

I am beginning to think it is not worth trying to get the increases over the next 5 years. I don't want to go to the UK at all and it would not be practical for me to spend 6 months in the Philippines.

 

However, in 5 years time I could easily spend 6 months in the Philippines and get the new rate at that date.

 

If I went to the Philippines for 6 months and then returned to LOS, would I keep the new rate permanently?

 

Thanks again for your advice

Why do you feel the need to declare where you are?

I've never told anyone in the UK where I am, where I've been, or where I'm going.

It's none of their business.

 

Return flights to the PI are around 8kbht, go for a week, claim your pension, fly back.

In 3-5 years if your pension stops, fly to the PI, claim you're still alive, fly back.

Edited February 1, 2020 by BritManToo
typo

[Jumbo1968]

10 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

I think if anyone has serious worries about the meagre pension and if it gets increases then you have serious financial problems ahead. When i did my planning to retire here at 50 I made sure pensions kicked in at 60 and I never even considered the government pension (now at 67 - I'm not there yet). Surely no one is actually worried about 260 GBP a year?  that's a dinner at a nice restaurant for four.

£280 a year, the current State Pension is around £200 every 4 weeks depending on wether you opted out for SERPS.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Jumbo1968
Mistake

[RJRS1301]

It appears the Social Sercurity records do not link with Immigration records in the UK as they in some countries.

[Jumbo1968]

34 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

They just ask me my GPs name, and that's always been good enough.

They do have computers, they can check you are registered.

But then I'm white, is your daughter white?

 

I don't have a passport, British Citizens aren't required to carry or produce ID.

Your missing the point, if you haven’t lived in the UK and out with the EU for 6 months even if you are a British Citizen you lose the entitlement to free NHS Treatment, George Osborne introduced this rule.

[BritManToo]

15 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Your missing the point, if you haven’t lived in the UK and out with the EU for 6 months even if you are a British Citizen you lose the entitlement to free NHS Treatment, George Osborne introduced this rule.

No, you're missing the point,

And that point is, how would they know, if you don't tell them?

Edited February 1, 2020 by BritManToo

[Max69xl]

On 1/24/2020 at 1:37 PM, izod10 said:

It does not,tell them,if needs must,but no need actually.  Nobody checks,collect it,nothing can be done about anything,even if Thailand  you are not here forever

Are you writing in code,or what?

It's kind of hard to understand what your trying to say.

[Jumbo1968]

13 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No, you're missing the point,

And that point is, how would they know, if you don't tell them?

The government were going to ask the NHS to ask for proof a person was entitled to free treatment but the medical people said they weren’t ‘going to play god’