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UK Old age Pension and spouse


malct

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I have been trying to get information from the UK work and pensions Department and finding it difficult, So maybe someone here can help me

I have been married now for 9 years and my thai wife lives and works part time working 24 hours a week and she has been paying NI now for 3 years. I have 38 years of NI stamps and retired at 53 and now 58, So i cannot get my old age pension until i am 67.

My wife is 12 years younger than me.

At the moment my wife is on a Indefinite leave to remain visa and currently learning the life in the UK to become a UK citizen 

 

So what i want to know, If i had to die now, What would my wife get regards any of my old age pension and would it be any different if she became a UK citizen.

Also would she be able to get any of my pension if she decided to go back to Thailand understanding she would loose her rights to enter the UK after 2 years on a leave to remain visa, But her rights would be different is she had Dual nationality.

 

I have no plans on leaving this place we call earth, But its something that i would like to know, So can plan for the future.

 

People contacting the works and pensions will know how hard it is to get answers , Even to speak to someone is hard enough, So Thank you for any help you can give me.  

 

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I 'think' your wife has to have 10 years of NIC to qualify for the state minimum and she isn't entitled to any of your OAP. However, you need to write to Long Benton (address is on the .gov.uk site) and ask these questions to get a definitive answer.

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Thank you Surelynot, Its a complicated question i guess , But once she becomes a Citizen , She will have the same rights has a UK married lady who has not really worked and earned enough stamps, There is also the question about buying some years of NI.  

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You need 10 years payment to get a UK pension.

She can't buy years from before she signed up with a NI number.

She can't get any of your years except on divorce, where they may decide to split your contributions with her.

There's no widows pension any more.

She can top up incomplete years.

 

Looks like she'll have to work and/or pay voluntary contributions for another 7 years.

Edited by BritManToo
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  • 2 weeks later...

all state pensions in the Uk now have to be 'earned' by the person claiming the pension to 'earn' a pension you have to pay a minimum of 10 years NI contribution that contributes to the State pension ie class 1 ( earning above £166 a week) and class 2 ( self employed) @£3.00 a week , and  voluntary stamps class 3 @ £15.00 a week

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3 hours ago, chilly07 said:

Thai spouses should get 50pc of UK state pensions as they do private pensions as they have assisted their husbands through their dottage

No longer available. 

Most people had their heads unintentionally buried  when they brought about the pension  reforms 

Edited by maprao
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Doesn't matter if you have UK citizenship or not, State pension is only for the individual who claims it (since the new state pension came in, 2016 I think). There are some situations when a wife is entitled to credits towards her pension (e.g. if looking after children under 12). No widows pension anymore. There is a one time death benefit, but have to be in UK to claim that, I think.

 

You need as said minimum 10 years of contributions/credits to get any pension - need 35 years to get the full amount. The OAP does not depend on nationality or country of residence (but remember if living in Thailand, it will be frozen and no inflation increments).

 

Yes, the new state pension took away more than it gave.

 

And do not assume your wife will get 50% of your private/company pension. Most companies now have rules which reduce the benefit if the wife is more than 10 years younger.

Edited by rickudon
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