Votes for Brits Abroad

[Old Dissenter]

Good News, The 15 year rule is going to be abolished. It was announced in the recent Budget that money is being allocated to get overseas Britons to register to vote. A private members bill is moving through Parliament. A long overdue measure. Now all that is needed is an overseas constituency to enable Brits abroad to have their own MP to deal with problems that overseas residents have concerning spousal visa and many other issues.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-56265898

[Kwasaki]

Vote for what if you live Thailand the UK govt has already done away from taking care of my wife in Thailand.

[foreverlomsak]

16 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

the UK govt has already done away from taking care of my wife in Thailand.

explain please it may or may not help my wife.

 

[Oxx]

A cynical ploy by the Tories to strengthen their electoral hand, given that an excess of expats would vote for them over the alternatives.

 

A pity they couldn't be bothered to address something that really bothers expats:  pension rises.

[adammike]

17 minutes ago, Oxx said:

A cynical ploy by the Tories to strengthen their electoral hand, given that an excess of expats would vote for them over the alternatives.

 

A pity they couldn't be bothered to address something that really bothers expats:  pension rises.

I would never vote for them.My pension is supposed to be covered under the withdrawal agreement.They wouldn't break a signed into law international agreement would they.

[Kwasaki]

11 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

explain please it may or may not help my wife.

 

Basically when we came from UK to Thailand for me to retire my wife was to be allowed a percentage of my pension when I peg it.

There were also other allowances but it's been taken away.

[Oxx]

2 hours ago, adammike said:

My pension is supposed to be covered under the withdrawal agreement.

 

Only if you live in Europe - not Thailand.

 

2 hours ago, adammike said:

They wouldn't break a signed into law international agreement would they.

 

Oh, how sweetly naïve!

[Surelynot]

17 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Basically when we came from UK to Thailand for me to retire my wife was to be allowed a percentage of my pension when I peg it.

There were also other allowances but it's been taken away.

Thai wife I take it?

 

The pension you refer to...is that your state pension?

 

What other allowances?

 

If you would be so kind......think there might be a lot of interest in your predicament ....

[foreverlomsak]

6 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Thai wife I take it?

 

The pension you refer to...is that your state pension?

 

What other allowances?

 

If you would be so kind......think there might be a lot of interest in your predicament ....

I would be interested in the answers as well, 2 reasons

1. My wife has a NI number, even though she never actually worked while in UK.

2. My private pension has a 50% widows pension provision are you implying they have cancelled that as well.

[Surelynot]

4 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

I would be interested in the answers as well, 2 reasons

1. My wife has a NI number, even though she never actually worked while in UK.

2. My private pension has a 50% widows pension provision are you implying they have cancelled that as well.

Same her....my Thai wife has a NINO and worked for 12 years (paying NI) for a UK company in Germany. I am expecting her to collect at least the minimum OAP. 

 

I don't see private pensions being a problem....UNLESS.....she has no UK bank account for it to be paid into?????

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Thai wife I take it?

 

The pension you refer to...is that your state pension?

 

What other allowances?

 

If you would be so kind......think there might be a lot of interest in your predicament ....

Yes Thai wife and UK state pension.

Private personal pensions obviously are a separate arrangement.

There were threads years ago about Thai wives UK benefits taken away if you live in Thailand.

Allowances were.

A percentage of pension based on husbands NI payments when Thai wife reached her pensionable age.

A one year 4 weekly payment on husband's death.

A one off bereavement payment.

[foreverlomsak]

4 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Same her....my Thai wife has a NINO and worked for 12 years (paying NI) for a UK company in Germany. I am expecting her to collect at least the minimum OAP. 

I would think it depends on who the NI was paid to UK or Germany.

Current UK requirements for state pension is 10 years full stamp contributions to get the minimum pension.

Check here it may give some useful info The new State Pension - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

[foreverlomsak]

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

A percentage of pension based on husbands NI payments when Thai wife reached her pensionable age.

A one year 4 weekly payment on husband's death.

A one off bereavement payment.

I've seen some references to these items in the past and memory is vague but I think the current situation is

Percentage of husbands pension - now linked to her own NI entitlements

One year payments -  Gone

Bereavement payment - Definitely available in UK last time I looked, but doubt if available in Thailand.

 

Maybe somebody with more recent knowledge of the above can advise better.

 

[Kwasaki]

18 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

I would be interested in the answers as well, 2 reasons

1. My wife has a NI number, even though she never actually worked while in UK.

2. My private pension has a 50% widows pension provision are you implying they have cancelled that as well.

My Thai wife never worked and we have a joint bank account in UK.

My wife had a NI number and a UTR No. Unique Taxpayer Reference numbers.

As I stated before :-

Private personal pensions obviously are a separate arrangement.

 

 

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

I've seen some references to these items in the past and memory is vague but I think the current situation is

Percentage of husbands pension - now linked to her own NI entitlements

One year payments -  Gone

Bereavement payment - Definitely available in UK last time I looked, but doubt if available in Thailand.

 

Maybe somebody with more recent knowledge of the above can advise better.

 

As I have posted before  it applies to when you live together in Thailand.

 

All entitlements for Thai wives married legally to a UK husband have been taken away.

 

I had all papers and forms filled ready for my wife and TV lawyers contact if she needed help with the UK authorities

[Old Dissenter]

This measure has support from other parties not just the Conservative Party. Labour is neutral on this question. Layla Moran of the Liberal Democrats strongly voiced her support of ending the 15  year voting rule.                                                                                                                                                                           The All Party Parliamentary Group(APPG) on the pensions recommended the unfreezing of state  pensions. http://frozenbritishpensions.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-APPG-report.pdf                                                                                   Liberal Democrats Overseas supports up grading state pensions where they are frozen as they are for those living in Thailand. https://www.libdemsoverseas.com/response_from_appg_on_frozen_pensions

[Surelynot]

1 hour ago, foreverlomsak said:

I would think it depends on who the NI was paid to UK or Germany.

Current UK requirements for state pension is 10 years full stamp contributions to get the minimum pension.

Check here it may give some useful info The new State Pension - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UK...shame...I bet the German pension is way better......she has got over the 10 years....Long Benton confirmed her current pension would be £97....just worried about her claiming it 30 years in the future!!!!

[Surelynot]

2 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

There were threads years ago about Thai wives UK benefits taken away if you live in Thailand.

Do you think/know this still the case?

[foreverlomsak]

46 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

UK...shame...I bet the German pension is way better......she has got over the 10 years....Long Benton confirmed her current pension would be £97....just worried about her claiming it 30 years in the future!!!!

Don't worry, just think of all the annual increases that will be added to it in the years before she claims it, and how far £97+ goes in Thailand, DWP will of course send it to Thailand if she wishes it (better to have it paid into a UK account though and use TransferWise or equivalent).

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, foreverlomsak said:

DWP will of course send it to Thailand

Oh..brilliant....that would solve a lot of problems...cheers.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Do you think/know this still the case?

Yes confirmed by a lawyer here on TV. 

 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, foreverlomsak said:

Don't worry, just think of all the annual increases that will be added to it in the years before she claims it, and how far £97+ goes in Thailand, DWP will of course send it to Thailand if she wishes it (better to have it paid into a UK account though and use TransferWise or equivalent).

It's the IPC is who you deal with in Thailand and the Citibank UK sends the the money to a Thai bank at a competitive rate and works out marginaly better than Transferwise because Transferwise charge a fee.

[473geo]

5 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Same her....my Thai wife has a NINO and worked for 12 years (paying NI) for a UK company in Germany. I am expecting her to collect at least the minimum OAP. 

 

I don't see private pensions being a problem....UNLESS.....she has no UK bank account for it to be paid into?????

My small private pension has been paid into a Thai joint bank account for years, figured this was a good idea as when I die will only be necessary to take my name off the account. Also private pension I have annually informs the amount my wife will receive after my death and it is not much below what arrives now. Just lucky I guess

[Old Dissenter]

A spouse is now required to have at least one years NIC before she can claim a UK state pension.

[chilly07]

Everyone's gone way of topic. The idea that 500000 expat pensioners would vote in a dedicated MP who would restore pension rights is vaguely ludicrous. Currently I am on the electoral role for Sevenoaks but although I stoically voted to stay in the EU and elect a socialist MP my vote is always wasted!

[chilly07]

Perhaps we could revive the Tea Party in favour of "no taxation without representation" and refuse to pay tax on our pensions after 15yrs?

[Old Dissenter]

1 minute ago, chilly07 said:

Everyone's gone way of topic. The idea that 500000 expat pensioners would vote in a dedicated MP who would restore pension rights is vaguely ludicrous. Currently I am on the electoral role for Sevenoaks but although I stoically voted to stay in the EU and elect a socialist MP my vote is always wasted!

Other countries such as France have overseas representatves. In the 14th Legislature (2017–2022), Overseas France is represented by 27 deputies in the French National Assembly, accounting for 4.7% of the 577 deputies in the National Assembly: Réunion: 7. Guadeloupe: 4. Martinique: 4. A number of countries have MPs for their expat citizens. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_constituency                                                   With the first past the post voting system many votes are wasted as it is only marginal constituecies that votes can make a difference. Westminster needs STV. https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/

[Muhendis]

23 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

my vote is always wasted!

I agree about the wasted vote. Although I am registered I can't be bothered and the reason is quite simply that, by the time the ballot paper reaches me and by the time it gets back it will have missed the deadline. The option of using a proxy is also a non-starter because I don't know anyone in my constituency who would do that for me and besides, using a proxy is hardly a private way of voting. 

[connda]

On 3/4/2021 at 9:43 PM, Old Dissenter said:

Now all that is needed is an overseas constituency to enable Brits abroad to have their own MP to deal with problems that overseas residents have concerning spousal visa and many other issues.

Now you're dream"ing pipe dreams.  I'm sure the US will assign a Senator to Thailand to " deal with problems that overseas residents have concerning spousal visa and many other issues."  <laughs>  It's called an Ambassator, but if you haven't noticed?  They don't care about you at all.  You - citizen living in Thailand - are of no importance to your government at all.  Well, as long as you pay your taxes.

[Old Dissenter]

2 hours ago, connda said:

Now you're dream"ing pipe dreams.  I'm sure the US will assign a Senator to Thailand to " deal with problems that overseas residents have concerning spousal visa and many other issues."  <laughs>  It's called an Ambassator, but if you haven't noticed?  They don't care about you at all.  You - citizen living in Thailand - are of no importance to your government at all.  Well, as long as you pay your taxes.

The people who live in Gibraltar were part of the SW England European  constituency.Of course the UK has left the EU now. Gibraltar has become part of the Schengen Area. https://www.etias.info/gibraltar-joins-schengen-after-brexit/                                                                                                         An overseas constituency is something that is possible.