British press support UK pensioners losing out in Thailand

[jacko45k]

9 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

if you can afford to go live in another country, you can afford to let go of any state benefits.. 

Presumptive..... why will living in a country with lower cost of living, where there is, say, very cheap accommodation, and good cheap public transport, lower purchase taxes, no heating costs etc not be beneficial for  a person living off the benefit, state pension. 

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Higher than £242 per week? I don't think so!

One can only assume you have never heard of SERPS. Stands for State Earnings Related Pension Scheme, there is a clue in "earnings related".

[Moonlover]

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

4 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Higher than £242 per week? I don't think so!

 

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

One can only assume you have never heard of SERPS. Stands for State Earnings Related Pension Scheme, there is a clue in "earnings related".

Ah, no I haven't, well only in passing. I was either in the armed forces or working abroad during that era.

[Will B Good]

6 hours ago, sandyf said:

Your state pension can be higher than the allowance.

How much do I get with SERPS?

 

The amount you’ll get varies depending on the following:

The amount of years you’ve paid full National Insurance on earnings

Whether or not you’ve contracted out of the scheme

If you topped up your basic State Pension (only possible between 12 October 2015 and 5 April 2017)

The maximum amount you can get in 2022/23 is £185.90 a week

[theoldgit]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

That's not strictly speaking true - or if it is it means little.

 

I go back to the UK every 9 months / year for full NHS checks up, blood works, etc , and get tables for the next 9-12 months. I'm usually only in the UK for 22 hours. Some conditions (according to my pharmacist - the head pharmacist in a certain Shire) are treated by the UK NHS no matter where you live and tablets issued by law.

 

I do keep a UK address though through my tenant.

 

It is strictly true, but maybe not consistently applied despite the fact that the Charging Regulations place a legal obligation on providers of relevant services to establish whether a person is an overseas visitor to whom charges apply, or whether they are exempt from charges.

 

Your pharmacist is of course correct that some conditions are exempt from the Charging Regulations for everybody, and are laid out in the instructions.

 

Owning a property in the UK doesn't automatically allow unconditional and free access to the NHS, think of all the Qatar rulers who would be entitled to free ongoing NHS care should they ever fall on hard times.

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1029984/guidance-on-implementing-the-overseas-visitor-charging-regulations.pdf

[sandyf]

5 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 

Ah, no I haven't, well only in passing. I was either in the armed forces or working abroad during that era.

The old system was quite complicated. I posted a copy of my pension statement earlier, made up of 6 components, basic pension, 4 versions of SERPS and Graduated Pension.

High earners that remained in SERPS can have quite a high pension.

Armed forces would be contracted out and working abroad would be zero contributions.

I was in the RAF, SERPS started in 1975 and everyone was immediately contracted out, but discharged in 77 so only out of the system for about 18 months in my working life.

[sandyf]

13 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

How much do I get with SERPS?

 

The amount you’ll get varies depending on the following:

The amount of years you’ve paid full National Insurance on earnings

Whether or not you’ve contracted out of the scheme

If you topped up your basic State Pension (only possible between 12 October 2015 and 5 April 2017)

The maximum amount you can get in 2022/23 is £185.90 a week

You are out of context. What you have quoted relates to how SERPS would affect someone on the new system.

When they introduced the new system in 2016 all payments in respect of additional pension came to an end, so no one on the new system can get any more than the full basic pension.

That does not apply to the majority of pensioners under the old scheme who would have additional pension supplements added to the old basic amount which I think is now around £141/week.

[theoldgit]

3 hours ago, potless said:

I would like to politely reword that. All income from, whatever source, is combined and then the personal tax allowance applied to give a taxable amount. How the tax is actually collected depends on the individuals situation. A private pension is usually the first port of call.                

 

Noted, however, in my recent notification from the HMRC they advise me my tax code for 2022/23, which is the standard Personal Allowance minus my actual State Pension, the reduced tax code is what my pension provider uses to calculate my tax liability. 

[ttrd]

10 hours ago, baansgr said:

Could be worse, you could have to live in UK for 2 years prior to retirement, you could lose on a sliding scale upto 50% if you live abroad or you will not get paid after spending 180 days abroad.

With other words - schedule your stay to 6 months in Thailand and 6 months in the UK or move to another country where they have an agrement with the UK such as the Philippines.

[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Presumptive..... why will living in a country with lower cost of living, where there is, say, very cheap accommodation, and good cheap public transport, lower purchase taxes, no heating costs etc not be beneficial for  a person living off the benefit, state pension. 

It sure may be... But then independently pay for it.. 'The state' obligations should end when you leave the state.. 

As I have already shown, governments run deficits, the money paid at time of contribution is not enough to meet current expenditure at time of collection.. All this 'I paid in' yeah you also got the government outlay at the time.. Everything else is just spin on collections. 

I expect zero from the government of my passport, I wont be dissapointed to get it. 

[joecoolfrog]

14 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Nothing will change. How dare we leave the UK for a happier life in Thailand (or elsewhere). We only exist in the eyes of the UK government if they can still tax us. Nobody stuck in the UK would support an increase for those living overseas. 

 

Nothing has changed in this respect since you came to Thailand though.

I assume it was part of the pros and cons that informed your decision to retire in LOS.

Why is it an issue now ?

[ChrisKC]

What I don't understand is that having been in Thailand for 20 years, 12 of which receiving my pension, no increase for all that time while using absolutely nothing of the services. I am costing the UK nothing in expenses, especially that of the Health Service that might have cost them a fortune for the average person of my age.

 

Yet Ex-Pats in European Countries and a few others DO get the increase. It isn't much in one year but over 12 years it is worth having!

 

 

[NeoDinosaw]

9 hours ago, Orinoco said:

Mortgage , whats that 

only down side was the new electrical inspection cert needed for landlords of residential property lets. cost a 3 grand to fix.

but hey. that's ok. income still comes.

someone is ripping you off on the electrical inspection.  Or you have many many properties !!!

 

[Harry Black]

3 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

do fully retired British military receive medical cost reimbursement globally?

No, but you may receive reimbursement for injuries sustained whilst serving, but these need to be documented before you leave.

[Harry Black]

3 hours ago, billd766 said:

I was for 25 years, boy and man. In those 25 years I went where the RAF sent me and I was lucky enough never to be shot at or involved in a minor or major war.

Bet you got to stay in some nice hotels during that time too........ ????

[Orinoco]

35 minutes ago, NeoDinosaw said:

someone is ripping you off on the electrical inspection.  Or you have many many properties !!!

 

Nah,  that was the cost of the work plus cert for 3 old properties to get them up to standard.

 

 

 

[prakhonchai nick]

1 hour ago, ttrd said:

With other words - schedule your stay to 6 months in Thailand and 6 months in the UK or move to another country where they have an agrement with the UK such as the Philippines.

Or arrange a poste restante in the Philippines

[Will B Good]

57 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

What I don't understand is that having been in Thailand for 20 years, 12 of which receiving my pension, no increase for all that time while using absolutely nothing of the services. I am costing the UK nothing in expenses, especially that of the Health Service that might have cost them a fortune for the average person of my age.

 

Yet Ex-Pats in European Countries and a few others DO get the increase. It isn't much in one year but over 12 years it is worth having!

 

 

....and you are still paying UK tax on your pension.

[Kwasaki]

13 minutes ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Or arrange a poste restante in the Philippines

How is that done, I don't like traveling anymore. ????

[Thailand]

4 hours ago, Purdey said:

Would they be complaining if they had other money in the bank?

Yes

[Purdey]

2 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Yes it is the point that they have paid for the pension and should  be fully entitled to it.

I would add that they are entitled to a pension but the cost of living allowances refers to UK cost of living - and they don't live there so the UK cost of living doesn't affect them.

Hope that is logical.

It still bears remembering that people who don't save before moving abroad are a little shortsighted. I feel sympathetic but the message to people in the UK should be, don't rely only on your pension when considering moving to a foreign country.

[Thailand]

17 minutes ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Or arrange a poste restante in the Philippines

How legal would that be?  Just the same as using a UK address when you don't live there?

[Will B Good]

Slightly off topic, but the savings could go towards giving poorer (expat) pensioners a decent pension..........how about a means tested state pension? Why are wealthy people still allowed to claim a state pension?.....Pure greed.

[Orinoco]

6 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

how about a means tested state pension? Why are wealthy people still allowed to claim a state pension?.....Pure greed.

I believe i'm entitled to it. !!!!! 

 

 

[brianthainess]

9 hours ago, theoldgit said:

 

It's up to you to prove that you do, the first question they may ask is the name of your GP, that would be a good starting point for the NHS who are now required by law to check by that you are actually resident in the UK.

 

Many NHS Trusts have a dedicated department to ensure compliance of this rule, which was brought in by the Cameron/Clegg Coalition.

 

But I digress, apologies.

There are walk in doctors in the UK where you just fill out a form and see a doctor, on my last trip i did this, to have a mole checked for skin cancer. Just outside Brighton main station. . Many people on a holiday outside of their home town may need to see a doctor. just saying. I had not visited a UK doctor for 20yrs +

[prakhonchai nick]

10 minutes ago, Thailand said:

How legal would that be?  Just the same as using a UK address when you don't live there?

Absolutely. Totally illegal. But there are very many that apply for their pensions using a UK address (son/daughter most often) yet never visit the UK. And it is mainly these folk that suggest the full pension is illegally withheld from them and have no qualms claiming from the UK.

For the record, I am not one .

 

[Thailand]

24 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Slightly off topic, but the savings could go towards giving poorer (expat) pensioners a decent pension..........how about a means tested state pension? Why are wealthy people still allowed to claim a state pension?.....Pure greed.

Simply because they have contributed to the scheme and are entitled to it. BTW I am not wealthy at all but entitled to about 45% of the state pension despite max contributions. 

 

And 9 years of military service, nowt for that unfortunately.

[bert bloggs]

Most pensioners are entitled to their pension,they paid in all their lives,its no wonder many keep a uk address  or do they?

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Harry Black said:

Bet you got to stay in some nice hotels during that time too........ ????

I will take that bet. The only time I stayed in a hotel was 6 days and that was in Labuan. The only reason we stayed in the hotel was because there was n British military accommodation available, and NO, it wasn't a nice hotel but the best of the only 3 available.

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, Harry Black said:

No, but you may receive reimbursement for injuries sustained whilst serving, but these need to be documented before you leave.

Understood, thanks. While I admire many social outlooks on the continent of Europe, here is a substantial difference in the more parsimonious outlook of Britain in taking care of retirees after a lifetime of work.