UK pension when moving to Thailand before retirement age

[Lance Corporal Jones]

 

 

I'm 60 and thinking about leaving the UK and retiring in Thailand.

 

At 67, I will be entitled to a full UK state pension if living in the UK, but not sure about the amount of pension I will get if I've been living in Thailand for 7 years before claiming.

 

* Do I get whatever the full UK state pension is when I am 67 (but without annual increases)?

 

or

 

* Do I get whatever the UK pension was when I was I left the UK for good at the age of 60?

 

 

 

 

 

[Thailand]

You will get full pension but after that  if you have advised the UK of living in Thailand then you will not get any increases.

[Kwasaki]

Your get what you are entitled to at time of applying.

 

I was here 7 years in Thailand before getting my UK pension. 

[BritManToo]

32 minutes ago, Lance Corporal Jones said:

At 67, I will be entitled to a full UK state pension if living in the UK, but not sure about the amount of pension I will get if I've been living in Thailand for 7 years before claiming.

 

* Do I get whatever the full UK state pension is when I am 67 (but without annual increases)?

 

or

 

* Do I get whatever the UK pension was when I was I left the UK for good at the age of 60?

Nobody can predict what the UK pension rules will be in 7 years time.

Could easily go the same was as OZ and NZ, not living there = no pension.

They could also raise the state pension age to 80.

Or the country could go bankrupt under Conservative rule. 

 

All I can tell you, it's best not to tell your government where you are or what you are doing.

Shhhhhhhhh ..................

[Chomper Higgot]

First thing to do is check your National Insurance Record to make sure you have made enough contributions to get the full pension.

 

As others have suggested but have not clearly stated, if the UK Pension Office know you are living in Thailand you will not receive annual cost of living increases.

 

Hence the suggestion you don’t tell any Government organization where you are living.

 

There are lots of other things to consider too.

 

My recommendation is spend a lot of time researching about visa options, places to live, cost of living, health insurance, banking etc.

 

First off make sure you have two bank accounts in the UK, one to receive your UK pension and another spare incase you have a problem with the first.

 

If you don’t have a UK credit card get one, preferably two and manage your usage to ensure you have use of a credit card when here.

 

Leave the UK with a clean slate, no debts, no in finished business.

 

After age 60 it is extremely difficult to get health insurance in Thailand, keep this in mind.

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by Chomper Higgot

[treetops]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

If you don’t have a UK credit card get one, preferably two and manage your usage to ensure you have use of a credit card when here.

To expand on this, get credit cards with no foreign currency/overseas transaction fees.  Same with your current accounts.

[The Fugitive]

When I claimed my U.K. State Pension the lady I spoke to at DWP advised me that I MUST (emphasised) maintain a U.K. mobile telephone number. Reading between the lines she just may have been tipping me off how to avoid a frozen pension?

[Robin]

Important thing with UK pension is to be sure that DWP know you are still alive.  (It is in their interests to get you declared dead!)

Once a year, or so, they will write to you asking if you are still alive!  letter might go to your UK address if you still have one.   

Make sure you get this query, and answer it asap.  If not you pension will be stopped.  Safest to check your bank account regularly to see that their payment is going in.  If not call DWP and ask why not..  Even when you phone them they will not believe that you are actually alive.  You will need to get your Thai doctor to certify that you are alive!.

NB  I have always kept UK address, and UK mobile phone, and still do not get cost of living increases.

 

[hotandsticky]

6 minutes ago, Robin said:

Important thing with UK pension is to be sure that DWP know you are still alive.  (It is in their interests to get you declared dead!)

Once a year, or so, they will write to you asking if you are still alive!  letter might go to your UK address if you still have one.   

Make sure you get this query, and answer it asap.  If not you pension will be stopped.  Safest to check your bank account regularly to see that their payment is going in.  If not call DWP and ask why not..  Even when you phone them they will not believe that you are actually alive.  You will need to get your Thai doctor to certify that you are alive!.

NB  I have always kept UK address, and UK mobile phone, and still do not get cost of living increases.

 

A couple of points:-

 

1. The letters are not usually annual, they are random.

 

2. DWP do not send life certificates to UK addresses.

 

3. Absolute rubbish about needing a Thai doctor to certify. DWP will reinstate your pension immediately you contact them on the Newcastle number. They will even accept scanned copies of the certificate.

 

4. The life certificates can be signed by anyone who is eligible to countersign a British passport.

[Kwasaki]

12 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

A couple of points:-

 

1. The letters are not usually annual, they are random.

 

2. DWP do not send life certificates to UK addresses.

 

3. Absolute rubbish about needing a Thai doctor to certify. DWP will reinstate your pension immediately you contact them on the Newcastle number. They will even accept scanned copies of the certificate.

 

4. The life certificates can be signed by anyone who is eligible to countersign a British passport.

Regarding 4.

They will accept anyone in Thailand with ID card who can sign there address in English and give a telephone number. 

[The Fugitive]

4 hours ago, Robin said:

NB  I have always kept UK address, and UK mobile phone, and still do not get cost of living increases.

As I'm only a recent State Pension claimant I can't comment on the proof of life letters/certificates. It could be that things have recently changed at the DWP as regards UK addresses and UK mobile 'phone numbers? As always, what we get told and the level of customer service depends upon who you speak to on that day. If I was you, I would be thinking along the lines of advising the DWP that you have returned to the UK upon a permanent basis. What happens in the future is another matter as people's circumstances can and do change all the time.

[BritManToo]

5 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

When I claimed my U.K. State Pension the lady I spoke to at DWP advised me that I MUST (emphasised) maintain a U.K. mobile telephone number. Reading between the lines she just may have been tipping me off how to avoid a frozen pension?

UK landline number is better, Skype charge $90/year and you can select the town you want to appear to be in.

[Rhys]

All the best mate, I trust you get your money.

[ivor bigun]

so many just keep a home address and get everything sent there ,you paid in all your life . 

[garygooner]

I was asked by a UK neighbour while relaxing by the mansion pool recently in BK if he could receive his UK Pension in a few years if he only has a Thai bank account now. I had to tell him, "sorry mate I have no idea" 

Can anyone comment please?  

[Chomper Higgot]

38 minutes ago, garygooner said:

I was asked by a UK neighbour while relaxing by the mansion pool recently in BK if he could receive his UK Pension in a few years if he only has a Thai bank account now. I had to tell him, "sorry mate I have no idea" 

Can anyone comment please?  

He can, but he’s be far better advised to open a UK account, get his pension paid there and never mention he’s living in Thailand.

 

 

As soon as the pension service know he’s living in Thailand they will withhold annual cost of living increases.

[ivor bigun]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

He can, but he’s be far better advised to open a UK account, get his pension paid there and never mention he’s living in Thailand.

 

 

As soon as the pension service know he’s living in Thailand they will withhold annual cost of living increases.

how would they get to know he is living in Thailand unless someone informed on him

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

how would they get to know he is living in Thailand unless someone informed on him

Currently he only has a Thai bank account and was asking if he can have his UK pension paid directly to that account.

[Robin]

I do not believe that DWP are so trusting as to accept that every pensioner is still living in UK and eligible for annual increases.

Apart from the letter  asking if you are still alive, I think they can check if you are receiving National Health care or prescriptions.

My impression has always been that DWP do not want to pay any pension unless they have to, so if they do not see any activity that indicates that you are still alive, they can decide that you are dead and stop your pension

To be fair to them, if they find that they were mistaken and that you are still alive, they make up to missed pension with no quibble..

If you are going to keep a UK bank, check that your bank will allow a current account with credit card etc., when you are living in Thailand. Not all will.

If you have a UK based credit card, also need to check where the replacement card will be sent when due.  Default could be to your (unused ) UK address.  Some will not send a credit card to Thailand under any circumstances, other are happy to use DHL at no extra charge.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, Robin said:

I do not believe that DWP are so trusting as to accept that every pensioner is still living in UK and eligible for annual increases.

Apart from the letter  asking if you are still alive, I think they can check if you are receiving National Health care or prescriptions.

My impression has always been that DWP do not want to pay any pension unless they have to, so if they do not see any activity that indicates that you are still alive, they can decide that you are dead and stop your pension

To be fair to them, if they find that they were mistaken and that you are still alive, they make up to missed pension with no quibble..

If you are going to keep a UK bank, check that your bank will allow a current account with credit card etc., when you are living in Thailand. Not all will.

If you have a UK based credit card, also need to check where the replacement card will be sent when due.  Default could be to your (unused ) UK address.  Some will not send a credit card to Thailand under any circumstances, other are happy to use DHL at no extra charge.

 

 

The cards are not necessary.

 

Simply use SWIFT transfers from UK bank to Thai bank and save card charges.

[ivor bigun]

2 hours ago, Robin said:

I do not believe that DWP are so trusting as to accept that every pensioner is still living in UK and eligible for annual increases.

Apart from the letter  asking if you are still alive, I think they can check if you are receiving National Health care or prescriptions.

My impression has always been that DWP do not want to pay any pension unless they have to, so if they do not see any activity that indicates that you are still alive, they can decide that you are dead and stop your pension

To be fair to them, if they find that they were mistaken and that you are still alive, they make up to missed pension with no quibble..

If you are going to keep a UK bank, check that your bank will allow a current account with credit card etc., when you are living in Thailand. Not all will.

If you have a UK based credit card, also need to check where the replacement card will be sent when due.  Default could be to your (unused ) UK address.  Some will not send a credit card to Thailand under any circumstances, other are happy to use DHL at no extra charge.

 

 

There are millions of pensioners who do you think checks them? in fact about 5 years ago i knew a guy on social who used to come here on holiday for a month at least ,he had a condo and he believed his landlord split on him anyway long story short ,a guy over in Thailand used to transfer money from his uk account to his and he braught it over to change .when he went back ,they hardly did anything to him, as for the guy living in Thailand ,never even checked on him or his uk bank accounts . 

[ivor bigun]

nobody got an answer for this?

[Kwasaki]

9 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

nobody got an answer for this?

Maybe not but you can ponce off the UK and get your pension rises

and get away with it or you can do what is honest and just get on with it. 

[kokesaat]

Having been here for 25 years and seeing how things change (exchange rates, various government rules affecting pensions/cola, etc), my advice would be:

If you come here at 60, be prepared to go without your pension.  If you can't live without the pension, then you're probably better off where you are.  If you end up receiving a pension at the expected age, then that'll be gravy.  

I came here at 46.  The doom and gloomers in the US have long predicted the demise of the social security program in the US.  When I turned 62, I started receiving social security.  That was, and continues to be, gravy.  But there's no telling what will happen in the next few years/decades.

At the very least, have a plan B (escape plan).