PRESS RELEASE: End Frozen Pensions For British Ex-Pats In Thailand

[webfact]

 

Thailand-A new page and associated group has been created to assist and support the campaign to ‘End Frozen Pensions’ – ours focuses on and is a focus for those affected British ex-pats who live in Thailand.

 

Frozen state pensions is the practice of the British Government of “freezing” UK State Pensions (that is, not uprating the amount in line with “Triple Lock” on an annual basis, as is done for residents in the UK), for pensioners who live in the majority of other countries, apart from the European Community countries and a few other countries with reciprocal agreements with the UK.

Thailand is not one of those countries with reciprocal agreements with the UK.
We hope as many affected British expats in Thailand will get involved.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?

 

???? CONNECT with other British ex-pats in Thailand. Your network is your strength, and together, we are stronger.

 

???? COMMUNICATE with friends and family in the UK. Encourage them to engage in our campaign, raise awareness, and drive action. Their voice matters!

 

???? JOIN and interact with other FB pages and groups fighting the same cause. It’s time we unite our efforts and fight as one!

 

✅ REGISTER to vote in the UK elections if you’re eligible. Your vote can make a difference! The Elections Act 2022 ensures your right to vote, regardless of how long you’ve been living abroad, by abolishing the 15-year rule.

 

???? ENGAGE with decision-makers. Reach out to your last registered MP, use your voice, and call for an end to frozen pensions.

 

Every action counts, and every voice matters. Together, we can make a difference. It starts with you – what can YOU do today to make a difference? Remember, concise and compelling communication is key.

 

By Adam Judd

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/07/26/press-release-end-frozen-pensions-for-british-ex-pats-in-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-07-27

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

[simon43]

P*ssing in the wind!  You have more chance if you lobbied the Thai government to implement a reciprocal agreement with the UK, as did The Philippines.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Don't tell them where you live.

[Stocky]

+1 for P*ssing in the wind and f4rting against thunder.

 

 

.

Edited July 27, 2023 by Stocky

[Foxx]

34 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Don't tell them where you live.

No good if you want to have an overseas domicile of choice and so avoid hundreds of thousands of pounds of inheritance tax.

[JayClay]

6 minutes ago, Foxx said:

No good if you want to have an overseas domicile of choice and so avoid hundreds of thousands of pounds of inheritance tax.

If you're paying hundreds of thousands of pounds in inheritance tax, you can probably live quite comfortably even on a frozen state pension!

Edited July 27, 2023 by JayClay

[Kwasaki]

Another frozen pension thread how many threads has this had over 20 years I've lost count.

 

Waste of time will never happen, if anything did happen,  probably with the future uk govs they will only pay uk pensions to pensioners living in the UK cess pit.

[Burma Bill]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

campaign to ‘End Frozen Pensions

Very commendable action and I wish you success. As you quite rightly said this only affects the UK State OAP. 

My State OAP is also frozen here in Cambodia (same rate as 14 years ago), however both my UK Government Civil Service Retirement and my Local Government Retirement Pensions are NOT FROZEN and I receive all the increases due. 

 

I did make enquiries some years ago and as far as I can remember, it will take an Act of Parliament to change the relevent section of the Social Security Act of 1948 to "unfreeze" these pensions. Unfortunately, easier said than done!

Edited July 27, 2023 by Burma Bill
additional information

[Jenkins9039]

By 2026 the balance sheets of Western Central Banks will rise by something like 40%

 

That's a currency debasement there, so even if they just up it a notch the pensions still won't be worth <deleted>, Thailand's currency will strengthen over the next 5-15 until they hit their own demographic issue. 

[jwest10]

1 hour ago, JayClay said:

If you're paying hundreds of thousands of pounds in inheritance tax, you can probably live quite comfortably even on a frozen state pension!

Yeah those who have to be pay thousands of pounds in inheritance tax but still need a frozen state pension!!! Get off this site.

 

[billd766]

There are NO dedicated MPs for pensioners who are affected by this. There are NO votes in it for any MP, so why would they vote to spend even more of the taxpayers money to increase our pensions?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salaries_of_members_of_the_United_Kingdom_Parliament#:~:text=MPs normally receive a pension,accrual rate of 1%2F40th.

 

Basic salary
The basic annual salary of an MP in the House of Commons is £86,584.[1] That is more than 10 times my annual frozen pension rate.

 

Pension
MPs normally receive a pension of either 1/40th or 1/50th of their final pensionable salary for each year of pensionable service depending on the contribution rate they chose. Members who made contributions of 13.75% of their salary gain an accrual rate of 1/40th.[24]

If an MP stands down during the course of a Parliament due to ill health, an ill health retirement grant is payable, calculated in the same way as the Resettlement Grant (as well as an immediate pension based on the service the MP would have accrued if they had continued to serve until age 65).

 

There is a lot more information in the link including 

Resettlement Grant

Winding-up Allowance

Office expenses

Housing, second home, and travel

 

 

[shackleton]

It's like flogging a dead horse trying to get the old age pension updated here in Thailand 

Been going on for years I have done the support the petition wise years ago makes no difference 

All you get is the negative comments  you made the choice should have stayed in the UK ???????? 

But you can keep on  trying and live in Hope ????

 

[bkk6060]

Wow, a USA govt pension max is around $4500 now.

The UK around $1,000?

How sad, anyone ever inquire what they have done with all the money?

[BritManToo]

31 minutes ago, Jenkins9039 said:

By 2026 the balance sheets of Western Central Banks will rise by something like 40%

 

That's a currency debasement there, so even if they just up it a notch the pensions still won't be worth <deleted>, Thailand's currency will strengthen over the next 5-15 until they hit their own demographic issue. 

My UK state pension brings in 10,500GBP/year (40kbht/month).

Don't know why you say it's worth <deleted>.

Edited July 27, 2023 by BritManToo

[samtam]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

My UK state pension brings in 10,500GBP/year (40kbht/month).

Don't know why you say it's worth <deleted>.

The highest and increased pension (23/24 effective 6 April 2023) in UK (as a resident) is GBP203.85 per week:

x4 = 815.40 per month = GBP9,784.80 per annum.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Together, we can make a difference.

No, we cannot. 

It has been tried and debated for donkeys years, has always been rejected and will continue to be so regardless of the handful of expats here in Thailand who join in (assuming that they have not previously added their names to the numerous existing petitions that have no effect, whatsoever, regardless of which government is in power).

Edited July 27, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Foxx said:

No good if you want to have an overseas domicile of choice and so avoid hundreds of thousands of pounds of inheritance tax.

And you think that those people will be at all concerned about the tiny frozen state pension!?

[BritManToo]

15 minutes ago, samtam said:

The highest and increased pension (23/24 effective 6 April 2023) in UK (as a resident) is GBP203.85 per week:

x4 = 815.40 per month = GBP9,784.80 per annum.

 

203.85 x 52 = 10,600 GBP

[Liverpool Lou]

15 minutes ago, samtam said:

The highest and increased pension (23/24 effective 6 April 2023) in UK (as a resident) is GBP203.85 per week:

x4 = 815.40 per month = GBP9,784.80 per annum.

 

UK state pensions are paid weekly/4-weekly, not monthly.  £203.85 x 52 = £10,600.20. 

[transam]

Nice to see someone having a go over it. 

Is it.."If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again"...Reminds me of D-Day...????

So let's not sit with nose in a beer glass sneering, think that there is someone out there having another go, for you.....

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

probably with the future uk govs they will only pay uk pensions to pensioners living in the UK cess pit.

As is already the case with Australia, I believe. But at least we would then be spared the Life Certificate bureaucratic nonsense which DWP insist on inflicting on us every couple of years or so! ????

[champers]

12 minutes ago, transam said:

Nice to see someone having a go over it. 

Is it.."If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again"...Reminds me of D-Day...????

So let's not sit with nose in a beer glass sneering, think that there is someone out there having another go, for you.....

It was in the Labour Party manifesto at the last election and now they are more sympathetic than other parties.

Vote Labour! ????

[ChrisY1]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Don't tell them where you live.

It's 2023 now.....they know.

[JayClay]

5 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

It's 2023 now.....they know.

Clearly not...

[samtam]

44 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

203.85 x 52 = 10,600 GBP

 

44 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

UK state pensions are paid weekly/4-weekly, not monthly.  £203.85 x 52 = £10,600.20. 

I stand corrected. [But as a non resident whose 66th birthday was on 31 March 2023, I missed out on the 203.85 and will now forever get the 185.15 per week, or 9,627.80 pa.]

Still, based on my miscalculation (8887.20❌), I now realise I get 9,627.80✔️, so that's nice. 10,600.20 would have been nicer, but so far the rise in GBP to THB has improved it.

[Lacessit]

24 minutes ago, OJAS said:

As is already the case with Australia, I believe. But at least we would then be spared the Life Certificate bureaucratic nonsense which DWP insist on inflicting on us every couple of years or so! ????

Incorrect. I get about $60 less than an Australian pension for a pensioner in Australia, as the subsidies for electricity and phone are removed after six weeks away. Otherwise, it's pension paid normally. Indexed for COL, I have never really tracked it though.

[BritScot]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Another frozen pension thread how many threads has this had over 20 years I've lost count.

 

Waste of time will never happen, if anything did happen,  probably with the future uk govs they will only pay uk pensions to pensioners living in the UK cess pit.

Less of the derogatory remarks about the UK please! The uk is a very beautiful country and I have lived in 3rd world Thailand and there is no comparison unless your chassing young girls or boys in your old age. We moved back to the uk in 2019 and never regretted it once infact the thought of moving back to thailand for more than a holiday sends shivers of fear through my children who have great lives here in the uk. The dark cloud that hangs over me is that family commitments drag us back to thailand. 

[IvorBiggun2]

Ex servicemen/women get pension increments even if they don't live in the UK. I also get disability benefit with increments even though I don't live in the UK. The other month I was paid 150 Quid for something I know nothing about. I think it was 'cost of living' payment.  The place is crazy.

[Surasak]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Wow, a USA govt pension max is around $4500 now.

The UK around $1,000?

How sad, anyone ever inquire what they have done with all the money?

Over the past 75 years it has all been wasted by successive governments. Not one of them has ever been worth a light and wouldn't give you the drippings from their nose on a cold winters day. This went to the ECHR a few years back and was thrown out, so no chance. UK governments have learnt a lot from Scrooge over the years, and still building on it. 

[Celsius]

Great stuff reminding them you exist.

 

There will be more freezing coming your way now and it won't be frozen yoghurt