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

[Kwasaki]

2 hours 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! ????

There would have to be a new cut point and grandfathered date I would think although saying that I don't know what happened when Oz did it to there pension citizens.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, BritScot said:

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. 

Disagree I am so glad I left and never go back to uk even if you paid me.

 

My daughter can get me BA flight concessions return flights for me @ £200 return uk / Thailand don't wana go back to a immigration ponce dump.

[Bangkok Barry]

There is less and less chance of this happening as the years pass. The Daily Telegraph ran a campaign that went nowhere, and with the UK economy struggling the chance of them changing their policy is a guaranteed non-starter. No point in wasting time trying to persuade them that their policy is unfair. They don't care, which is why they instituted the policy to begin with. It doesn't cost them any votes.

 

I do find it ironic that some Commonwealth countries are in the same boat as us in Thailand, whereas others who are not get the increase. USA yes, Canada no, for example.

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

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

Lucky you. As a single person, my pension is paid 4-weekly at the rate of 408 GBP.  408 x 13 = 5,304 GBP. (the same today as 14 years ago).

[Geordieabroad]

forget about voting in a UK election if you live in Thailand. I registered for a postal vote in the last election, my ballot paper arrived at my Thai address on the actual day of the election. I phoned the relevant number in the UK to complain and they told me they can't send out ballot papers to overseas addresses till 10 days before the election. So unless an envelope can get from UK - Thailand - UK in 10 days you've got no chance

[billd766]

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

There is less and less chance of this happening as the years pass. The Daily Telegraph ran a campaign that went nowhere, and with the UK economy struggling the chance of them changing their policy is a guaranteed non-starter. No point in wasting time trying to persuade them that their policy is unfair. They don't care, which is why they instituted the policy to begin with. It doesn't cost them any votes.

 

I do find it ironic that some Commonwealth countries are in the same boat as us in Thailand, whereas others who are not get the increase. USA yes, Canada no, for example.

My brother used to live in St Catherines, Canada just opposite the Niagara Falls and would never have got the increase. If he had lived on the US side and commuted he would have got the increase.

 

In the US Samoa they get the increase. In British Samoa they don't get the increase.

 

 

[Elkski]

It does seem unfair to not give the same to each person no matter where they choose to live.   But once passed I dont see any support to change it back. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

6 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

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

Lucky you.

Why "lucky"?   I didn't say that was my pension.

[sniggie]

 

5 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

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

More like they could find out if they were bothered. If someone has a UK address and their pension is paid into a domestic UK bank account they could possibly check to see how often that person enters the country and how long they stay on each visit.  But why would they do that, its a lot of bother. Likewise registering with a GP. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

6 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?

Max ss payment at FRA is $3627 in 2023. At 70, it is $4555 in 2023, increases every year depending on COLA. The numbers are for a single person. For married couple, the spouse will get at least 50% of the FRA, provided she also applies at FRA.

[scottiejohn]

30 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

Max ss payment at FRA is $3627 in 2023. At 70, it is $4555 in 2023, increases every year depending on COLA. The numbers are for a single person. For married couple, the spouse will get at least 50% of the FRA, provided she also applies at FRA.

FRA. COLA, ss, $    

I thought the subject was UK pensions!

What has "FRA". "COLA", "ss", "$"   got to do with this topic and what do "FRA". "COLA", "ss" FRA,  mean in this context?

 

PS;  Do not suggest Mr Giggle as you end up with hundreds of options for all of them!

[roger101]

What the UK Government forgets is that people living abroad don't use the NHS, and they don't claim any other benefits that people receive if they lived there.  That would more than pay any money paid to pensioners  here. I have been in hospital 5 times in the years I have lived here. I paid.  Cost to the NHS -nothing.

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why "lucky"?   I didn't say that was my pension.

My apologies.

[billd766]

14 hours ago, Elkski said:

It does seem unfair to not give the same to each person no matter where they choose to live.   But once passed I dont see any support to change it back. 

It was passed in 1948 I believe, and not one government has bothered to change it. All subsequent governments have defended it, yet it would be so easy to change and over 500,xxx people and their dependants would benefit from the change.

 

And any governments response would be, we can't afford it.

 

It costs over 7 million quid per DAY to support the illegal immigrants, who only take but never give back.

[AhFarangJa]

21 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?

Yes, they use it to pay for all the free loading illegal immigrants, and also to give themselves huge pay rises, bonuses, non contributary pensions etc.

[JayClay]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

And any governments response would be, we can't afford it.

 

It costs over 7 million quid per DAY to support the illegal immigrants, who only take but never give back.

There are no illegal immigrants in the UK. Certainly not enough costing the government 7 million pounds per day, anyway.

 

What we do have is a backlog of asylum claims that are not being processed by the authorities. People who claim asylum are not illegal immigrants. People who are deneid asylum are deported. 

 

The current government is refusing to tax energy companies, who are posting profit increases of 900% so, yea, if they don't have enough money then it's entirely of their own making. But, yea, let's get angry at people fleeing war-torn countries instead.

 

A tory government is never going to increase the pensions of retirees living abroad. I doubt any party would be very much in favor of it to be honest, but if you want any chance of it ever happening, it won't be the current lot.

[billd766]

26 minutes ago, JayClay said:

There are no illegal immigrants in the UK. Certainly not enough costing the government 7 million pounds per day, anyway.

 

What we do have is a backlog of asylum claims that are not being processed by the authorities. People who claim asylum are not illegal immigrants. People who are deneid asylum are deported. 

 

The current government is refusing to tax energy companies, who are posting profit increases of 900% so, yea, if they don't have enough money then it's entirely of their own making. But, yea, let's get angry at people fleeing war-torn countries instead.

 

A tory government is never going to increase the pensions of retirees living abroad. I doubt any party would be very much in favor of it to be honest, but if you want any chance of it ever happening, it won't be the current lot.

So in your opinion anybody that arrives in the UK. without a valid visa or entry permit is NOT an illegal immigrant, even though hundreds make the crossing from France every day by boat.

 

If they stayed in their own countries and applied for a proper entry visa, I and perhaps millions of other people may believe you, BUT they don't.

 

Many of them destroy their passports, and refuse to understand that they are NOT stateless people, and that they have no automatic right of entry to any country other than their own.

 

The UK gives them somewhere to stay, food and a small amount daily to live on, all paid for by the taxpayers. 

 

In the meantime British citizens are homeless and many use food banks so that at least they and their children can eat at least one meal a day.

[soalbundy]

On 7/27/2023 at 10:41 AM, simon43 said:

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.

This old sock has holes in it, even the European court upheld HM governments view point, the UK is broke. They can't even help the poor in the UK, expats woes aren't even on the list of 'things to do'. We have no leverage and yet every few years this theme crops up, an exercise in futility.

[transam]

4 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

This old sock has holes in it, even the European court upheld HM governments view point, the UK is broke. They can't even help the poor in the UK, expats woes aren't even on the list of 'things to do'. We have no leverage and yet every few years this theme crops up, an exercise in futility.

The European Court 13 judges voted 5-8, so not a walkover, and what do you think these different country judges own populace can do regarding their pensions..

But I would not expect different from a Brit that eloped to Germany a looong time ago, eh................................

[soalbundy]

12 minutes ago, transam said:

The European Court 13 judges voted 5-8, so not a walkover, and what do you think these different country judges own populace can do regarding their pensions..

But I would not expect different from a Brit that eloped to Germany a looong time ago, eh................................

I'm pragmatic and have little sympathy for patriots. I chose were I wanted to live and work, the fact that Germany pays a good pension as opposed to the crumbs handed out by the UK and pays a yearly increase no matter where I live is just an added bonus. I haven't been to the UK in over 50 years and what I read about it now only confirms that I made the right decision then, in the UK I only existed, in Germany I had a life.

[747man]

On 7/27/2023 at 11:24 AM, BritManToo said:

Don't tell them where you live.

Then You are Committing FRAUD......

[transam]

13 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

I'm pragmatic and have little sympathy for patriots. I chose were I wanted to live and work, the fact that Germany pays a good pension as opposed to the crumbs handed out by the UK and pays a yearly increase no matter where I live is just an added bonus. I haven't been to the UK in over 50 years and what I read about it now only confirms that I made the right decision then, in the UK I only existed, in Germany I had a life.

Oh wow, good job 99.999% of UK folk were not like you in 1939 then, eh....????

And now you side with them on UK issues....????

But yep, you are in the right place, well away from the UK....

[brianthainess]

 

On 7/27/2023 at 2:14 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

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

Please don't tell my wife. 

[IvorBiggun2]

15 minutes ago, 747man said:

Then You are Committing FRAUD......

But the chance of someone being prosecuted for it is non existent. In saying that I agree with you. 

[747man]

On 7/27/2023 at 1:47 PM, BritManToo said:

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

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

Well My MUCH Reduced Pension brings in a WHOPPING 3,750 GBP Per Annum, So I Agree with Him It Is Worth SFA !!

[soalbundy]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

Oh wow, good job 99.999% of UK folk were not like you in 1939 then, eh....????

And now you side with them on UK issues....????

But yep, you are in the right place, well away from the UK....

Still 84 years in the past are we? Why not use the quote from Wellington, "Give me the night or the Prussians", said as he was about to lose at Waterloo, that's even further back in time, you should like that.

[Wobblybob]

20 minutes ago, 747man said:

Then You are Committing FRAUD......

I think there's an argument to suggest that it is the British government that is committing fraud.

[brianthainess]

22 minutes ago, 747man said:

Then You are Committing FRAUD......

TTBOMK Not on claiming the pension only on the cost of living rises, that you'll pay back out of your pension, so I have been told, and read about. 

[transam]

Just now, soalbundy said:

Still 84 years in the past are we? Why not use the quote from Wellington, "Give me the night or the Prussians", said as he was about to lose at Waterloo, that's even further back in time, you should like that.

It's OK, mein herr, you, a Brit, knocking the UK here after a 50 year exit is all I/we need...????

[brianthainess]

7 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

But the chance of someone being prosecuted for it is non existent. In saying that I agree with you. 

They rely on other people to dob them in.