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

[pixelaoffy]

Recieved an email from UK parliament petitions informing me as I had signed the petition asking for uprating of UK pensions for all expats, the gov had responded . Of course we knew the answer would be ' no consideration and there is only increases with countries that have reciprocal arrangements'. The quote from gov statement  I like the most is this 

"The Government's response says that successive Governments have maintained the view that it would be unfair to place additional burdens on UK taxpayers to fund increased pensions for people who decide to live abroad".    Additional burdens ? Such as the millions it spends everyday to house and feed and pay those who come to UK illegally...everyday and the £66 billion, yes its correct , of paying out of work benefits to those of working age. Expats in Thailand,or anywhere else for that matter, have to more to worry getting any state pension in the future as the uk finances go off the cliff and bankrupt because the madness of the culture  ' I  want and can take anything from UK government whether I am British or not...because it will always be there ".  Big Shock coming sooner or later 

[kimamey]

On 2/20/2024 at 9:19 AM, sandyf said:

That is not the case. Nett migration is the difference between people coming to the country and people leaving.The reduction in people leaving, less than 100K last year, makes it appear that immigration is on the increase. This has prompted recent anti immigration policy.

I  have seen more media coverage of the frozen pension in the last year than in the last 25 years and may be a contributing factor in the emigration reduction.

Removing the frozen pension could well promote emigration and reduce the immigration figure but the government is too narrow minded to see the bigger picture.

 

Yes I was aware of that. I was assuming, maybe incorrectly that with easier travel and the ability to find possible foreign partners online, as I did, that people were more likely to want to move abroad and so it has become more of an issue than previously, hence the increase in interest recently. 

It may well be that more might leave if the pension was increased. It's certainly affecting me a lot more now since the increase in inflation.

[kimamey]

1 hour ago, pixelaoffy said:

Recieved an email from UK parliament petitions informing me as I had signed the petition asking for uprating of UK pensions for all expats, the gov had responded . Of course we knew the answer would be ' no consideration and there is only increases with countries that have reciprocal arrangements'. The quote from gov statement  I like the most is this 

"The Government's response says that successive Governments have maintained the view that it would be unfair to place additional burdens on UK taxpayers to fund increased pensions for people who decide to live abroad".    Additional burdens ? Such as the millions it spends everyday to house and feed and pay those who come to UK illegally...everyday and the £66 billion, yes its correct , of paying out of work benefits to those of working age. Expats in Thailand,or anywhere else for that matter, have to more to worry getting any state pension in the future as the uk finances go off the cliff and bankrupt because the madness of the culture  ' I  want and can take anything from UK government whether I am British or not...because it will always be there ".  Big Shock coming sooner or later 

I had one of those as well. I wrote to my MP about it. The only credible excuse is the amount it would cost and the fact that it would be paid by taxpayers. That would be me then as I pay tax on my UK state and private pensions, plus the tax on the rent from my flat and the various other taxes like VAT. It would also effect all taxpayers as well.  At the time the Tory government had found enough financial leeway to abolish the lifetime and annual allowances on pensions that benefit wealthier people. 

 

Sometimes people move abroad to be nearer their children, especially if their partner has died and they are on their own and may need state provided care.

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, kimamey said:

I had one of those as well.

 

Me too, but having been out of the UK for 20 years I no longer have an MP as my Overseas Voter registration ended two years ago (after 15 years, but somehow the ERO didn't realise I'd left until 2007, rather than 2004 when I told the council I was offski). Now, of course, the system has just been changed and we can register to vote in general elections and referendums for life, and get an MP with ears to bend once again.

 

Which makes me wonder, if any reason were needed, whether the UK government has a clue what it's actually doing? On the one hand, it's desperately trying to win the votes of pensioners by refusing to abandon the unaffordable triple lock, yet at the same time with this careless and offhand message it's deliberately alienating hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions, I'm not sure, of potential expat voters, if they can be bothered to sign up as Overseas Voters. Perhaps this is what counts as "joined-up" policy-making in the UK nowadays, lol.

[kimamey]

On 2/29/2024 at 1:32 PM, Guderian said:

 

Me too, but having been out of the UK for 20 years I no longer have an MP as my Overseas Voter registration ended two years ago (after 15 years, but somehow the ERO didn't realise I'd left until 2007, rather than 2004 when I told the council I was offski). Now, of course, the system has just been changed and we can register to vote in general elections and referendums for life, and get an MP with ears to bend once again.

 

Which makes me wonder, if any reason were needed, whether the UK government has a clue what it's actually doing? On the one hand, it's desperately trying to win the votes of pensioners by refusing to abandon the unaffordable triple lock, yet at the same time with this careless and offhand message it's deliberately alienating hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions, I'm not sure, of potential expat voters, if they can be bothered to sign up as Overseas Voters. Perhaps this is what counts as "joined-up" policy-making in the UK nowadays, lol.

 

I think the number whose state pension are frozen is about 500,000 so probably not enough to make a difference. There is cross party support to end this but it does cost money. I'm hopeful that a new government might see how this is unfair but I also realise that finances aren't good at the moment in the UK.

[Guderian]

42 minutes ago, kimamey said:

I think the number whose state pension are frozen is about 500,000 so probably not enough to make a difference.

 

The question in terms of voters isn't so much absolute numbers, but where they're registered to vote, and I'm not aware of any data in that respect. If most people were last registered in safe Tory or Labour seats, then the two main parties would be right in thinking that a few thousand expat votes isn't terribly important. In the marginal and swing seats, however, it's a completely different game, and both parties will fight like cats in a sack for any vote they can get. I've just registered to vote again in West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Labour doesn't get much of a look-in there but, over the last quarter-century, it's been held by Lib Dem, SNP and Tory MP's. I suspect they might all be keen on securing my support at the next general election. I'm not familiar now, though, with the official policies of Labour and the Lib Dems on the frozen pensions issue, while the Tories have made their position clear enough, and I shall enjoy rubbing the current MP's nose in the matter as, north of the border this time, they're mainly fighting a resurgent Labour Party rather than the SNP.

[Tiber]

"In respect of pensions, fraud undermines the value of income for people at a time of life when sources of income become more limited, and the chances of financial recovery are reduced."

 

Nothing will ever be done to change policy, but the above statement commissioned by DWP,does indicate a blind leading the blind approach. Just get back into your pen.

 

Most  of the plus 500 thousand ex pats in frozen countries will be supported by their own welfare system, so no hurry up from them, fact is they will probably better off

[superal]

23 hours ago, kimamey said:

 

I think the number whose state pension are frozen is about 500,000 so probably not enough to make a difference. There is cross party support to end this but it does cost money. I'm hopeful that a new government might see how this is unfair but I also realise that finances aren't good at the moment in the UK.

https://frozenbritishpensions.org/jeremy-corbyn-gives-labours-backing-pension-unfreezing/ 

 

Will Labour honour the pledge of the link above , if they are elected ?

[JayClay]

20 minutes ago, superal said:

https://frozenbritishpensions.org/jeremy-corbyn-gives-labours-backing-pension-unfreezing/ 

 

Will Labour honour the pledge of the link above , if they are elected ?

 

Why would they honour a pledge from an outdated manifesto?

 

The only pledges they need to honour are the ones that go in the manifesto for the upcoming election.

 

Once the election is announced (today?), Labour will publish their new manifesto and you'll presumably have your answer then.

 

My guess is no, certainly not in the next parliament. Maybe in the one after that, though.

[superal]

16 minutes ago, JayClay said:

 

Why would they honour a pledge from an outdated manifesto?

 

The only pledges they need to honour are the ones that go in the manifesto for the upcoming election.

 

Once the election is announced (today?), Labour will publish their new manifesto and you'll presumably have your answer then.

 

My guess is no, certainly not in the next parliament. Maybe in the one after that, though.

K. Starmer has said that if Labour are elected they will retain the triple lock on UK State pensions and freeze the age of pension qualification at 66 years old . 

I for one would like to hear his reply , ( say on BBC Question Time ) ,  if asked if Labour would unfreeze pensions for those living abroad . At best I reckon it would be a political type reply without committal . The grey votes exceed 500,000 . so it is not to be sneered at .

[JayClay]

26 minutes ago, superal said:

K. Starmer has said that if Labour are elected they will retain the triple lock on UK State pensions and freeze the age of pension qualification at 66 years old . 

I for one would like to hear his reply , ( say on BBC Question Time ) ,  if asked if Labour would unfreeze pensions for those living abroad . At best I reckon it would be a political type reply without committal . The grey votes exceed 500,000 . so it is not to be sneered at .

 

The grey votes exceed 500,000 but, as you can probably tell from the comments in political threads here, a vast majority of them fall time and time again for Tory lies and are consistently tricked into voting against their own interests. I guarantee you even if Starmer did unlock the state pension there'd be hundreds of posts saying that either Starmer was being wrekless, or that the Tories would have done it anyway. If I was the leader of Labour, I wouldn't be focusing too much of my energy on these voters.

 

If Starmer was asked about the issue in any kind of public forum, I can almost guarantee you that the answer would be along the lines of "it's not a priority right now".

 

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, superal said:

https://frozenbritishpensions.org/jeremy-corbyn-gives-labours-backing-pension-unfreezing/ 

 

Will Labour honour the pledge of the link above , if they are elected ?

I can't see Starmer every adopting this policy since its has Jeremy Corbyn name  all over it

[superal]

12 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

I can't see Starmer every adopting this policy since its has Jeremy Corbyn name  all over it

But Corbyn will not go away . He is now an independent and will probably get re-elected at the general election and sit in the House of Commons where he will have his say and probably annoy Starmer . Revenge is sweet .

[RayC]

2 hours ago, superal said:

But Corbyn will not go away . He is now an independent and will probably get re-elected at the general election and sit in the House of Commons where he will have his say and probably annoy Starmer . Revenge is sweet .

 

If Corbyn gets re-elected I doubt that he will be very vocal in Parliament - or anywhere else for that matter - about the unfreezing of ex-pat pensions.

[Tiber]

2 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

If Corbyn gets re-elected I doubt that he will be very vocal in Parliament - or anywhere else for that matter - about the unfreezing of ex-pat pensions.

Its a dead and buried issue, gives comfort to never-ending discussing of the subject, but deader than dead

 

  Should think outcry from UK end at giving ex-pats a financial boost, that they paid themselves for their own pensions

[superal]

52 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

If Corbyn gets re-elected I doubt that he will be very vocal in Parliament - or anywhere else for that matter - about the unfreezing of ex-pat pensions.

I think he will be re- elected for Islington North as an Independent and will give Starmer some grief in revenge for losing the whip . 

[RayC]

1 hour ago, superal said:

I think he will be re- elected for Islington North as an Independent and will give Starmer some grief in revenge for losing the whip . 

 

It's possible that Corbyn will be re-elected. If so, I don't doubt that he will try to embarrass Starmer. However, imo the unfreezing of ex-pat pensions will be way down the list of issues about which he tries to attack Starmer.

[RayC]

2 hours ago, Tiber said:

Its a dead and buried issue, gives comfort to never-ending discussing of the subject, but deader than dead

 

  Should think outcry from UK end at giving ex-pats a financial boost, that they paid themselves for their own pensions

 

I'm not sure that there would be an outcry in the UK if ex-pat pensions were unfrozen, but equally there is no groundswell of public support for doing so and imo that is one reason why it is effectively a non-issue electionally. Secondly, for all the talk of there being 450,000 disgruntled ex-pat votes up for grabs for the party which promises to unfreeze pensions, this number is relatively insignificant as it equates to +/-700 votes per constituency. I realise that the potential ex-pat voters may not be spread completely equally across the UK but, unless they are concentrated in the most marginal seats, it's of little import.

[Tiber]

Its up to the frozen pensioner to either remain there suffering losses  ,go to unfrozen country, or  remain there in TH with UK address 

[kimamey]

On 3/13/2024 at 11:12 AM, superal said:

https://frozenbritishpensions.org/jeremy-corbyn-gives-labours-backing-pension-unfreezing/ 

 

Will Labour honour the pledge of the link above , if they are elected ?

 

Well it's an old manifesto, but I'd like to think they might continue with that policy, however I can't see the national finances being good enough for a while.

[Rimmer]

A troll post and reply have been removed

[Wobblybob]

This youtube video is stacked with some very good information on how to unfreeze your pension and has some very useful telephone numbers. Not sure if I can post a youtube video so hopefully a link will be ok. Would appreciate some feedback whether this guys ideas are indeed feasible, worth watching if nothing else. 

 

https://youtu.be/LfJcTLIMsUA?si=VWHcaLsgMSLmpK1E

 

[superal]

2 hours ago, transam said:

After many years, and many usernames, YOU have still not come up with anything with a DWP's heading stating anything you spout.

After many attempts, you have ignored my question, bit like you cannot come up with anything valid except a load of made up tosh.

 

Now tell us all, why you need to take the risk of defrauding the UK Gov......😉

A bit like you when I asked for a link , ref " The 2 NZ guys case " . You said , find it yourself . So you ignored my question .

[transam]

4 minutes ago, superal said:

A bit like you when I asked for a link , ref " The 2 NZ guys case " . You said , find it yourself . So you ignored my question .

Yours was an easy search, sunbeam, this bloke cannot find anything, nor can I regarding his cr@p...............😂

[scottiejohn]

On 3/22/2024 at 7:23 PM, Tiber said:

DWP (Department for Work & Pensions) oversees UK state pensions state claiming an unfrozen pension in a frozen country is not fraudulent and no action will be undertaken .

I ask again for a specific link that quotes this specific statement!

[CharlieH]

An entire section of posts trolling and the responses has been removed along with the antagonist.

 

 

[Dave0206]

I am nearly 65 still working in Switzerland been there 16 years so not enough for full swiss pension I was able to pay reduced ni contributions to get full British pension ( next year) 

The increases in the last few years have been enormous. 

Apart from freezing of pensions it seems to me an unfair 2 tier system with state and new state pension it's about 30% different so obviously even people in uk are being treated very differently depending on what age group you fall into.

Of course there are social security top ups available but many older people are unaware or too proud to claim. 

Without sounding racist it is normally the undeserving that know how to claim for everything  

I had a polish guy rent a room from me years ago worked 3 months in uk got family allowance for children who had never set foot in the UK and this is all legal 

[superal]

23 hours ago, Dave0206 said:

I am nearly 65 still working in Switzerland been there 16 years so not enough for full swiss pension I was able to pay reduced ni contributions to get full British pension ( next year) 

The increases in the last few years have been enormous. 

Apart from freezing of pensions it seems to me an unfair 2 tier system with state and new state pension it's about 30% different so obviously even people in uk are being treated very differently depending on what age group you fall into.

Of course there are social security top ups available but many older people are unaware or too proud to claim. 

Without sounding racist it is normally the undeserving that know how to claim for everything  

I had a polish guy rent a room from me years ago worked 3 months in uk got family allowance for children who had never set foot in the UK and this is all legal 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

It's all swings and round-a-bouts as to prices and costs.

 

 

[metisdead]

Posts with trolling memes have been removed.