1 hour ago, superal said:

Thanks . I just checked my statement that said N.I.C.s were the main fund provision for the UK state pension but income taxes will be used soon as there were not enough people working to support the fund . I was correct , however I failed to notice that the article I quoted from was published in October 2014 . So your up to date info applies . Thanks for the correction . 

For a few years now they have been sending out a breakdown on where your tax goes.

 

 

On 7/29/2023 at 6:56 PM, 747man said:

 precisely to make people like you angry.....Do YOU Think I'm the only ANGRY One ?? If You Do Your a <deleted> Dipstick !!!

If I thought you were the only one who was angry I would have said: "precisely to make you angry".

 

Your response shows exactly why you struggle to understand what's really happening. You appear to lack both reading comprehension skills and basic reasoning. Did you really think that I was suggesting that the government are attempting to pull the wool over your eyes, and youe eyes alone?

 

That would, of course, be a ridiculous claim to make. There are millions of people just like you who are also susceptable to government lies. I, personally, wouldn't be proud of being a member of that particular group.

4 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

I believe it was that little rat George Osborne who initiated  the change of the state pension from an entitlement to a benefit.

Social security benefits and the state pension both come under the social security act  so politicians have always referred to the state pension as another benefit.

There has never been any monetary entitlement as unlike a private pension there has never been any investment to be part of.

However there is an entitlement to be treated equally, in that what ever is available be paid out is done on an equal contributary basis. Anything else amounts to discrimination.

On 7/30/2023 at 9:09 AM, sandyf said:

The fund is no longer used, It reached the level that it cannot fall below a long time ago. For many years approx 12% of income tax has been used to meet the state pension liability as there has been insufficient NI contributions.

From day one the UK state pension has been a pay as you go arrangement, the workers of day pay the pensioners of the day.

You can only hope that when your turn comes there is enough workers.

My day came in May 2009 and it has stayed at that rate for the last 14 years.

21 hours ago, billd766 said:

My day came in May 2009 and it has stayed at that rate for the last 14 years.

That is terrible and in my eyes is a legalized crime . How the UK gov; keep winning the frozen pension rules appeal, is beyond me . The ancient UK state pension rules need updating/reform to meet today's needs . The rules were written in 1908 , so way out of context . Indeed non domicile persons should be given a bonus as they no longer burden the N.H.S. etc .

58 minutes ago, superal said:

That is terrible and in my eyes is a legalized crime . How the UK gov; keep winning the frozen pension rules appeal, is beyond me . The ancient UK state pension rules need updating/reform to meet today's needs . The rules were written in 1908 , so way out of context . Indeed non domicile persons should be given a bonus as they no longer burden the N.H.S. etc .

I am lucky in that I have a couple of other pensions, but there are UK pensioners worldwide who are much worse off than me.

On 7/27/2023 at 11:05 AM, Kwasaki said:

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.

Opinions are like A****. everyone has one. In all the years I lived in Thailand since 2002 to 2019 this consisted of several breaks back to the uk to live. I lived the dream of island life as a diving instructor, Bangkok and village life and I noticed people go through different stages of loving Thailand and as the rose coloured glasses slip to hating thailand, then they leave. The ones who invested far to much become trapped they become very twisted attacking anyone who dares to shine a light on their rose coloured life. We still have a house in Thailand,  obviously family and friends but our life in the uk is far, far better on many levels. Our children have far more opportunities, my wife has good friends, job she loves and holidays in the uk she enjoys and me I have my garden, social and friends. Yes best move ever. Thailand is for the obligation holiday to see our house and family/friends. Note, I'm no ponce and never been called one to my face only by KBW.

57 minutes ago, BritScot said:

Opinions are like A****. everyone has one. In all the years I lived in Thailand since 2002 to 2019 this consisted of several breaks back to the uk to live. I lived the dream of island life as a diving instructor, Bangkok and village life and I noticed people go through different stages of loving Thailand and as the rose coloured glasses slip to hating thailand, then they leave. The ones who invested far to much become trapped they become very twisted attacking anyone who dares to shine a light on their rose coloured life. We still have a house in Thailand,  obviously family and friends but our life in the uk is far, far better on many levels. Our children have far more opportunities, my wife has good friends, job she loves and holidays in the uk she enjoys and me I have my garden, social and friends. Yes best move ever. Thailand is for the obligation holiday to see our house and family/friends. Note, I'm no ponce and never been called one to my face only by KBW.

I am sure we are all very happy that you are very happy back in ol' Blighty, but may I suggest, that me reading all that lot, you may be in the minority, rose-tinted glasses and all.

????

2 hours ago, BritScot said:

Opinions are like A****. everyone has one. In all the years I lived in Thailand since 2002 to 2019 this consisted of several breaks back to the uk to live. I lived the dream of island life as a diving instructor, Bangkok and village life and I noticed people go through different stages of loving Thailand and as the rose coloured glasses slip to hating thailand, then they leave. The ones who invested far to much become trapped they become very twisted attacking anyone who dares to shine a light on their rose coloured life. We still have a house in Thailand,  obviously family and friends but our life in the uk is far, far better on many levels. Our children have far more opportunities, my wife has good friends, job she loves and holidays in the uk she enjoys and me I have my garden, social and friends. Yes best move ever. Thailand is for the obligation holiday to see our house and family/friends. Note, I'm no ponce and never been called one to my face only by KBW.

Pleased for you my circumstances have been very different.

Lived here since 2005 and have no regrets, my Thai is the best wife ever.

 

I’m American, but this kind of thing infuriates me. A pension is a gentleman’s agreement between the government and British subjects and should be honoured.

7 minutes ago, Felton Jarvis said:

I’m American, but this kind of thing infuriates me. A pension is a gentleman’s agreement between the government and British subjects and should be honoured.

UK pensioners should have done their homework before coming here and understand the rules.

There is no break in any so called "agreement" gentleman's or otherwise!

I did my homework before retiring here and am not complaining!

46 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

I did my homework before retiring here and am not complaining!

Same for me. 

17 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

UK pensioners should have done their homework before coming here and understand the rules.

There is no break in any so called "agreement" gentleman's or otherwise!

I did my homework before retiring here and am not complaining!

We did our homework and understand the rules, but that does not make it fair.

Why should someone living in say Minnesota USA get an uplift but someone living 10 miles across the border in Canada not get it?

4 minutes ago, Henryford said:

We did our homework and understand the rules, but that does not make it fair.

Why should someone living in say Minnesota USA get an uplift but someone living 10 miles across the border in Canada not get it?

They don't give a FF about being fair to us but they're quite happy to take my 10K a year income tax !!!!

27 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

They don't give a FF about being fair to us but they're quite happy to take my 10K a year income tax !!!!

Is that just another way of Bragging.

Off topic posts have been removed, here is the topic title in case you forgot.

 

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

22 hours ago, Felton Jarvis said:

I’m American, but this kind of thing infuriates me. A pension is a gentleman’s agreement between the government and British subjects and should be honoured.

The British gov doesn't care and if it had it's way it would not pay pensions abroad in the future.

At least as far as America is concerned the uk pension is not frozen if you choose to live USA.

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

We did our homework and understand the rules, but that does not make it fair.

Why should someone living in say Minnesota USA get an uplift but someone living 10 miles across the border in Canada not get it?

Couldn't you get a USA address with a friend in US or is it too difficult and expensive to arrange.

On 7/28/2023 at 11:49 AM, 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.

What a crock of do-do. Most of the ILLEGAL immigrants are coming from Algeria, a country that is not at war with anyone, they are economic migrants. Look at the boats....ALL MALE, young, fit, able. NO Women, Children. With respect you need to open your eyes. It is costing 7 million a day to house these leeches, while our own ex army men go homeless. Try looking at what is happening in Ireland, you will be surprised. 

32 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

It is costing 7 million a day to house these leeches

 

Taken from https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/the-uks-asylum-backlog/

 

The dark blue bar indicates new arrivals in any given quarter. The light blue indicates the total amount outstanding.

 

While there has been a small spike in new arrivals recently, mostly due to the issues in Hong Kong and Ukraine, it's clear to see that the reason we are spending so much money housing refugees is because the claims are not being processed!

 

If you don't like the idea of paying 7 million per day to house pending applicants, vote in a government that will process the claims, deport the failed applicants, and put the successful applicants to work in one of the many industries that are currently desperately understaffed.

35 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

Most of the ILLEGAL immigrants are coming from Algeria

Algeria doesn't even feature in the top 5, by the way...

 

Quote

In the year ending September 2021, the top five countries of nationality for asylum applications (from main applicants) were:  Albania  (13,650), Iran (9,652), Afghanistan (6,644) Iraq (6,333) and Syria (4,143).

(https://www.unhcr.org/uk/asylum-uk)

They give billions to NATO and the current war but hassle pensions of people who have strived honestly their whole lives ?

 

That's how I see it from here and do hope not to offence anybody...sorry if it does.

9 hours ago, JayClay said:

Algeria doesn't even feature in the top 5, by the way...

 

(https://www.unhcr.org/uk/asylum-uk)

My bad, I meant Albania, sorry,

9 hours ago, JayClay said:

 

Taken from https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/the-uks-asylum-backlog/

 

The dark blue bar indicates new arrivals in any given quarter. The light blue indicates the total amount outstanding.

 

While there has been a small spike in new arrivals recently, mostly due to the issues in Hong Kong and Ukraine, it's clear to see that the reason we are spending so much money housing refugees is because the claims are not being processed!

 

If you don't like the idea of paying 7 million per day to house pending applicants, vote in a government that will process the claims, deport the failed applicants, and put the successful applicants to work in one of the many industries that are currently desperately understaffed.

I agree in part, however, It appears to me that the government want these masses in to keep wages and costs down in order to increase profits. I know the whole subject is a powder keg, and we can all bat figures from one side to the other. The fact remains that they are housing these people in 4 star hotels, while we have British nationals living on the streets. Also, why does a migrant get 45 pounds a week to spend on incidentals, when my late father was given 20, the rest of his pension stolen by the government to pay for health care that he had paid into for all his life. one reason I do not live there anymore, as it makes me sick, and sad to see the Country go down the toilet like it is.

10 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

I agree in part, however, It appears to me that the government want these masses in to keep wages and costs down in order to increase profits

Oh. That makes it okay then...

The biggest scam on mandatory contributions for N.I.S was the Mandatory 'Employers contributions'.???...Every employer

after the first year would use this 'contribution' when working out what wages to pay for a worker.. Plus ,when the unions come seeking higher wages, the contribution would be shown as running costs ,thus lessening any substantial wage increase.

 

On 8/6/2023 at 4:17 AM, JayClay said:

Oh. That makes it okay then...

It is a forum, a forum is for discussion. Remember that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

On 8/3/2023 at 9:22 AM, BritScot said:

Opinions are like A****. everyone has one. In all the years I lived in Thailand since 2002 to 2019 this consisted of several breaks back to the uk to live. I lived the dream of island life as a diving instructor, Bangkok and village life and I noticed people go through different stages of loving Thailand and as the rose coloured glasses slip to hating thailand, then they leave. The ones who invested far to much become trapped they become very twisted attacking anyone who dares to shine a light on their rose coloured life. We still have a house in Thailand,  obviously family and friends but our life in the uk is far, far better on many levels. Our children have far more opportunities, my wife has good friends, job she loves and holidays in the uk she enjoys and me I have my garden, social and friends. Yes best move ever. Thailand is for the obligation holiday to see our house and family/friends. Note, I'm no ponce and never been called one to my face only by KBW.

you obviously do not live in North London.

On 7/28/2023 at 6:30 PM, Neeranam said:

As long as it is unfrozen by 2035!

 

I am happy I get a pension at all, as I only worked for 5 years in the UK. I was lucky to be able to pay Class 2 contributions for 10 years at once, for a total of 66,000 baht, and continue paying 6,000 baht a year. 

Please let me know how you can get a pension with only 5 years NI contributions.  All the info I have found on the www states the you must have at least 10 years!  I only have 7 years....

On 8/5/2023 at 8:05 AM, observer90210 said:

They give billions to NATO and the current war but hassle pensions of people who have strived honestly their whole lives ?

 

That's how I see it from here and do hope not to offence anybody...sorry if it does.

The blame for that can be traced back to Clem Attlee and the Labour government back in 1948 when the state pension was brought in. 

 

Very few people were expats back in 1950 and life expectancy was about 67 or 68 years. Now it is 81  with less people paying in and more people claiming.

 

https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/GBR/united-kingdom/life-expectancy