Frozen pension policy turns British expat's dream into a nightmare

[Bangkok Barry]

In related news, as The Thaiger would say, a Dutchman I know says if his government discovered he is married he would lose 500 Euros a month from his pension. He this week divorced his Thai wife and is moving to the Philippines. I'll make no comment on that.

[AAArdvark]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Agreed. There is absolutely no justification at all for denying the increase. Quite the opposite as we are not calling on UK services. We paid into the system the same as UK residents, but then are treated as outcasts. No chance of it being changed as there are no votes in it for MPs. The Daily Telegraph has campaigned against the policy, but it falls on deaf ears. The government says it can't afford it. One of the biggest lies ever told by any government, and that's really saying something.

Does the government offer any sort reasoning?

[brewsterbudgen]

Just now, Neeranam said:

Oh dear, if you hang around prostitutes, you'll know a soapy massage  costs around £50.

How much would you pay in the UK? 

 No soapies in the UK (that I know of) but a Thai "massage" will set you back about £50 for an hour.

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, BerndD said:

As a German, I receive my pension in my Thai bank account, usually 3-4 days earlier than pensioners in Germany. In July 2024, like every other pension recipient, I will receive a pension increase of 4.57%. If I die, my Thai wife can receive a widow's pension from the German state equal to 40% of my pension. Requirement: the widow must be at least 46 years old and the marriage must have lasted, I believe, for 6 years.

 

There are no restrictions on pension receipt for Germans who live abroad permanently.

Ah, that explains so many Thais married to Germans. 

[freeworld]

13 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Bqrgirls and massage workers make more then these lousy pensions. Probably the worst pension system in the advanced west. What an embarrassment and a joke.

I would say it is pretty good. About 12000 GBP per annum plus generous freedom to make financial planning arrangements for old age throughout ones working life.

 

Citizens of many countries get nothing.

[csmith]

[brewsterbudgen]

Just now, AAArdvark said:

Does the government offer any sort reasoning?

 

It wouldn't be politically popular in the UK.  I doubt even Labour would back it.  Not a lot of sympathy for "rich" expats who've retired abroad from the general UK population.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 minute ago, AAArdvark said:

Does the government offer any sort reasoning?

 

Not to my knowledge, apart from the UK can't afford it.

[csmith]

[transam]

4 minutes ago, BerndD said:

As a German, I receive my pension in my Thai bank account, usually 3-4 days earlier than pensioners in Germany. In July 2024, like every other pension recipient, I will receive a pension increase of 4.57%. If I die, my Thai wife can receive a widow's pension from the German state equal to 40% of my pension. Requirement: the widow must be at least 46 years old and the marriage must have lasted, I believe, for 6 years.

 

There are no restrictions on pension receipt for Germans who live abroad permanently.

Totally different for us British, sadly........😥

[delgarcon]

My UK state earnings related pension is now £14,000 per annum and as I've just turned 80, I reckon I've got nothing to complain about.

[csmith]

[transam]

1 minute ago, delgarcon said:

My UK state earnings related pension is now £14,000 per annum and as I've just turned 80, I reckon I've got nothing to complain about.

You live in Scunthorpe, then.....?  😂

[Thjames]

14 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Wow ok 24yrs ago.

 

Sounds like piss poor planning from those whinging about it now !

im not sure why they whinning  the value of the uk pensions is up 15% over last 5 years   story failed to mention that basic fact  

[Thjames]

14 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Wow ok 24yrs ago.

 

Sounds like piss poor planning from those whinging about it now !

im not sure why they whinning  the value of the uk pensions is up 15% over last 5 years   story failed to mention that basic fact  

[JoePai]

28 minutes ago, itsari said:

 

Thank you but you should have let him live in his little bubble of disbelief - and then get hammered when the authorities catch him 

[csmith]

UK maximum pension for a single person who paid the full contributions over their working life is 

 

Baht 20,000 a month

 

I know … as that is me!

[csmith]

[delh]

42 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Brexit did not help the British Government  policy on Pensions , but the value of pensions dropped , just like Covid

with price rises affected the overseas pensioners   ,both badly affected expat pensioners, the British

Government has done nothing and most likely will do nothing to help expat pensioners in the future .

 

regards Worgeordie

 

Price rises have happened worldwide, regardless of Brexit or Covid.

 

Prices have increased here in Thailand also.  Im pretty sure this has nothing to do with frozen uk pensions.

 

There is absolutely no connection between British frozen pensions, Brexit and Covid.

 

If there were, surely youd have supplied links?

 

It sounds like a Brexit bash comment.

[csmith]

[Wobblybob]

33 minutes ago, itsari said:

 

Do you have a link to that cropped piece of paper, what is it?

[mikebell]

Last year I started a thread entitled something like 'UK Tax Scam'.  All of those above claiming the State pension is tax free are WRONG.  The sum (92UKP per week in my case) is added to your other income & you are taxed accordingly.  My beef was, the tax people assumed I was on a FULL pension (roughly 10K) when, (because of my age) it was half that!  (DWP insist they provided the correct figure.)  Eventually I received over 7K in overpaid TAXES.  (They could only refund me for 7 of the 15 years I had been overtaxed.)

[jesimps]

13 hours ago, MicroB said:

 

In 1946, there was the first uplift, which wasn't paid out to pensioners outside of Great Britain. The National Insurance Act 1946  contained a general  disqualification for payment of benefits absent from Great Britain, together with power for regulations to remove the disqualification. Upratings, of which there were three between July 1948 and July 1955, were not payable to persons not resident in Great Britain. The formal policy was made in 1955. Subsequent regulations providing for pension increases have continued to have the same effect. Between 1948 and 1955, the UK entered into reciprocal agreements with France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, which provided for payment of retirement pension in the countries concerned. Upratings were paid. Pensions were also payable, by a special arrangement, in  Ireland but were not uprated until 1966. Until 1973, recipricol arrangements were made with 30 countries to allow pension increases. This stopped in 1981. In July 1995, there was a parliamentary debate on the Pension Bill amendments for upratings to be paid, defeated by large majorities.

 

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1995-05-04/debates/0f8a64d2-9e26-4fc8-813d-2504e909e8ae/Pensions(Expatriates)

 

In theory, all UK pensioners could go home, and their pensions increased to the current rate.

 

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1994-07-06/debates/6df169bc-8bd2-4d30-909b-312ad520b9d4/OverseasPensioners

 

William Hague pointed out that todays NI contributions pays for today's pensioner, not your future pension. So arguments about paying into a system for future entitlement falls fat on its face. There isn't the money to pay for overseas pensioners, who mostly don't vote, who mostly don't pay taxes, to have their pension increased.

Ok then, how about paying it to people who DO pay UK taxes.

[delh]

15 minutes ago, freeworld said:

I would say it is pretty good. About 12000 GBP per annum plus generous freedom to make financial planning arrangements for old age throughout ones working life.

 

Citizens of many countries get nothing.

I'd paid in the full 35 years, now, im 4 years short of full entitlement. 

If i catch up the four years, the quotation is 193 sterling per  week, or 10036 pounds annually. 

 

I'd need to add circa 3000 sterling to make up the difference which is around 24 pounds a week.

[Wobblybob]

4 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Thank you but you should have let him live in his little bubble of disbelief - and then get hammered when the authorities catch him 

Again baseless accusations, I am only asking for a link to read and not what your mate Sid told you down your local bar!

[Older and Wiser]

Maintain a UK address or live in a similar country with a reciprical arrangement, where you get full pension, like the Philippines.

[moe666]

13 hours ago, dinsdale said:

It's an insane policy. Getting an Australian pension overseas is also insane. Apart from this once again this AI article lacks any editing demonstated in the subheading.

It would seem all foreigners no matter what nationality are "beginning to feel a financial strain due to the UK government's pension freeze policy." 

what,alot of the Brits made their plans based on 70 Bhat to the pound. I remember the brits giving Americans a bad time because our rate had dropped to below 35 hehehehe then the shoe got put on the other foot. OO all the planning and figureing how to get a bit more exchanged. O well everthing has a cycle US dollar now above 36. Yes things cost more but still cheaper than the US all I have to say

[sandyf]

14 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Does the government offer any sort reasoning?

The governments main argument is that it has been that way for over 70 years. In that same 70 years there has been numerous instances of legislation being overturned, but then it is all about public opinion and how many votes can be generated.

I hope Keir Starmer was paying attention at the time.

"The Labour Party have today formally announced that they will support the APPG in its efforts to annul the Social Security Benefit Up-rating Regulations."

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

[delgarcon]

15 minutes ago, transam said:

You live in Scunthorpe, then.....?  😂

Nope, guess again! I'll give you a clue, it's not in the UK😉

[Kinok Farang]

14 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Wow ok 24yrs ago.

 

Sounds like piss poor planning from those whinging about it now !

Don't you mean "i'm alright Jack"?