British Pensioner Struggles with Frozen Pension in Thailand

[vukovar77]

What about UK military personel pensions?They are not affected if live in a Thailand?

[Rimmer]

A rather nasty post has been removed 

@DjSilver

[Liverpool Lou]

33 minutes ago, Blueman1 said:

37 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's not a standard pension, many receive higher amounts.

Yes Maybe they DO Lou, & There are Many that get even LESS as I Do.....

Your point is...?

[transam]

Just now, vukovar77 said:

What about UK military personel pensions?They are not affected if live in a Thailand?

No, the UK state pension is listed as a benefit......🥴

[Sheryl]

23 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

At 87 and a UK citizen, she'd be better off going back to the UK and entering into the welfare system. There's no hope hear unless she starts begging and this just not right either 

 

OP clearly states she has decided to go back to UK, but is unable to fly due to her current physical condition. Awaiting medical clearance to fly.

 

Problem is that she (and her family) left it way too long. People do this, they keep trying to hang on here with insufficient funds and no way of meeting health care needs, apparently just hoping nothing will happen. Inevitably something does happen, and the need to go back becomes urgent but at that point they may be unable to travel due to illness.

 

Seen it a lot oer the years.

[hotchilli]

9 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

Living abroad isn't the problem - it is being in a particular country that doesn't have a reciprocal arrangement.

So why not have a level playing field.. treat every country as the same.

[dinsdale]

49 minutes ago, itsari said:

800 baht a month many Thai pensioners live on.

Yes and that's criminal when you consider the billions of baht put into people's pockets collected through corruption. Same the world over. The system is absolutely fkd. 

[Cabradelmar]

Her son will just need to support her until she dies. Sorry to say. They waited way to long and now have no good choices. Why they waited so long allowing it to come to this is anyone's guess 

Edited June 1 by Cabradelmar

[Sheryl]

39 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

As she has been out of the country she would not be entitled to free health care for a period of time and I doubt that she even has a GP in the UK which makes the situation even worse Being under the impression that she could land at Heathrow and be admitted straight to a hospital is pie in the sky if she entered the UK via Dover in a rubber dinghy she would have a lot more chance of being taken care of and that’s very sad !

She will have immediate access to emergency care as well as care at urgent care centers (even tourists have that). And, if in A&E it is determined that there is an urgent need for hospitalization, that will be provided.

 

She will have to register with a GP for regular care. And yes, that will likley take a few  weeks to accomplish.

 

There is no fixed waiting time to get under the NHS after living abroad , but the regulations state she must have an intention to permanently return.  I can't see anyone doubting such a claim coming from an 84 year old.

[Confuscious]

2 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Governments are crooks, people work 30-40 years to then get screwed over being paid out, if living abroad. This while if you not pay tax and save up money yourself, and then add the same compound interest, it takes like half the time or half the money with the same time. Same with suddenly increasing ages from like originally 65 it's now at 71 for people my age. 1/4 guys not even make it to that age.

That move, happening all over the world, is the main reason that young people have chossen to do all kind of "jobs" which can earn them money without the involvement of the governments.
Digital Nomads.

Retirement is now already around 70 years old for most countries.
Most people don't make to that age.
The people who make it to that age, are mostly too old to enjoy their pension.
So, for what should people work their ass off to contribute to the NS?
Bettere cash all the money you can and soend it while you are alive.

It's a complete different mindset as we have been using for years.
In a few decades, only a few people will be working in 9-5 jobs.
Most people will be working for their own on the internet or in jobs abroad.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

14 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

Living abroad isn't the problem - it is being in a particular country that doesn't have a reciprocal arrangement.

So why not have a level playing field.. treat every country as the same.

Treat them all the same?  Yes, they should freeze all pensions that are currently receiving increases to level the playing field with those not receiving increases.   Now that's an idea, that'll sort out the whingers!

[Cabradelmar]

9 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

OP clearly states she has decided to go back to UK, but is unable to fly due to her current physical condition. Awaiting medical clearance to fly.

 

Problem is that she (and her family) left it way too long. People do this, they keep trying to hang on here with insufficient funds and no way of meeting health care needs, apparently just hoping nothing will happen. Inevitably something does happen, and the need to go back becomes urgent but at that point they may be unable to travel due to illness.

 

Seen it a lot oer the years.

Yeah, in a way they have only themselves to blame. Sad.

[ChrisKC]

9 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

So why not have a level playing field.. treat every country as the same.

You made a statement as fact when it wasn't, so I corrected it - nothing to do whether it is fair or not

[Liverpool Lou]

5 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

Her son should just put her in a wheelchair and take her thought the airport himself. Why need a fit to fly cert.? 

Such a well thought out suggestion...ask the airline that would be responsible for her.  Incapacitated passengers are not allowed to fly without someone with them to act as their carer.

[bluemoonpattaya]

The reason some people move abroad is because they want a better standard of living, which they can't afford living in the UK. when these rules were made a lot of people could not go on holiday, let alone retirement abroad. In fact people who are not a burden on the NHS and other services should receive more. But all we want is equal pension and not to be discriminated against, because all we want is an affordable retirement that we can afford. 

[scottdavio]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

 

An 87-year-old British woman is grappling with her move to Thailand as she struggles to survive on a UK state pension frozen at just £300 per month, equivalent to approximately 14,000 baht.

 

Christine Gloria Fox relocated to Thailand’s east coast near Pattaya 24 years ago to be closer to her family. Instead of enjoying her retirement, nearly all her pension is consumed by healthcare costs. Due to a UK policy, Fox’s pension has remained static since her move, as the UK does not uprate pensions in certain countries.

 

Fox now longs to return to the UK. However, deteriorating health has rendered her unfit to fly, imposing significant financial strain on her and her son, Jon Fox, aged 63. Jon, who has resided in Thailand for 35 years, constructed a modest studio apartment for his mother behind his car rental business.

 

“She’s taken too many tumbles. She can’t walk properly, falls over frequently, and has worsening vision. We’re trying to gather £5,000 to £6,000 for her eye operation,” Jon explained. 

 

Despite Christine’s intense desire to return to the UK, local doctors have yet to grant her a fit-to-fly certificate, anchoring her in Thailand. Jon and his daughter contribute significantly, doubling Christine’s income to cover essential living and healthcare expenses. 

 

 

 

“That’s just for necessities, not luxuries like handbags,” Jon added. The financial burden has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has further strained their finances. 

 

This situation affects around 500,000 British citizens living outside Europe, who do not receive annual state pension increases. According to iNews UK, retirees in countries like Australia and Canada face similar challenges due to this UK policy. 

 

Christine remains deeply regretful about her decision to move and has voiced her dissatisfaction. She believes she would have been better off staying in the UK.

 

The Department for Work and Pensions maintains that information about the financial implications of moving abroad is available on its website.

 

Picture courtesy: Head Topics UK

 

-- 2024-06-01

 

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If you have paid your required NI contributions, you should be entitled to to the annual rises, wherever you reside, if not then all overseas retirees should be treated the same, why in the states and not in Canada , it’s wrong

[BobBKK]

We all know how unfair the system is, but Thailand does not have a treaty with the UK like the Philippines. If she returns to the UK, her pension will be updated to the current level, which begs the question: If she left again in six months, would she keep the new rate here?

[BritScot]

3 hours ago, Hornell said:

Many attempts have been made to get a UK Government to pay all UK expatriates the State pension that is rightfully theirs: all have fallen on stoney ground for reasons that are pretty incomprehensible to those of us on the receiving end. We have paid our NI contributions all our working lives (one assumes!) and we make no demands on the NHS. Private and Government Department (eg armed forces) pensions receive the annual increase; only the 'Old Age ' pension does not. It's not right, whatever the reasons to do with inter-country tax arrangements that are glibly trotted out. I feel very sorry for Mrs Fox and there will be many others in many countries around the world in a similar situation. It is no comfort to be told that we knew of (or should have known) about the regulation before we moved; it still doesn't make it right.

The reason is very simple: Tony Blair and Gordon Brown stole the British State Pension Fund as well as selling off most of the country's Gold. They also closed all the military hospitals (they would have been very handy during times of pandemics) with promises that veterans would be top priority but with a sneaky clause "upto doctors discretion". State Pensions are now generated by those working. So all our contributions are gone and all those still Working, their contributions are stolen to pay the current pensioners.

[BobBKK]

2 minutes ago, scottdavio said:

If you have paid your required NI contributions, you should be entitled to to the annual rises, wherever you reside, if not then all overseas retirees should be treated the same, why in the states and not in Canada , it’s wrong

 Philippines you get all your annual rises - Thailand has simply not got an agreement with Thailand. It is OUTRAGEOUS. 

[bluemoonpattaya]

1 minute ago, BobBKK said:

We all know how unfair the system is, but Thailand does not have a treaty with the UK like the Philippines. If she returns to the UK, her pension will be updated to the current level, which begs the question: If she left again in six months, would she keep the new rate here?

No

[Kinok Farang]

56 minutes ago, Blueman1 said:

The People who arrive in The U.K In Rubber Boats, Is That any more specific ??

Women and children first?

[bob smith]

...the state of them two 😄 

 

bob.

[ignis]

1 hour ago, prakhonchai nick said:

 

An 87-year-old British woman is grappling with her move to Thailand as she struggles to survive on a UK state pension frozen at just £300 per month, equivalent to approximately 14,000 baht.

 

In reality it is likely £300 every 28 days.

 

Up here in Isaan, most labourers earn less than 14,000bt/month, but manage to support a wife and family on that!

 

Healthcare problems affect us all.............that is why it is essential that every foreigner contemplating a full time move to Thailand has adequate health insurance

 

 

 

adequate health insurance  ??

 

what is that ? 

Pre existing Health Condition + age = if you can can any then costs are out of a Aged  UK Pensioners Frozen State pension range

[sidneybear]

1 hour ago, Homburg said:

Much of the pension money paid by UK government to pensioners resident in the UK is recovered through taxes paid by the pensioners in the UK.  These taxes are recovered through a variety of means - Council Tax, VAT, fuel taxes, IPT, taxes on the businesses that pensioners buy from (including supermarkets), etc.  These taxes cannot be recovered for non-resident pensioners who therefore cost the government more than resident pensioners, so the government "freezes" these pensions in order to compensate.

Well yes, but that's only half of the story because overseas pensioners are barred from free NHS healthcare (something very costly that resident pensioners use a lot) and a lot of other resident only benefits too. Resident pensioners pay very little tax on their state pension, because they don't receive much in the first place. 

Edited June 1 by sidneybear

[transam]

2 minutes ago, bob smith said:

...the state of them two 😄 

 

bob.

What do you mean....?

[csmith]

[Kinok Farang]

Slightly off the subject here but can anyone tell me why people born after 1955 get more (£40ish) than the older codgers?

[Sheryl]

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Such a well thought out suggestion...ask the airline that would be responsible for her.  Incapacitated passengers are not allowed to fly without someone with them to act as their carer.

We do not know the details of her medical condition. But apparently a doctor is unwilling to give a "fit to fly" certificate at this time.

 

Being wheelchair bound by itself does not preclude flying alone (paraplegics do it, for example) but it sounds like she has multiple medical issues.

 

Airline is not going to board a weak, ill-looking, very elderly passenger without  a "Fit to Fly" certificate.

[Kinok Farang]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

What do you mean....?

He was trying to get a cheap laugh at the mum and sons expense.

[Photoguy21]

Despite what the UK Government says they are very discriminatory despite discrimination being against the law.