4 hours ago, simon43 said:

^^^

Frozen state pension, winter fuel allowance cut, triple lock under threat, means-testing pension, where will it end?

 

I'm getting a little concerned about my UK state pension, which I'll start to receive in about 5 months from now.

 

For various reasons (which don't include p*ssing my income up the wall), I will need to rely on my UK state pension as my main income source after I retire.  I still have a decent income from inline teaching, but I don't expect to be teaching in this manner into my 70s etc, and I would be foolish to assume that I would be teaching.

 

We all know that the UK state pension is 'frozen' for those pensioners living in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia etc, and this will never change, regardless of how many people moan about it.

 

The winter fuel allowance is being cut, but this doesn't affect overseas pensioners.

 

Now I hear about 'threats' to the triple lock.  Again, that doesn't affect UK pensioners in the Thailand, thanks to the frozen pension state.

 

But means-testing pensions is a possible threat to pensioners' income in future years! (It won't affect me, because I don't have a pot to p*ss in!).

 

However, where will this all end? I fear that this UK government may try to save more money by restricting state pension payments for expats, regardless of which country they are living in. Perhaps they will only pay out for pensioners who are living in the UK?  (Of course, not paying expats will force many of them to return to the UK, thus costing the government more money in claimable allowances/benefits etc, but I don't think any government has enough brain cells to think this all through...)

 

What are your thoughts about this?  And is there anything that you can do to mitigate these possible scenarios?  Plan your retirement to minimise unnecessary expenses, or even plan a return to the UK?

 

Difficult decisions....

Thinking too hard, SP never finish, triple  lock never finish, winter fuel ok gone, " frozen" pension ? up to you. ,,pension credit wants hammering for sure and is being done too,along with UC, PIP ,all those hangers on are in for torrid time

21 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Not everyone needs unlimited call time, my Dtac call worked perfectly also for less than a quid (95p), no need to give Skype three times that every month!

I pay Skype for a London landline, nothing else matters!

16 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I pay Skype for a London landline, nothing else matters!

I pay 80 quid a year for Microsoft 365 which gives 5 of my family 100 minutes of Skype calls almost anywhere, and 1GB of One Drive cloud storage.

7 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I pay 80 quid a year for Microsoft 365 which gives 5 of my family 100 minutes of Skype calls almost anywhere, and 1GB of One Drive cloud storage.

But that doesn't give you a UK landline number.

So you can't pretend to be living full time in the UK, and believably claim UK pension increases.

 

I received my life certificate through the post today.  Posted in UK 6th Jan.  It's exactly 2 years since I received the last one.

On 1/20/2025 at 12:33 PM, simon43 said:

^^^

Frozen state pension, winter fuel allowance cut, triple lock under threat, means-testing pension, where will it end?

 

I'm getting a little concerned about my UK state pension, which I'll start to receive in about 5 months from now.

 

For various reasons (which don't include p*ssing my income up the wall), I will need to rely on my UK state pension as my main income source after I retire.  I still have a decent income from inline teaching, but I don't expect to be teaching in this manner into my 70s etc, and I would be foolish to assume that I would be teaching.

 

We all know that the UK state pension is 'frozen' for those pensioners living in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia etc, and this will never change, regardless of how many people moan about it.

 

The winter fuel allowance is being cut, but this doesn't affect overseas pensioners.

 

Now I hear about 'threats' to the triple lock.  Again, that doesn't affect UK pensioners in the Thailand, thanks to the frozen pension state.

 

But means-testing pensions is a possible threat to pensioners' income in future years! (It won't affect me, because I don't have a pot to p*ss in!).

 

However, where will this all end? I fear that this UK government may try to save more money by restricting state pension payments for expats, regardless of which country they are living in. Perhaps they will only pay out for pensioners who are living in the UK?  (Of course, not paying expats will force many of them to return to the UK, thus costing the government more money in claimable allowances/benefits etc, but I don't think any government has enough brain cells to think this all through...)

 

What are your thoughts about this?  And is there anything that you can do to mitigate these possible scenarios?  Plan your retirement to minimise unnecessary expenses, or even plan a return to the UK?

 

Difficult decisions....

 

Three choices

 

Tell them where you live and get frozen pension

Don't tell them and get years increases

Move to an unfrozen country like the Philippines

 

No doubt it will only get worse, even the Tories aim is to cut the triple lock and means test pensions 

Will they pay UK state pension directly into your Thai Bank account?

3 minutes ago, hackjam said:

Will they pay UK state pension directly into your Thai Bank account?

 

Yes

The government departments are all linked, if they want to check they will know if you are outside the UK - Passport control signs you out of the UK and then no record of re-entry 

38 minutes ago, Duncan 100 said:

The government departments are all linked, if they want to check they will know if you are outside the UK - Passport control signs you out of the UK and then no record of re-entry 

So what? You want to justify the fact your frozen pension hurts,? And no for the umpteenth x they are not linked,not interested on state pensioners , PC definitely are, enjoy your frozen pension 

1 hour ago, Duncan 100 said:

The government departments are all linked, if they want to check they will know if you are outside the UK - Passport control signs you out of the UK and then no record of re-entry 

They haven't noticed I've been outside the UK for the past 15 years!

1 hour ago, Duncan 100 said:

The government departments are all linked, if they want to check they will know if you are outside the UK - Passport control signs you out of the UK and then no record of re-entry 

Do not let blind jealousy lead you into telling porkies

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

They haven't noticed I've been outside the UK for the past 15 years!

 

 

Go 'home' and come back again  -  I think it may be a different story, based on what happened with a couple of friends.

 

 

41 minutes ago, jori123 said:

Do not let blind jealousy lead you into telling porkies

Porkie pig itself may well appear soon...wait for it...15 years worth of it 

On 2/19/2025 at 7:47 AM, jori123 said:

Porkie pig itself may well appear soon...wait for it...15 years worth of it 

Impossible,sheer impossibility that Porkie Pig has not frequented these news bites,still never mind eh!    Attempted again to get a fix on just how much Porkie has lost over it's 15 years of Snow White credibilty,AI just gives up at times,but figures of £97500 at lowest or £145000 at highest,but the highest seems more credible.my estimate of 81 maybe a tad false,83 more like,so that pushes the figure up to £160000,but 4.1% next few weeks,and 4.3% next year,and losing £6500 per year estimated gives closing figure approaches £1070000000,back to  A1 again I fink