Report Abandoned Abroad: British Pensioner in Thailand Slams 'Immoral' Frozen Pensions Policy

[Photoguy21]

On 4/30/2025 at 4:11 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Reciprocal agreements, that's all you need to know.

The UK and Thailand have reciprocal agreements regarding such issues, just ask HMRC and they will confirm.

[NoshowJones]

On 4/29/2025 at 11:37 AM, Blueman1 said:

And did you agree to pay them back, you can say no, they can't take!....But....They CAN & WILL Take it out of any future Pension Payments they make to Him.......

They cannot touch your state, I repeat, STATE pension. It's there on the DWP website.

[Blueman1]

3 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

They cannot touch your state, I repeat, STATE pension. It's there on the DWP website.

Well WHY Have THEY Reduced Mine,Clever Ar*e ??

[sidneybear]

On 4/28/2025 at 12:52 PM, Bannoi said:

If they can take the winter fuel allowance away from UK pensioners then there is no way they are going to give an increase to a pensioner living in Thailand.

 

There is a way around it though move back to UK get the increase then move back to Thailand or if you move to Philippines you would get the increase every year.

 

I agree it's not fair but its not going to change, a pensioner living in Thailand is very low down on the list of priorities. (They don't vote}

True. The British government doesn't like pensioners, and has even cut energy subsidies from pensioners who live in the UK.

 

Expatriates are held in even lower regard by the broke British state. Nothing will change.

[sidneybear]

On 5/1/2025 at 9:29 AM, henryford1958 said:

The UK is totally bankrupt so i think it's more likely that ALL state pensions will be means tested soon and any one with other income will get NOTHING.

True. They might also do what Australia does: You can only apply for the state pension if you've been physically present in the country for at least two years preceding your application (meaning people who leave prior to retirement age never get a pension), AND; if you move overseas, the pension is prorated by the number of years you've lived there during your working life divided by 35 years. At least the Australian pension is indexed though. 

[billd766]

2 hours ago, sidneybear said:

True. They might also do what Australia does: You can only apply for the state pension if you've been physically present in the country for at least two years preceding your application (meaning people who leave prior to retirement age never get a pension), AND; if you move overseas, the pension is prorated by the number of years you've lived there during your working life divided by 35 years. At least the Australian pension is indexed though. 

And what happens to ALL the NIC contributions that you and your employers were forced to pay in over the year?

[Hornell]

I retired in 2010 having lived here since 1997.  Having paid NI contributions all my working life (as a government servant) I was well aware that retiring here would mean my State Pension would be frozen.  It has stayed the same 102 quid a week since I received it.  But the Baht / pound exchange rate has varied from some 75 Baht/pound to well under 40 over this period, so my 102 quid has been steadily getting less and less over the years.  Whilst I knew that my pension was frozen, I didn't know about the fall in the rate of exchange.  OK, tough luck, and it's as well I don't have to rely on my State Pension in order to live.  BUT I agree with those who say this freezing of pensions  simply isn't right, but I also agree that the UK will do naff all about rectifying it!

[sidneybear]

7 hours ago, billd766 said:

And what happens to ALL the NIC contributions that you and your employers were forced to pay in over the year?

That goes to pay for a whole load of things that won't benefit overseas retirees, like "our NHS".

[Sir Dude]

Doesn't pass the smell test on this guys... a competent former banker should have made much better provisions for his future and got a bunch of money and stocks, bonds, and treasury options, etc. What? He's whinging about the UK national pension? Come on, sounds like BS.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, sidneybear said:

That goes to pay for a whole load of things that won't benefit overseas retirees, like "our NHS".

It actually is NOT your NHS or my NHS or even "our NHS".

 

It belongs to ALL the British citizens world wide who have paid their contributions.

 

So you are advocating legal theft.

 

There are very many British people living overseas who have paid taxes from their first day at work and will continue to pay tax until they die so why should they be penalised for making their own decisions what to do with their own life, without nanny government interfering.

[MicroB]

13 hours ago, billd766 said:

And what happens to ALL the NIC contributions that you and your employers were forced to pay in over the year?

 

Spent to pay the needs of the day.

[MicroB]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

It actually is NOT your NHS or my NHS or even "our NHS".

 

It belongs to ALL the British citizens world wide who have paid their contributions.

 

So you are advocating legal theft.

 

There are very many British people living overseas who have paid taxes from their first day at work and will continue to pay tax until they die so why should they be penalised for making their own decisions what to do with their own life, without nanny government interfering.

 

There is a flipside to that.

 

A ruling in the 1970s meant that 6th Formers receive a NI credit. No credit is paid while in full time university education.

 

So someone could go to Uni, progress to an advanced degree, land a job in the Middle East. Work the next 40 years in Kuwait, tax free. At the end of it all, buy a home in the old country and retire there, to live out a very comfortable existance. From day 1; full access to the NHS, despite having practically contributed nothing to it.

 

 British expats might continue to pay income and other taxes, but they haven't paid any VAT.

 

A bigger issue is how the state pension is funded, or any of the state pensions, eg MOD pensions.

 

There are also 4 different NHSs, with differing access rules, because of the powers that have been devolved.