5 minutes ago, norsurin said:

Lying to the government is serious.

yes very serious indeed 

On 9/26/2025 at 3:16 PM, johng said:

I'm afraid you are one of those who will welcome the digital Panopticon with open arms...  very sad indeed.

Its worse than sad.    They have absolutely no idea what might be coming.  Id cards are fine, on a voluntary basis, so let them be issued and tested thoroughly on the idiots who are in favour 

1) This will never get implemented on cost grounds alone ..we are skint

 

2) Sir multi-tier Keir won't be lasting the week with today's inheritance tax avoidance news. 

30 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Agreed but when, and many I know do this, have a UK account into which the money is paid do not get any increase?

The location of your bank account is not relevant to whether you get state pension increases or not (my pension is paid into a UK account).  It all depends on what country the UK state pension department know/assume you're living in.

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

Question is why are some countries indexed and others are not? A British citizen is a British Citizen

Entitlement to pension indexation isn't strictly associated with citizenship.

 

Now, when deciding where to retire, someone is doing his/her due diligence he/she would stumble on the linked page after about 30 seconds:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pensions-annual-increases-if-you-live-abroad/countries-where-we-pay-an-annual-increase-in-the-state-pension

 

So I can only assume that the vast majority of wingeing Poms in Thailand came over here fully informed of the fact that their income was bound to decrease, unless they made false claims. Which might become unsustainable in some near future.

On 9/26/2025 at 4:18 PM, johng said:

IMHO there is and it stinks...the money 'saved' is a pittance in the scheme of government expenditure   but it could mean everything to a struggling pensioner living in a country that does not get the update.

 

It may be a small amount in the context of total government expenditure but it is also at the very bottom of any party's political priorities.There are no votes in it and I suspect would be a negative in the eyes of many British residents.There is an Asia based association - I don't have the details - seeking to lobby for updating and other expat pensioner issues.

 

Secondly, a "struggling pensioner" dependent on the state pension should almost certainly not be living in Thailand.I realize for some there is no choice in the matter

2 hours ago, Tidal wave said:

2) Sir multi-tier Keir won't be lasting the week with today's inheritance tax avoidance news. 

What news?

3 hours ago, norsurin said:

Lying to the government is serious.

But is them lying to us not serious?

15 minutes ago, DezLez said:

What news?

The clue is news

5 minutes ago, Tidal wave said:

The clue is news

And the award for the least helpful reply to a legitimate question goes to @Tidal wave

Weeeeell, if you live in LOS but don't, it may be a problem if you have to go to a Gov. office in the town you don't really live in to go through the form filling/photo procedure.........😲

 

If you actually live in LOS it could be a case of, don't need one, or, like the life certificate, get your information/photo verified/notarised by someone in a position of trust..🤗

On 9/28/2025 at 12:40 PM, Photoguy21 said:

If the proposed ID card just had Name, Address and a Photo I would not have a problem with it but the government will want to embed a lot of personal data including bank data and health data.

 

Of course they will that is why it should be resisted at all costs.

It's a ploy to entrap everyone in a digital panopticon  they will be able to track and trace everything..don't fall for the it will make everything easy lies  because the only thing it will make easy is for them to have complete control.

This won't come in this parliament, and the next publicly elected PM will scrap it, not worth worrying about  

On 9/28/2025 at 1:06 PM, simon43 said:

The location of your bank account is not relevant to whether you get state pension increases or not (my pension is paid into a UK account).  It all depends on what country the UK state pension department know/assume you're living in.

And how does that affect increases? On what basis

On 9/28/2025 at 2:04 PM, Peter Crow said:

Entitlement to pension indexation isn't strictly associated with citizenship.

 

Now, when deciding where to retire, someone is doing his/her due diligence he/she would stumble on the linked page after about 30 seconds:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pensions-annual-increases-if-you-live-abroad/countries-where-we-pay-an-annual-increase-in-the-state-pension

 

So I can only assume that the vast majority of wingeing Poms in Thailand came over here fully informed of the fact that their income was bound to decrease, unless they made false claims. Which might become unsustainable in some near future.

That is not in dispute. What I would question is why, if a British Citizen is in Thailand and the pension is paid into a UK bank, and increases are not paid because of the location you are staying in?

There are people who try to scam the system I know and I don't agree with it but there are also genuine cases that are affected. If you are a British citizen the same payments whatever they are on the scale and depending on paid into the system, should be the same.

I think you need another stubby your comprehension capabilities are less than normal.

On 9/27/2025 at 3:51 PM, Will B Good said:

 

 

There is no public record of a UK pensioner ever having been criminally prosecuted for claiming state pension increases whilst living in countries where such increases are not permitted.

 

 

I checked with Deepseek and yes there have been cases

 

 

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I checked with Deepseek and yes there have been cases

 

 

So, it is fraud, end of story. 

On 9/26/2025 at 2:54 PM, johng said:

Yes and some free public transport, free tv licence, winter fuel allowance  free NHS    non of which is available in Thailand

pensioners living in Thailand are saving the UK taxpayers a lot of money by NOT  living there...also  your argument doesn't hold much water because  there are many other countries were the freezing of the pension  does not apply...why only Thailand ?

( and a few others I believe)

Annual upgrades to the uk state pension in foreign countries results from a social security agreement between the UK and the other state. Thailand has not agreed to one. Also remember that by living in Thailand we are depriving the UK of the spending power of our pension that we would do by living there.

On 9/26/2025 at 2:38 PM, Jenkins9039 said:

Will affect old farts with a pension

Will not affect young studs that are not intending to return and not entitled to a pension 
 

You mean morons like you?

On 9/29/2025 at 3:19 PM, Photoguy21 said:

And how does that affect increases? On what basis

It affects increases based on the 'Ordinarily Resident' rule, and whether or not the overseas country where you are deemed to be Ordinarily Resident has a social Security agreement with the UK.  If they have, such as with The Philippines, then any state pension increase that is paid in the UK is also paid to those UK pensioners living in The Philippines.

 

Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (to name but a few), have no such SS agreement with the UK, and therefore the amount of your pension monthly payments is frozen at the date when you started to claim that pension.

Relax people! It ain't gonna happen.

 

Already have passports, driving licenses and NI numbers.

 

On 9/26/2025 at 8:49 AM, Photoguy21 said:

It is illegal to discriminate or so the law says but they do it frequently.

 

Not quite.  Depending on jurisdiction  the law says it is illegal to discriminate on certain grounds eg sex, religion etc.

 

You can find the full list here:

 

https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights

 

Nowhere in UK law is discrimination on the grounds of what country you choose to live in illegal.

23 hours ago, Stiddle Mump said:

Relax people! It ain't gonna happen.

 

Already have passports, driving licenses and NI numbers.

 

IMO, all part of the big agenda to eliminate cash and introduce a CDC.

 

Bradbury Pound anyone!

On 9/28/2025 at 12:51 PM, Bday Prang said:

yes very serious indeed 

Indeed!

 

But not the other way round it seems.

On 9/30/2025 at 4:25 AM, scubascuba3 said:

I checked with Deepseek and yes there have been cases

 

 

 

Interesting case.

 

They seem to have been 'nailed' because they submitted fake documents to give the impression they lived in Spain in order to qualify for their pension uplift.

 

If they had just kept their UK address and continued to live in SA there would be no paperwork requested from the DWP and they may well have not been caught.

 

 

I think!!!!

On 9/30/2025 at 8:28 AM, Card said:

Annual upgrades to the uk state pension in foreign countries results from a social security agreement between the UK and the other state. Thailand has not agreed to one. Also remember that by living in Thailand we are depriving the UK of the spending power of our pension that we would do by living there.

Well you speak for yourself , but in my opinion by us not being in the UK we are  reducing the load on the NHS, Dentists, Hospices  and many other social services which saves them a lot more money than they make by taxing any spending of the meagre pension they pay us

2 hours ago, Stiddle Mump said:

Indeed!

 

But not the other way round it seems.

that is normal and considered acceptable,   It generally starts with their manifesto, for which they are traditionally never held to account over, and from then on, it becomes pretty much impossible for them to tell the truth  about anything ever.   

On 9/27/2025 at 2:01 PM, brian69 said:

Another stupid idea and waste of money, France and Germany have ID cards and they have lots of illegal immigrants. 

I don't think this nightmare has anything to do with immigration, passports and a national insurance number ( or rather the lack of either)  are perfectly able to establish ones legal status, or rather they would be if anybody ever bothered checking if they possess  those documents, 

           If implemented it will only be a matter of time before asking to see an immigrants ID card will be against their "human rights" although it will be open season on genuine citizens

           They had better start thinking of another stupid idea, sooner rather than later

On 9/28/2025 at 2:27 PM, jayboy said:

Secondly, a "struggling pensioner" dependent on the state pension should almost certainly not be living in Thailand.

in your "opinion"

On 9/30/2025 at 3:30 PM, simon43 said:

It affects increases based on the 'Ordinarily Resident' rule, and whether or not the overseas country where you are deemed to be Ordinarily Resident has a social Security agreement with the UK.  If they have, such as with The Philippines, then any state pension increase that is paid in the UK is also paid to those UK pensioners living in The Philippines.

 

Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (to name but a few), have no such SS agreement with the UK, and therefore the amount of your pension monthly payments is frozen at the date when you started to claim that pension.

Paid into a UK account has nothing to do with the country you live in, it may be their excuse but it is just an excuse.