maybe I just look like I know everything. Not infrequently I am asked serious questions in conversation, sometimes with people I never met before. Few days ago I got this one from a Brit, probably sincere, almost certainy not enjoying great luck in Patts (or anywhere else, I reckon).

 

He has a UK NI number, and proved it (without being asked) by waving the government doc with the number on it. Shorn of other funds, he said, did I know if he is able to claim anything at all in the way of benefits from the UK although he has lived outside UK for 30-odd years. He said he was 75 years old, originally from London (I asked if he is “proper” British or of immigrant stock and he confirmed “British Citizen”).

 

I have no idea about benefits, having a (just about adequate) private annuity. I said I thought there ought to be some Britishgovernment website where you could enter the NI number and just find out, but he didn't know and I subsequently did a quick check and found nothing.

 

So – does anyone know how to establish whether one is able to claim anything at all?

 

[please, don't warp this simple enquiry into some sort of rant-thread about (il)legal immigration, foreigners, channel boats or darkies. I'm actually interested in the answer, if anyone out there knows one]

He needs to open a government gateway account, then he can view if he has a state pension to claim, and how much it would be.

 

Or he could phone them up, read them his NI number and ask them.

Beyond the state pension, I am not aware of any benefit that's available to a citizen outside of the UK residence.

Asking for a friend? 😋

Benefits? How long has ha paid into the system? All are 'entitled' to state pension, at age, dependent on the former as to how much, but don't expect a lot if out of dodge for 30 years without contributing. HMRC app will reveal all, but tell him to F off back home and put something into the pot first. 

5 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Asking for a friend? 😋

Benefits? How long has ha paid into the system? All are 'entitled' to state pension, at age, dependent on the former as to how much, but don't expect a lot if out of dodge for 30 years without contributing. HMRC app will reveal all, but tell him to F off back home and put something into the pot first. 

There are a hell of a lot back home who have contributed nothing into the pot, yet with "pension credit" they get just as much as those who have made full contributions, in fact they actually get more,  as just receiving "pension credit" entitles them to claim any number of additional benefits which are not available to those who have "paid up"

 As a further insult , they also get the full yearly increase too.

This will apply to all the current uninvited guests too of course, as they are not allowed to work, but will still receive a  state pension, 

Easy to find on the HMRC website. They even list the amount paid and unpaid for every single year. 

 

For those of you reading who are too young to receive a pension and can't imagine growing old so you've forgot about it:

 

As of April this year, you can only pay retrospectively for the last 5 years of missed payments. For the future, you can voluntarily pay them once a tax year; the HMRC will send you an annual bill.

 

Ignore the amounts owed on the HMRC website: they assume you are resident in the UK. As a non-resident, you'll pay far less, about 10 times less than the average in the UK, making them an incredible bargain. 

 

If he worked in the UK (or some other things such as full time study) then he'll have contributed to his pension. As long as it's greater than 10 years he'll receive something (e.g. 7 years contribution = 0 pension; 10 years= 10/35 × full pension). 

 

For my generation (a younger generation X), if you contribute less than 35 years of NI payments, you simply divide the years contributed by 35 to work out what proportion of the full pension you will be paid. But I suspect the numbers work differently for him (an older Boomer) as the make up of the pension has changed.

 

But even that might not be relevant to him as he's over the state pension age and I suspect the rules on paying in and retrospective payments don't apply. He needs to contact the specialist agency that handles that (there definitely is one, I've just forgot its name). Contact the Future Pensions Centre ( not the HMRC) and they'll direct you to the relevant organisation for assessing the access and size of a pension.

11 minutes ago, Gaccha said:

Ignore the amounts owed on the HMRC website: they assume you are resident in the UK. As a non-resident, you'll pay far less, about 10 times less than the average in the UK, making them an incredible bargain. 

I don't think that is true for everybody? Unless you can claim you are paying as a self employed person or can prove working abroad during the years you wish to pay. I guess like many things you may be able to game that system........

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

I had to pay full Class 3 contributions for the years I needed to make up the full New Pension figure post 2016.

All depends how many years of NI contributions he made, if he sets up an account mentioned above he can see his records. There are no additional benefits here, if he went back to UK then yes 

 

4 hours ago, topt said:

had to pay full Class 3 contributions

 

You've got a point. I'm talking about Class 2, which is much cheaper and is open to any Brit working in Thailand. 

16 hours ago, Gaccha said:

Contact the Future Pensions Centre ( not the HMRC) and they'll direct you to the relevant organisation

 

20 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Or he could phone them up, read them his NI number and ask them.

I'll pass these on if I see the guy, but I am intrigued by the idea of  just calling a government department in England!

I know it can be done in Australia, and other places, but I can't imagine that working in Britain! So I just gurgled the Future Pensions Centre. First response was: "I phoned the Future Pension Centre earlier, I was told that they would call me back within 8 weeks! "

All of which kinda backs up my vow never to set foot there again. Thanks for the answers.

9 minutes ago, isaanistical said:

I'll pass these on if I see the guy, but I am intrigued by the idea of  just calling a government department in England!

I know it can be done in Australia, and other places, but I can't imagine that working in Britain! So I just gurgled the Future Pensions Centre. First response was: "I phoned the Future Pension Centre earlier, I was told that they would call me back within 8 weeks! "

All of which kinda backs up my vow never to set foot there again. Thanks for the answers.

I phoned them up and was answered within 60 seconds.

2 hours ago, isaanistical said:

I phoned the Future Pension Centre earlier, I was told that they would call me back within 8 weeks

 

There was a very significant once-in-a-lifetime deadline in early April, which caused an enormous rush. That deadline has passed and the centre should now be pretty quiet.

Not 8 years .lol