Claiming my UK state pension at 65, I am offered direct payments by HMG Pensions Service to my Thai bank account, free of transfer fees. Problem is that I do not expect HMG or any bank in the Blighted Isle to give a decent exchange rate so I would expect to lose money on it. Does any forum member have advice based on their experience/knowledge of this matter to offer as to whether this is worth taking up or well worth leaving alone??? I should be very happy to find my gloomy prediction corrected & the offer worth taking up (if only to minimise business with bloody hsbc in UK) but...

As far as I am aware you cannot have your pension paid into a Thai bank, they will only pay into a UK bank, or post a sterling cheque to your home or bank, with no guarantee of delivery.

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/ipc/co...es/thailand.asp

...Blighted Isle...

Good one.

Get it paid into a Nationwide Flexaccount and withdraw it here, free of ATM charges and a good rate.

As far as I am aware you cannot have your pension paid into a Thai bank, they will only pay into a UK bank, or post a sterling cheque to your home or bank, with no guarantee of delivery.

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/ipc/co...es/thailand.asp

But that link appears to state that you can get a Sterling cheque sent to a Thai bank:

Thailand

Claiming a UK State Pension

You can claim a UK State Pension by completing the form online or by printing off and completing application form IPCBR1 and returning it to International Pension Centre. However, you should not claim more than four months before you reach State Pension age.

...

How your UK State Pension will be paid

You can only be paid in the Thailand by Sterling cheque, which we issue via the post to your home address or a bank of your choice (however your bank may charge for the conversion of these cheques). Alternatively you can have your money paid into any UK bank account.

Edited February 27, 200917 yr by JetsetBkk

...Blighted Isle...

Good one.

Get it paid into a Nationwide Flexaccount and withdraw it here, free of ATM charges and a good rate.

Not free for much longer - 1% Visa charge being passed on from May on Flexaccount withdrawals. Still better than having a Sterling cheque sent to a Thai bank - heavy collection charges, time to clear, rate......

But that link appears to state that you can get a Sterling cheque sent to a Thai bank:

Yes it does, but you then have the problem and expense of getting a Sterling check cashed. I thought the poster was of the view that it could paid by bank transfer.

...Blighted Isle...

Good one.

Get it paid into a Nationwide Flexaccount and withdraw it here, free of ATM charges and a good rate.

Not free for much longer - 1% Visa charge being passed on from May on Flexaccount withdrawals. Still better than having a Sterling cheque sent to a Thai bank - heavy collection charges, time to clear, rate......

Still free if Flexaccount is cash card (not debit card), cash card charges are due later on but not May.

euca.

Dont do it ,2 Years ago i arranged to have my pension paid direct into Bangkok Bank, they send a stirling cheque direct to the bank , the bank take about 6 weeks to cash it and the charges are really high, Just have it paid into Nationwide no charges a good rate and instant plus no grief, my first cheque was for 2 months pension the bank took 6 wweeks to cash it andI cant remember but the charge was either 7,000 or 17,000 baht, Just forget about doing it.

phupaman

Thank you all for your quick replies. Why am I not surprised? I have just been trying to set up an account with Nationwide and they were most helpful but 'The Regulations' & 'The FSA' require that I present myself, in person, at a branch of Nationwide in UK. Of course, I fully understand that I cannot be trusted because I am not a politician, a senior Treasury official nor a director of one of those prudent banks we know and love so well - (all bow). So I must continue to suffer the vagaries of bloody hsbc and its internet chaos-creation system, which I must surely deserve.

Interestingly, it took my claim form about a week to go, long tabien, to UK and then two months to travel through the UK Civil Service's internal postal system. I await their decision on whether I shall be granted a full pension on 44-years full contributions with some apprehension - after all, only wicked people come abroad to seek their living rather than go on the dole in UK.

Phupaman,

Thanks. Good information for other transactions, too.

...Get it paid into a Nationwide Flexaccount and withdraw it here, free of ATM charges and a good rate.

Not free for much longer - 1% Visa charge being passed on from May on Flexaccount withdrawals...

Dämn!

...cash card charges are due later in but not May.

Double dämn!

Thank you all for your quick replies. Why am I not surprised? I have just been trying to set up an account with Nationwide and they were most helpful but 'The Regulations' & 'The FSA' require that I present myself, in person, at a branch of Nationwide in UK. Of course, I fully understand that I cannot be trusted because I am not a politician, a senior Treasury official nor a director of one of those prudent banks we know and love so well - (all bow). So I must continue to suffer the vagaries of bloody hsbc and its internet chaos-creation system, which I must surely deserve.

Interestingly, it took my claim form about a week to go, long tabien, to UK and then two months to travel through the UK Civil Service's internal postal system. I await their decision on whether I shall be granted a full pension on 44-years full contributions with some apprehension - after all, only wicked people come abroad to seek their living rather than go on the dole in UK.

The letter I got just the other day, 30 years paid will get you full state pension.

30 years is correct but not until 2010,if you are retirement age before you have to have 44 years.

sorry you are right, me until 2013 no problems I hope

Thank you all for your quick replies. Why am I not surprised? I have just been trying to set up an account with Nationwide and they were most helpful but 'The Regulations' & 'The FSA' require that I present myself, in person, at a branch of Nationwide in UK. Of course, I fully understand that I cannot be trusted because I am not a politician, a senior Treasury official nor a director of one of those prudent banks we know and love so well - (all bow). So I must continue to suffer the vagaries of bloody hsbc and its internet chaos-creation system, which I must surely deserve.

Interestingly, it took my claim form about a week to go, long tabien, to UK and then two months to travel through the UK Civil Service's internal postal system. I await their decision on whether I shall be granted a full pension on 44-years full contributions with some apprehension - after all, only wicked people come abroad to seek their living rather than go on the dole in UK.

Something that I have to look into for the future. However, it has been pointed out to me that it is prudent to get it paid into the uk as if done correctly you will receive index linked increases whilest if they know that you live abroad they penalise you (after all of those years of contributing they are still trying to stick it to you if they can)