U.k Pension

[sirluke1944]

I,m considering moving back to live permanently in Thailand with my Thai Wife of 11 years, we already have property and Bank Accounts.

I was just wondering is there anyone already living out there that is in receipt of a U.K State Pension, could they advise as to how they get it paid into theyre Thai Bank Accounts, whether by Foreign Bank to Bank Transfer, or by some other method. Any help in this matter would be much appreciated.

[Rinrada]

Pay it into your UK Nationwide Flex A/c and just take it out when needed .

Unfortunately the (N/W) will now be charging you a 1 % Vias fee for withdraw/trasaction etc. but its still a lot cheaper than the other Vultures (banks)

Tell the UK pens outfit that you are living in LOS and you lose any yearly update which will/soon be index linked again to pay levels (new EU regs applied) origionaly introduced by Babara Castle under dear Harold but Thatcher the scratcher pulled it back in the 80s...

Chok dee ...

3rd Try inter net ...slow.....

[thaimate]

ive never met a pensioner in Thailand that doesnt use a British address

[PatinBKk]

Pay it into your UK Nationwide Flex A/c and just take it out when needed .

Unfortunately the (N/W) will now be charging you a 1 % Vias fee for withdraw/trasaction etc. but its still a lot cheaper than the other Vultures (banks)

Tell the UK pens outfit that you are living in LOS and you lose any yearly update which will/soon be index linked again to pay levels (new EU regs applied) origionaly introduced by Babara Castle under dear Harold but Thatcher the scratcher pulled it back in the 80s...

Chok dee ...

3rd Try inter net ...slow.....

Exactly...

[davidthai]

Pay it into your UK Nationwide Flex A/c and just take it out when needed .

Unfortunately the (N/W) will now be charging you a 1 % Vias fee for withdraw/trasaction etc. but its still a lot cheaper than the other Vultures (banks)

Tell the UK pens outfit that you are living in LOS and you lose any yearly update which will/soon be index linked again to pay levels (new EU regs applied) origionaly introduced by Babara Castle under dear Harold but Thatcher the scratcher pulled it back in the 80s...

Chok dee ...

3rd Try inter net ...slow.....

Exactly...

I use my Thai address for my pension because i have just had to repay 2300 pound to UK Pensions because i was caught using my UK Address, be carefull and dont get caught out

[JohnC]

If you search the forum you will find the thread that states the UK are now recording all entry/exits from the country and sharing information with other departments, it is not rocket science therefore to check a claim for pension to see if the applicant has left/entered the country over the previous year. In addition the annual increase is so small (2009 it was £5) it is not worth risking a fraudulent claim for.

[GuestHouse]

I use my Thai address for my pension because i have just had to repay 2300 pound to UK Pensions because i was caught using my UK Address, be carefull and dont get caught out

A bit more detail would be of interest:

How were you caught out?

Where you charged with fraud or threatened to be charged with fraud?

How did they inform you that you had been caught out?

How did they come to the conclusion you owed 2300?

[kamman]

Bangkok Bank has a branch in London and they offer a pension transfer service. They charge GBP 15 per transfer, which will take 5 working days to be credited to your Thai account. You have to contact them and set it up. Tel: 0207 929 4422.

[ChiangMaiFun]

For clarification... I thought you would get the pension gross if paid here? surely that would more than cover the lack of rises? or maybe not? what about private pensions?

[ArranP]

Pay it into your UK Nationwide Flex A/c and just take it out when needed .

Unfortunately the (N/W) will now be charging you a 1 % Vias fee for withdraw/trasaction etc. but its still a lot cheaper than the other Vultures (banks)

Tell the UK pens outfit that you are living in LOS and you lose any yearly update which will/soon be index linked again to pay levels (new EU regs applied) origionaly introduced by Babara Castle under dear Harold but Thatcher the scratcher pulled it back in the 80s...

Chok dee ...

3rd Try inter net ...slow.....

Just for info, the post office has a credit card which still don't charge when withdrawing abroad so long as you credit the card before making the withdrawl.

[alantheembalmer]

I'm still a few years away from my state pension, but what exactly happens if I have my principle residence in England, and it is not rented out, whilst living in Thailand through the periods of dismal weather; in other words most of the time? Can I claim my pension increases, after all I am still paying UK income tax on my private pension, and council tax on my UK property, which I use in the summer months? Could it not be argued that because of the nature of the Thai retirement extention criteria, I am only in Thailand on a tempoary basis, and I am not classified as a resident, so my country of residency is still the UK?

Any insights greatly appreciated.

[PattayaParent]

Don't you have to be in UK at least 6 months in the year to get the increases?

Do you konw that in some areas of the country you can get rebates on your council tax if the property is empty? Some as much as 100%

[Mali1964]

Yes Big brother is watching i'm afraid.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/ne...icle5683677.ece

[nookiebear]

If you search the forum you will find the thread that states the UK are now recording all entry/exits from the country and sharing information with other departments, it is not rocket science therefore to check a claim for pension to see if the applicant has left/entered the country over the previous year. In addition the annual increase is so small (2009 it was £5) it is not worth risking a fraudulent claim for.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought they can only do that when you have the new 'hi-tech chipped passport'

[kennkate]

Don't you have to be in UK at least 6 months in the year to get the increases?

Do you konw that in some areas of the country you can get rebates on your council tax if the property is empty? Some as much as 100%

First point Yes you have to be in the UK 27 weeks in any year ( I think tax year 5 april to 4 april )

Second You will not have to Pay any Council Tax IF the property is Empty ( unfurnished ) But only for 6 months

I have just come to End of my rate free period, Was told if I put Two Large Items of furniture back into the house for 6 Weeks then I can reset the clock and get a further 6 months rate Free period

Dont Know if this is the same for All Councils Mine is North Lincolnshire

You could Let the property and you have moved that problem over to the Tennant

I will go back to UK soon Only came back to get Visa for my wife and Child.

Have Been here over 27 weeks

180 days on 23 march That would be in Exess of the 27 weeks in the tax year by a few days

maybe they could ask for the Winter Fuel Payment & The 25 pounds Cold weather money Back OMG

[jesimps]

I'm not advocating you do one thing or another, all I can say is that my state pension is due in June and I have given them certain information, what it is, I'm keeping to myself. I would expect anyone who has a good work record, paid tax and national insurance all their working lives and who still pays tax, to do the same as I have.

As for the government sifting through records to find out whether Joe Bloggs is claiming an index-linked pension from a country where he's not supposed to, I think that's a bit far-fetched. I think that maybe they have bigger fish to fry. If I did claim an index-linked pension from Thailand, I would consider myself extremely unlucky or stupid if I was caught.

[cocopops]

I'm not advocating you do one thing or another, all I can say is that my state pension is due in June and I have given them certain information, what it is, I'm keeping to myself. I would expect anyone who has a good work record, paid tax and national insurance all their working lives and who still pays tax, to do the same as I have.

As for the government sifting through records to find out whether Joe Bloggs is claiming an index-linked pension from a country where he's not supposed to, I think that's a bit far-fetched. I think that maybe they have bigger fish to fry. If I did claim an index-linked pension from Thailand, I would consider myself extremely unlucky or stupid if I was caught.

I don't agree with this risk assessment.

At some point in the future, or possibly right now, there will be a database of entries and exits. And a database of pension data. At this point it will take some smart cookie in the right place at the right time around 10 minutes to create an SQL query to pull the names of everybody pulling this trick. At 2300 a pop it will be well worth the governments while to penalize each and every name on the list.

[Penkoprod]

If you search the forum you will find the thread that states the UK are now recording all entry/exits from the country and sharing information with other departments, it is not rocket science therefore to check a claim for pension to see if the applicant has left/entered the country over the previous year. In addition the annual increase is so small (2009 it was £5) it is not worth risking a fraudulent claim for.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought they can only do that when you have the new 'hi-tech chipped passport'

No, all they need to be is the swipable ones.

And those will have been issued to all of us by about mid/late 2010

You may be getting mixed up with the biometric passports, which open up a FURTHER avenue of snooping to the pricks

Penkoprod

[patklang]

In the last 3 weeks,2 of my friends have ben done for claiming different things from the Uk,and spending more than 1 month in a non eu country,big fines and a large reduction of money,basicly they are fxxxxd now in the Uk,and cant afford to spend time in Thailand now.

WELL DONE TO THE UK FRAUD DEPARTMENT AS ANOTHER 2 FRAUDSTERS BITE THE DUST.

Hopefull after they catch a few more thousands the pensioners might get more.

[patklang]

Pay it into your UK Nationwide Flex A/c and just take it out when needed .

Unfortunately the (N/W) will now be charging you a 1 % Vias fee for withdraw/trasaction etc. but its still a lot cheaper than the other Vultures (banks)

Tell the UK pens outfit that you are living in LOS and you lose any yearly update which will/soon be index linked again to pay levels (new EU regs applied) origionaly introduced by Babara Castle under dear Harold but Thatcher the scratcher pulled it back in the 80s...

Chok dee ...

3rd Try inter net ...slow.....

Exactly...

I use my Thai address for my pension because i have just had to repay 2300 pound to UK Pensions because i was caught using my UK Address, be carefull and dont get caught out

Sorry to hear that but the government are catching loads of fraudsters.Dishonesty is costing many people loads of money,and they are on your back all the time checking you out.

[JAS21]

For clarification... I thought you would get the pension gross if paid here? surely that would more than cover the lack of rises? or maybe not? what about private pensions?

Money earned in the UK, by pension or whatever is taxable income, no matter if you are Not Resident or Not Normally Resident. After your personal allowance this is what you pay

2008-09

Starting savings rate: 10%* £0-£2,320

Basic rate: 20%* £0-£34,800

Higher rate: 40%* Over £34,800

[spacefruit]

Fascinating angle on Non Resident status for UK tax. Many people are trying to LOSE their resident status, and here we have a bunch of people talking about retaining it for the benefit of index-linking the state pension.

If you spend more than 183 days in any ONE tax year you are definitely a UK resident for tax purposes. I assume that would hold true for State pensions? If not that would seem like one rule to suit the collectors and one to suit the distributes.

As a very well informed amateur UK tax expert, I can categorically say you will be caught at some point if you fraudulently give information to government tax bodies. It may take 10 years, but if fraud is involved they can go back 20 years. Don't think that dying will get you off because they will come after your estate.

A point on the advantage on index linking: While the benefit is small now, imagine if inflation goes to 10%. Or even 20%. Before you cry thats rubbish, how many people thought Iceland would go bust. And tell me another way the UK government can pay back all the international loans without devaluing sterling?

[thaimate]

In the last 3 weeks,2 of my friends have ben done for claiming different things from the Uk,and spending more than 1 month in a non eu country,big fines and a large reduction of money,basicly they are fxxxxd now in the Uk,and cant afford to spend time in Thailand now.

WELL DONE TO THE UK FRAUD DEPARTMENT AS ANOTHER 2 FRAUDSTERS BITE THE DUST.

Hopefull after they catch a few more thousands the pensioners might get more.

strange how its only people you know get caught,wonder why? ,i have never in 19 years met anyone who has been caught

[sirluke1944]

Pay it into your UK Nationwide Flex A/c and just take it out when needed .

Unfortunately the (N/W) will now be charging you a 1 % Vias fee for withdraw/trasaction etc. but its still a lot cheaper than the other Vultures (banks)

Tell the UK pens outfit that you are living in LOS and you lose any yearly update which will/soon be index linked again to pay levels (new EU regs applied) origionaly introduced by Babara Castle under dear Harold but Thatcher the scratcher pulled it back in the 80s...

Chok dee ...

3rd Try inter net ...slow.....

Exactly...

I use my Thai address for my pension because i have just had to repay 2300 pound to UK Pensions because i was caught using my UK Address, be carefull and dont get caught out

I will be giving up my U.K address and using only my Thai Address, will i still be able to open a Nationwide Flex A/C whilst i'm still in the U.K?

[sirluke1944]

ive never met a pensioner in Thailand that doesnt use a British address

I will be giving up my address in the U.K, so I have no alternative, other than to inform The Pension Service of my intentions to move permanently to Thailand.

[sirluke1944]

Pay it into your UK Nationwide Flex A/c and just take it out when needed .

Unfortunately the (N/W) will now be charging you a 1 % Vias fee for withdraw/trasaction etc. but its still a lot cheaper than the other Vultures (banks)

Tell the UK pens outfit that you are living in LOS and you lose any yearly update which will/soon be index linked again to pay levels (new EU regs applied) origionaly introduced by Babara Castle under dear Harold but Thatcher the scratcher pulled it back in the 80s...

Chok dee ...

3rd Try inter net ...slow.....

Thanks for the reply, I don't currently have an A/C with Nationwide, wondering if I could open one before leaving the U.K, would I have to inform them of what I'm doing.?.

[grahamhc]

ive never met a pensioner in Thailand that doesnt use a British address

I know one guy who was honest and told them. He has been here claiming his pension for 10 years without a single increase. He is really feeling the pinch now. And to cap it all, they have hit him with back taxes as his pension pay department got one claim rule wrong and the tax office want some of the money repaid for 7 of those years.

I will be giving up my U.K address and using only my Thai Address, will i still be able to open a Nationwide Flex A/C whilst i'm still in the U.K?

Having read the Nationwide website, you can use an "Overseas" address (I take it Thailand is OK) if you do not like in the UK. Check it out in your local branch or call the customer services and check the facts for accuracy.

That should also let you claim any savings TAX FREE, should you have any with them.

[Rinrada]

So bloody honest...salt of the earth....credit to society even.....why not buy a condo in Spain.......or the Philipines....

magan dan ghabi...

[GuestHouse]

So bloody honest...salt of the earth....credit to society even.....why not buy a condo in Spain.......or the Philipines....

magan dan ghabi...

Are you seriously suggesting sinking tens of thousands of Euro's into an appartment in Spain so as to be able to claim annual increases in the UK pension while living in Thailand?

I must look into this, perhaps the yearly rises are more than I thought.