British Pension Question.

[vrsushi]

Can a UK national pay into the government pension plan of the UK and another country?

I work in Japan and pay into their scheme. I wonder if I pay into the British one too will I be able to collect both on retirement?

I'd hate to pay into the UK one only to be told that I couldn't claim it when the time came.

Many thanks.

[ESB7]

Are you 'normally resident in the U.K' ??? you now only need to have paid 30 years of N.I. contribuitons to qualify for the full state pension as opposed to 44 a few years ago.

[Tafia]

Can a UK national pay into the government pension plan of the UK and another country?

I work in Japan and pay into their scheme. I wonder if I pay into the British one too will I be able to collect both on retirement?

I'd hate to pay into the UK one only to be told that I couldn't claim it when the time came.

Many thanks.

Check out their website, if you cant find the answer there give them a call, but as a UK National with a NI number I cannot envisage any problems.

[JohnC]

Are you 'normally resident in the U.K' ??? you now only need to have paid 30 years of N.I. contribuitons to qualify for the full state pension as opposed to 44 a few years ago.

Not quite true, the qualification for a UK state pension remains at 44 years for the full pension, however as of 5th April 2010 that will change to 30 years for new claimants and is not retrospective which means if you are 65 before 4th April 2010 then the old rules apply. Note also that from 5th April 2010 the ADI (Adult dependency Increase) is no longer available for new claimants, those already in receipt may claim until 2020 when it will cease completely.

[SantiSuk]

Are you 'normally resident in the U.K' ??? you now only need to have paid 30 years of N.I. contribuitons to qualify for the full state pension as opposed to 44 a few years ago.

... and 39 years for full bereavement benefits. I wonder how many Thai wives are properly briefed to claim widow's benefit when you peg it - worth having (potentially a lump sum of £2,000 and say £70 a week for a year). I was surprised to find out that a foreign wife can claim them even if you married in and have been living in Thailand - provided you were legally married

[PattayaParent]

Yes you can pay voluntary Class 3 contributions which will give you some pension rights depending on how many you have paid.

If you've missed out any previous years before now you can backpay some of them to get the credit. It used to be 5 years only but they did give a sort of special deal whereby you could backpay 13 years but I think that offer has closed now and it could be back to 5 years again.

Anyways it's now worth doing 'cos even if you don't pay the full new qualification of 30 years (after April 2010) you will get a pro rata of what you've actually paid.

[thaimate]

i become 65 at the end of March ,thanks mum and dad for not leaving it a couple of weeks or i would have missed out on the dependancy allowance.!!!

[xylophone]

Can a UK national pay into the government pension plan of the UK and another country?

I work in Japan and pay into their scheme. I wonder if I pay into the British one too will I be able to collect both on retirement?

I'd hate to pay into the UK one only to be told that I couldn't claim it when the time came.

Many thanks.

As regards being paid two pensions, if they are the "state" pensions, then agreements between countries can mean that you will receive only one pension, which can be "topped up".........however no doubt there many folk happily claiming two pensions, but it may be illegal. Check the website in the UK.

[exeter]

Can a UK national pay into the government pension plan of the UK and another country?

I work in Japan and pay into their scheme. I wonder if I pay into the British one too will I be able to collect both on retirement?

I'd hate to pay into the UK one only to be told that I couldn't claim it when the time came.

Many thanks.

As regards being paid two pensions, if they are the "state" pensions, then agreements between countries can mean that you will receive only one pension, which can be "topped up".........however no doubt there many folk happily claiming two pensions, but it may be illegal. Check the website in the UK.

Somethin else worth thinking about is that if you have an overseas address and payment normal pension increases are not applicable, another wizard scheme from the british revenue clawback club,however, 13 expats have recently appealed to the europeon court, developments eagerly awaited. Another bit of information on a slightly different topic might be of interest. When I went to the NHS in Whitehall they told me that if I spent more than 3 months abroad in any one year I would lose all my benefits, some would be reinstated at 65. I made me feel really good to know that after paying taxes all my life I suddenly was to be relegated to below an asylum seeker.

[RubbaJohnny]

You may apply for apension forecast

Its free

You must complete an application

Tells you what youll get if continue to pay at todays value

In practice as longas youve paid or credits for 30 full years youl get theUk rate year one

Problem is unlike Philippines UK pensioners do not get upgrade which with inflation erodes it over time

Googe postcode but address is

DPW Longbenton Newcastle Upon Tyne

I think its Nc 1zz perhaps someone here will correct me

[billd766]

Are you 'normally resident in the U.K' ??? you now only need to have paid 30 years of N.I. contribuitons to qualify for the full state pension as opposed to 44 a few years ago.

... and 39 years for full bereavement benefits. I wonder how many Thai wives are properly briefed to claim widow's benefit when you peg it - worth having (potentially a lump sum of £2,000 and say £70 a week for a year). I was surprised to find out that a foreign wife can claim them even if you married in and have been living in Thailand - provided you were legally married

My wife does for sure.

I am in the process of obtaining a National Insurance number for her after which she will be able to get benefits in her own right when I have gone.

She will only be entitled to a death benefit until she is 44 so I am OK on that for another 2 weeks after which I may be up for grabs.

[scotsman]

I can't see a problem with contributing to two different Country pension's and you should be able to claim the two pension's when they are due as its your Right to do so as its not a benefit payment. The problem with the UK pension is that if the Conservative party win the next election you will have to work a extra year before you can claim your pension if your not 65 before 2016, as they will be changing it to 66 years old on 2016. Now if that happens the flood gates will open for it to go up to 67 before they leave office as this is a easy way to save money for them who knows. Will the Uk pension be worth paying for in the Future?

Regards

Scotsman

[PattayaParent]

I can't see a problem with contributing to two different Country pension's and you should be able to claim the two pension's when they are due as its your Right to do so as its not a benefit payment. The problem with the UK pension is that if the Conservative party win the next election you will have to work a extra year before you can claim your pension if your not 65 before 2016, as they will be changing it to 66 years old on 2016. Now if that happens the flood gates will open for it to go up to 67 before they leave office as this is a easy way to save money for them who knows. Will the Uk pension be worth paying for in the Future?

Regards

Scotsman

Or just quit work at 65 and sign on the dole until you're of retirement age.

See how much money they save then

[billd766]

I have finally received the Adult dependency increase to my UK State Pension and I have attached 6 of the pages from the Pension service for anyone who needs thew information.

These are the rates payable during the tax year 2009/2010.

I hope that it will clear up any confusion and be of assistance to some of our members.

[beano2274]

I recieved my letter in July.

You need 30 years to get it not 44 years. You can also pay all those years you are missing.

The address is:

Charity, Assets and Residence Residency

BP1301

Benton Park View

Longbenton

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE98 1ZZ

I have to pay 13 years to qualify, well worth doing. The Act changed in 2007 from 44 years to 30 years.

[chiang mai]

There is no problem with paying into the state pension system of another country, as well as having UK state pension benefits. I paid into the US social security system for more than ten years and am illegible for pension benefits under that scheme in two years time as well as having paid into the UK system and having accrued 30 years benefits. The only thing to watch out for is that if you are UK resident when you take those pensions, they are taxed as they arise and not just when the money is brought into the UK (as a general rule, per HMRC6).

[witsawakorn]

You may apply for apension forecast

Its free

You must complete an application

Tells you what youll get if continue to pay at todays value

In practice as longas youve paid or credits for 30 full years youl get theUk rate year one

Problem is unlike Philippines UK pensioners do not get upgrade which with inflation erodes it over time

Googe postcode but address is

DPW Longbenton Newcastle Upon Tyne

I think its Nc 1zz perhaps someone here will correct me

The postcode is NE98 1ZZ. Also worth noting is that the UK and Japan are covered by a double contributions convention whatever that means and there is a leaflet explaining more available on their website at www.dwp.gov.uk

[phutoie2]

I recieved my letter in July.

You need 30 years to get it not 44 years. You can also pay all those years you are missing.

The address is:

Charity, Assets and Residence Residency

BP1301

Benton Park View

Longbenton

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE98 1ZZ

I have to pay 13 years to qualify, well worth doing. The Act changed in 2007 from 44 years to 30 years.

Read Post No 4 again!!,

I too have just had a letter from the UK Pension Service - dated 9 October 2009.

"If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010 (men born on or after 6 April 1945 and women born on or after 6 April 1950) the number of qualifying years you need to receive a full basic state pension will be reduced to 30."

So if you are 65 for men before that date it is still 44 years of NI contributions.

This is happening to our neighbour who is 65 on Christmas day, however he has the 44 years fully paid up!.

[Nignoy]

In reply to your question! you can pay into as many countries pension schemes as you like, I worked in 2 other countries apart from UK , paid into all 3 government pension schemes, I am 66 retired and receive age pensions from all 3 countries and a military pension

[PattayaParent]

I recieved my letter in July.

You need 30 years to get it not 44 years. You can also pay all those years you are missing.

Not ALL missing years.

It used to be the last 5 but since they announced the new rule it seems to be the last 12 years that you could back pay, but I think that may have stopped now.

[12DrinkMore]

A few comments to the above discussion.

- The pension age for women will be increased to 65 from 2010 to 2020. And high time, they live longer than us males, so why should they enjoy five years more retirement? This is like having the cake, and eating it, and with a double layer of icing on the top.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employers-bulletin/bulletin33/spa.htm

- I fully expect to see future governments increasing the retirement age to approach 70 over the next fifty years. May not affect us oldies here, but with the population living substantially longer there is no alternative.

- Receiving State pensions from several countries depends on the regulations. For example if you live in Australia then your Aussie pension will be reduced by the amount you receive from your UK pension. How it works if you live in Thailand and claim both pensions is another question. Following the government principle of

screwing the population for every penny, I would not be surprised to see more international collaboration in these efforts to prevent the equivalent of more than one pension being paid.

http://www.britishpensions.org.au/pension_...ines_index2.htm

- UK deferred pension

It is possible to defer the UK pension and then receive around 10% extra for every year you defer your pension. This is IMO an absolute SCAM. If you are 65 and defer the pension for one year, you will be aged at least 76 before you see any return on "the investment".

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pensioners/pension-later.htm

The only reason I can think of for coming up with this is that it probably creates a couple of dozen unnecessary public (dis)service jobs to administer.

Edited December 9, 2009 by 12DrinkMore