When I Croak It - What Can Thai Wife Claim From Uk Gov?

[Farang0tang]

Recently I requested, and have now received a letter from UK HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) regarding my State Retirement Pension Forecast. All seems in order, and as expected I have now fully paid up sufficient qualifying years of contributions which entitles me to a full basic State Pension - which in my circumstances, and with recent changes, was 30 years of contributions. I start receiving on my 66th birthday in 2026.

I might add that for the past 5 or 6 years I have been working overseas, as a UK Non-Resident, and paid voluntary class II National Insurance Contributions to maintain my qualifying years. So, with regards to my future state pension entitlement all is paid up, and I have now cancelled these voluntary payments.

However, now I am wondering if this was the correct thing to do. Over the page on the HMRC letter it states;

"You do not need to pay any voluntary contributions for basic State Pension purposes whilst you are abroad"..... and ....

"It is now up to you to decide whether you wish to continue to pay voluntary contributions for Bereavement Benefit purposes."

Trying to contact the HMRC on the number quoted was fruitless - constantly engaged. Occassionally I got through on different numbers supplied from websites but was either cut-off or told to try the original number.

I have searched various websites, including HMRC, CitizensAdvice, JobbySeekers etc, but either the info is not clear or contradictory or I am just too thick. Perhaps some readers have been down this route and may help me out here, or others may be in the same or a similar position;

The intention here is to find out - when I die, what can the Thai wife claim from UK agencies, (including the criteria required to qualify);

1. Bereavement Grant - I have read is a one-off 2000 GBP payment. But do I need to continue paying voluntary contributions (unless of course i snuff-it meantime) to carry my NICs from 30 years up to 44 years? (as I have read somewhere)

2. Bereavement Benefit - Not to be confused with the Bereavement Grant. Have read contradictory explanations of this benefit. Can anyone who is currently receiving this enlighten me to the actual real world rules?

3. Basic State Pension - Also found out that foreign wifes (or husbands), who have never contributed to the UK or even set-foot in the country for that matter, are still entitled to a percentage of the deceased partners State Pension - what formula is used here?

4. ??? Another benfit if kids involved - Whats the real world deal here?

5. Widows benefit - Think this is called something else now, I forget, and probably falls into one of the categories above. I am getting fed-up trawling the web and being sucked and sidetracked for hours at a time.

6. Any others - I may have missed, and not aware of.

All useful replies appreciated - Have a nice day.

F

[howzat]

If you were married in the UK you can send a copy of your marriage, wifes birth certificate or passport to Pensions Office in Newcstle and you wife will qualify for all benefits in the same way if she was a British National.

Providing your wife doesn't work or if she does is below the current threashhold of minimum earnings your state pension could also be increased.

Not sure if the same conditions apply if you were married under Thai Law.

I find the best way to get replies from the UK is to email the appropriate department who respond quickly.

As far as NI contributions are concerned I was advised to stop paying after the full qualifying period and now receive my State pension so no problem there.

[PattayaParent]

All of your questions are covered in a previous topic if you do a search.

[pattayapip]

All of your questions are covered in a previous topic if you do a search.

How about being helpful and posting the link for him then ? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Survivors-Be...ts-t305228.html

[PattayaParent]

All of your questions are covered in a previous topic if you do a search.

How about being helpful and posting the link for him then ? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Survivors-Be...ts-t305228.html

So that he can learn to UTFSE himself for future use.

Give a man a fish or teach him how to fish and all that.

[Farang0tang]

All of your questions are covered in a previous topic if you do a search.

How about being helpful and posting the link for him then ? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Survivors-Be...ts-t305228.html

Thanks pattayapip, I re-visited that thread again, but still have questions (hence me opening a new thread)

Anyway to keep certain other posters happy I have replied in the original thread.

F

[PattayaParent]

^that's only 1 of several previous threads on the subject.