Thai Wife And English Pension

[worriedgary]

Hi folks,

Picking up from the thread about the increase in old age pensions.

I have been married for 2 years, have been to the thai emmbassy, and had all the legal paperwork done.

My question is, how do iget it registard in england? I have been told if i do so, my wife will be intitled to a pension to? And if anything were to happen to me , i would want her to have this benifit.

For me any increase in state benifit for those who have paid is long over due!!!

I will thank you now for being more well informed than me, and sharing your knowledge.

[Kwasaki]

look back and there are treads on this but l cannot remember which ones.

Here is something l have kept maybe it will help. My wifes name is Oon.

Information :- For People to help Oon with a Widow pension etc.

Additional help can be got from http:// www.thaivisa.com/

The Pension people in Newcastle are too fond of telling people here in Thailand that neither they nor their Thai wives are eligible for various benefits. This simply is not true.

Provided you are legally married (in Thailand or elsewhere) when you die (assuming you go before your wife) she will get a £2000 Bereavement Payment; plus either a bereavement benefit (similar to the former Widows pension) for a period of 1 year only, or if she has children under 20 and still at school a Widowed Parents Allowance which provided you have paid sufficient NI contributions could be as much as £97 a week.

She will also be entitled to the UK state pension for herself at some time between 60/66 (depending on her present age)

This is fact. Do not accept what the Pension people tell you.

It matters not whether she is a UK citizen. nor whether she has ever set foot in the UK

The trouble is that when you die leaving a widow, she has little idea of what she is entitled to, and if she eventually has contact with the pension service and they tell her there is no pension for her of course she will accept it.

Since you are not yet at pensionable age, you will only need 30 NI contributions to secure your full state pension.

But as you say, to enable your wife to receive full bereavement benefits (should they be necessary) you must have the full 44 payments. If you don't pay any more NI contributions, then you wife would likely receive approx 80% of the rate at the time. It should not however affect her own state pension when she reaches retirement age.

As to will help all the Widows when it comes to claiming, this is something being worked on and as they say WATCH THIS SPACE.

This is an online form for claiming Tax back from the UK http://www.hmrc.gov....tindividual.pdf

The UK international tax people I call are on (008) 44 191 218 7777 if that helps anyone.

She can claim a one off berevement allowance of 2000 GBP. She needs to apply for this allowance within 12 months of the death of her husband. If you go onto the direct gov website and search for berevement you can download the application form. You can complete the form on her behalf. She will need to enclose her original marriage certificate, her husbands death certificate, and if she has been married before she must enclose her divorce certificate. All of these doc's must be accompanied with a certified English translation. Send them by FEDEX. Once the claim has been rubber stamped they will post back the documents by registered mail. The claim will take approx 4 months to process. They will send her a UK Sterling cheque for 2000GBP.

With regards to a UK state pension. Her husband must have been 65 years + old when he passed away and have been in receipt of his state pension. She must be at least 45 years of age when her husband died. The state pension is paid on a sliding scale dependant on her age. At 45 yrs old she would recieve 28 GBP per week, increasing with her age to 90 GBP per week when she reaches 60 years of age. If she was not 45 years old or older when her husband past away she will have to wait until she is 60 years old to make a claim. If she remarries between now and her 60th birthday she will receive nothing. Again, the application form can be found on the gov website.

A widow, 45 or over (WITHOUT CHILDREN for whom she could claim Widowed Parents Allowance) can claim the bereavement allowance which is payable for just 1 year, at varying rates depending on her age and her husbands NI contributions. After 1 year she must wait till she has reached state pension age before she receives more money.

May I just add that when claiming bereavement benefits, it is NOT necessary to request a NI number. The benefit people will do this themselves, which then enables them to make payment.

They do not notify you of the NI number, but it can be found on bank statements if the payments are made to a UK bank account.

There is one thing knowing what's available and another making sure our wives know about it and can claim it when we are gone.

Together with another Brit (ex Bank Manager) we have established PRAKHONCHAI FINANCIAL SERVICES which assists farangs and their widows with regard to UK pensions. We fight the system that says Thai widows cannot have and we have won every time.

What we are wanting to do is to establish a system where we are able to find out about new widows, and at the very minimum offer advice, which perhaps a family member can follow up on. Otherwise for a small fee we will deal with the whole procedure and ensure that all bereavement benefits are paid.

We have also had success re UK probate, where a foreigner has died with money in the UK, with no will, and that of course belongs to his widow. It takes a lot of time and negotiation but at the end of the day it is very rewarding when we see the widow finally receiving her money. The last one received well over 2 million baht!

Clearly Thai Visa would not allow us to mention our service, but since word of mouth in the lower Isaan area has allowed us to help people up to now, perhaps that is the way to go.

If you have any ideas I would welcome

Unless the rules have changed regarding NI credits since 2006, I don't think you're right.

I'm looking at a letter that I received from HMR&C dated 31st July, 2006 sent to me at my address in Thailand.

I quote;

Thank you for your letter dated 04/07/2006. I can confirm that voluntary contributions have been paid for the full period 07/04/1996 - 08/04/2006 (10 full tax years). As you will be 60 years of age on 13/10/2006, your account will be awarded with auto credits from the beginning of the tax year in which you turn 60, (09/04/2006) to the beginning of the tax year in which you turn 65, (April 2011) as long as you do not qualify to pay Class 1 contributions, while working for an employer or working in a self-employed capacity, for any period.

A full 5 years of auto credits will contribute a further 5 years to your final Retirement Pension (PR), I hope this answers all your queries.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs C. Hymers

Self-Employment Services

As I've been living in Thailand since 1995 it would therefore appear what you say is incorrect that one has to be living in the UK to get NI credits.

[terrier123]

look back and there are treads on this but l cannot remember which ones.

Here is something l have kept maybe it will help. My wifes name is Oon.

Information :- For People to help Oon with a Widow pension etc.

Additional help can be got from http:// www.thaivisa.com/

The Pension people in Newcastle are too fond of telling people here in Thailand that neither they nor their Thai wives are eligible for various benefits. This simply is not true.

Provided you are legally married (in Thailand or elsewhere) when you die (assuming you go before your wife) she will get a £2000 Bereavement Payment; plus either a bereavement benefit (similar to the former Widows pension) for a period of 1 year only, or if she has children under 20 and still at school a Widowed Parents Allowance which provided you have paid sufficient NI contributions could be as much as £97 a week.

She will also be entitled to the UK state pension for herself at some time between 60/66 (depending on her present age)

This is fact. Do not accept what the Pension people tell you.

It matters not whether she is a UK citizen. nor whether she has ever set foot in the UK

The trouble is that when you die leaving a widow, she has little idea of what she is entitled to, and if she eventually has contact with the pension service and they tell her there is no pension for her of course she will accept it.

Since you are not yet at pensionable age, you will only need 30 NI contributions to secure your full state pension.

But as you say, to enable your wife to receive full bereavement benefits (should they be necessary) you must have the full 44 payments. If you don't pay any more NI contributions, then you wife would likely receive approx 80% of the rate at the time. It should not however affect her own state pension when she reaches retirement age.

As to will help all the Widows when it comes to claiming, this is something being worked on and as they say WATCH THIS SPACE.

This is an online form for claiming Tax back from the UK

The UK international tax people I call are on (008) 44 191 218 7777 if that helps anyone.

She can claim a one off berevement allowance of 2000 GBP. She needs to apply for this allowance within 12 months of the death of her husband. If you go onto the direct gov website and search for berevement you can download the application form. You can complete the form on her behalf. She will need to enclose her original marriage certificate, her husbands death certificate, and if she has been married before she must enclose her divorce certificate. All of these doc's must be accompanied with a certified English translation. Send them by FEDEX. Once the claim has been rubber stamped they will post back the documents by registered mail. The claim will take approx 4 months to process. They will send her a UK Sterling cheque for 2000GBP.

With regards to a UK state pension. Her husband must have been 65 years + old when he passed away and have been in receipt of his state pension. She must be at least 45 years of age when her husband died. The state pension is paid on a sliding scale dependant on her age. At 45 yrs old she would recieve 28 GBP per week, increasing with her age to 90 GBP per week when she reaches 60 years of age. If she was not 45 years old or older when her husband past away she will have to wait until she is 60 years old to make a claim. If she remarries between now and her 60th birthday she will receive nothing. Again, the application form can be found on the gov website.

A widow, 45 or over (WITHOUT CHILDREN for whom she could claim Widowed Parents Allowance) can claim the bereavement allowance which is payable for just 1 year, at varying rates depending on her age and her husbands NI contributions. After 1 year she must wait till she has reached state pension age before she receives more money.

May I just add that when claiming bereavement benefits, it is NOT necessary to request a NI number. The benefit people will do this themselves, which then enables them to make payment.

They do not notify you of the NI number, but it can be found on bank statements if the payments are made to a UK bank account.

There is one thing knowing what's available and another making sure our wives know about it and can claim it when we are gone.

Together with another Brit (ex Bank Manager) we have established PRAKHONCHAI FINANCIAL SERVICES which assists farangs and their widows with regard to UK pensions. We fight the system that says Thai widows cannot have and we have won every time.

What we are wanting to do is to establish a system where we are able to find out about new widows, and at the very minimum offer advice, which perhaps a family member can follow up on. Otherwise for a small fee we will deal with the whole procedure and ensure that all bereavement benefits are paid.

We have also had success re UK probate, where a foreigner has died with money in the UK, with no will, and that of course belongs to his widow. It takes a lot of time and negotiation but at the end of the day it is very rewarding when we see the widow finally receiving her money. The last one received well over 2 million baht!

Clearly Thai Visa would not allow us to mention our service, but since word of mouth in the lower Isaan area has allowed us to help people up to now, perhaps that is the way to go.

If you have any ideas I would welcome

Unless the rules have changed regarding NI credits since 2006, I don't think you're right.

I'm looking at a letter that I received from HMR&C dated 31st July, 2006 sent to me at my address in Thailand.

I quote;

Thank you for your letter dated 04/07/2006. I can confirm that voluntary contributions have been paid for the full period 07/04/1996 - 08/04/2006 (10 full tax years). As you will be 60 years of age on 13/10/2006, your account will be awarded with auto credits from the beginning of the tax year in which you turn 60, (09/04/2006) to the beginning of the tax year in which you turn 65, (April 2011) as long as you do not qualify to pay Class 1 contributions, while working for an employer or working in a self-employed capacity, for any period.

A full 5 years of auto credits will contribute a further 5 years to your final Retirement Pension (PR), I hope this answers all your queries.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs C. Hymers

Self-Employment Services

As I've been living in Thailand since 1995 it would therefore appear what you say is incorrect that one has to be living in the UK to get NI credits.

You have certainly put a lot in your answer to the original poster BUT, are you sure of these facts and

have you taken into account the pensions re-shuffle in last week's budget? Just one another question reference the contact number for having Tax refunded -- do you mean for the widow or yourself as it is well documented in many places that UK sourced money will FOR EVERMORE be taxed? I have other points to raise which I will email you tomorrow after reading other replies.

[LeCharivari]

Plenty of threads, but there's still plenty of incorrect information being posted!

There were considerable changes to state pension regulations this year and last, invalidating much of what was valid 4 years ago. Auto credits, for example, are being phased out entirely from 2010 to 2019, and you do have to be living in the UK to get them. The regulations could hardly be clearer.

[Kwasaki]

Plenty of threads, but there's still plenty of incorrect information being posted!

There were considerable changes to state pension regulations this year and last, invalidating much of what was valid 4 years ago. Auto credits, for example, are being phased out entirely from 2010 to 2019, and you do have to be living in the UK to get them. The regulations could hardly be clearer.

Yes, we know all that but there's a lot of scaremongering and those people who are concerned about their Thai wife when clogs are popped.

Any information is valuable.

You talk of credits they are a thing of the past since you only need 30 years contributions now.

Change of regulations affect people who come into the time frame just as the change from 65 - 70 for pensions.

[travelmann]

You can rest assured that in 20 years it will probably all be gone!!!

[true blue]

i sorted out married mans allowance, last year in uk, before the cut off date for marrige allowance,which was april 2010,which they pay 57quid for 10 years,then finish,if wife under 45 when i pop off she only get a one off payment,

but with all this new legalastion coming in it looks as though any british pensioner, who does not reside in uk, will get a british old age pension.

[billd766]

I wrote to the pensions department a while ago and called them 2 weeks ago querying what my wife would be entitled to on my death.

She is now 45 (this week) and we have a 6 year old son.

A couple of days ago I got a reply dated 11th October 2010 which I have attached and also a bereavement booklet which I scanned and put onto Photobucket.

That link is here

http://s847.photobucket.com/albums/ab37/billd766/bereavement%20benefits/

and the letter I received is here

I hope that this will help some of us older posters.

[Johnniey]

i sorted out married mans allowance, last year in uk, before the cut off date for marrige allowance,which was april 2010,which they pay 57quid for 10 years,then finish,if wife under 45 when i pop off she only get a one off payment,

but with all this new legalastion coming in it looks as though any british pensioner, who does not reside in uk, will get a british old age pension.

So when I retire in 17 years, I have no chance of getting a married man's allowance?

What legislation are you talking about? Are you saying that a pensioner, who has been abroad and not paid all the NI contributions will get a pension?

[phutoie2]

This doc may help, however last week it was announced that from 2020 state pension age goes up to age 66.

Last year I had a letter from Newcastle people informing that I must pay 44 years NI contributions for full bereavment allowance, I have only paid 36 years so far but I can make voluntary contributions from Thailand. ( I know of the 30 year change now for state pen) They kindly inform you of the amount.

Bereavement payment & Allowance.pdf

[billd766]

This doc may help, however last week it was announced that from 2020 state pension age goes up to age 66.

Last year I had a letter from Newcastle people informing that I must pay 44 years NI contributions for full bereavment allowance, I have only paid 36 years so far but I can make voluntary contributions from Thailand. ( I know of the 30 year change now for state pen) They kindly inform you of the amount.

Bereavement payment & Allowance.pdf

Yours is probably better than mine

Thanks

[Farang0tang]

[quote name='Kwasaki' timestamp='1288011059' post='3979491'

(original post edited due to length)

.......Provided you are legally married (in Thailand or elsewhere) when you die (assuming you go before your wife) she will get a £2000 Bereavement Payment; plus either a bereavement benefit (similar to the former Widows pension) for a period of 1 year only, or if she has children under 20 and still at school a Widowed Parents Allowance which provided you have paid sufficient NI contributions could be as much as £97 a week............

........A widow, 45 or over (WITHOUT CHILDREN for whom she could claim Widowed Parents Allowance) can claim the bereavement allowance which is payable for just 1 year, at varying rates depending on her age and her husbands NI contributions. After 1 year she must wait till she has reached state pension age before she receives more money..............

With regards to above Widowed Parents Allowance, it states in the attached leaflet, that to qualify you must be in receipt of Child Allowance.

Am I correct in understanding that Child Allowance is not paid to those living outside UK/Eurozone? (Except possibly for some of the chosen few - FCO staff etc)

Bereavement_payment_&_Allowance1.pdf

[billd766]

When I spoke to them a few weeks ago they told me that my wife would be entitled to payment for our son (aged 6 now) until he is 20 as long as he is not at University.

My wife was 45 last month and will qualify for a pension in her own right at the pensionable age for women now 65, next year 66.

If you look at my post of 30 Oct it has a copy of their letter and their contact details so I will probably ring the later and also email them for further information.

Post #9

Edited November 1, 2010 by billd766

[true blue]

i sorted out married mans allowance, last year in uk, before the cut off date for marrige allowance,which was april 2010,which they pay 57quid for 10 years,then finish,if wife under 45 when i pop off she only get a one off payment,

but with all this new legalastion coming in it looks as though any british pensioner, who does not reside in uk, will get a british old age pension.

So when I retire in 17 years, I have no chance of getting a married man's allowance?

What legislation are you talking about? Are you saying that a pensioner, who has been abroad and not paid all the NI contributions will get a pension?

yes to part one,no one can apply for his missus now, and get a additional married mans allowance added to his exsisting old age pension.

part two was a bit of scare mongering by the daily mail,(mouthpiece for tory party) though they are bringing out sweeping pension changes in 5 yrs time.

[billd766]

When I spoke to them a few weeks ago they told me that my wife would be entitled to payment for our son (aged 6 now) until he is 20 as long as he is not at University.

My wife was 45 last month and will qualify for a pension in her own right at the pensionable age for women now 65, next year 66.

If you look at my post of 30 Oct it has a copy of their letter and their contact details so I will probably ring the later and also email them for further information.

Post #9

I rang the Pensions Bereavement Department to check what my wife would be granted (assuming nothing changes before she need it) and looking at the letter they sent me the clearly state in the second paragraph that my wife IS entitled to a GBP 2,000 Bereavement Payment AND a Widowed Parents Allowance until our son reaches 20 provided he is in full time education but not at University.

[Englander]

The "entitlement belief" is so strong in the older generation in fact in Brits in general, why not save and pay for your wifes retirement instead of expecting my generation to fund it.

Edited November 3, 2010 by Englander

[Kwasaki]

Well believe or not it's good news all round really for the Thai wives of some of us especially those who have only 30 year contributions.

Bit of sour grapes for some but that's life ain't it.

Edited November 3, 2010 by Kwasaki

[saraburioz]

The Pension people in Newcastle are too fond of telling people here in Thailand that neither they nor their Thai wives are eligible for various benefits. This simply is not true.

Provided you are legally married (in Thailand or elsewhere) when you die (assuming you go before your wife) she will get a £2000 Bereavement Payment; plus either a bereavement benefit (similar to the former Widows pension) for a period of 1 year only, or if she has children under 20 and still at school a Widowed Parents Allowance which provided you have paid sufficient NI contributions could be as much as £97 a week.

She will also be entitled to the UK state pension for herself at some time between 60/66 (depending on her present age)

This is fact. Do not accept what the Pension people tell you.

Wait a minute - a 70 year old guy gets tricked into marriage(it happens all the time)by a 45 year old internet hooker with kids, comes to Thailand and dies 6 days later from falling down the stairs or in his sleep. The woman can claim 2000 pounds and then get all that money for the next 50 years. The British Government surely aren't that stupid.

Sounds like you will probably ask these poor Thai widows for 50% as your fee.