Pensions

[JohnC]

since there have been many many cases of 'law breakers'! getting decisions overturned by claiming their'human rights' how about using human rights to get the same pension as domiciled brits.

Already been tried, went all the way to the house of lords and got refused, then went through the European Court of Human rights, refused, went to appeal, refused, went to supreme court refused. The pensioners groups are now trying to get an early day motion in the current parliament and currently have some 98 MP s supporting them. However, you need 100,000 signatures on a petition to get an early day motion and they only managed 7500 so looks like a dead duck.

[Kwasaki]

Do you get any extra if your Married.Is it more Paperwork.I went to the Brit Embassy with Original Divorce papers 25 years ago,sto get it all street legal, before Marryin a Thai.More Hoops to Jump through, i wonder.?.

Others things said before are for UK guys if you pop your clogs and socks before your Thai wife and you are legally married, she can claim 2 benefits if over 45 and 1 benefit if not, she can then get a UK pension based on the UK NI contributions you have made.

Edited October 13, 2011 by Kwasaki

[JohnC]

she can then get a UK pension based on the UK NI contributions you have made.

But stopped if she re-marrys or enters a civil partnership.

[wandrinstar]

No doubt if the Mrs Claims,she must submit 6 Photos of your Socks,and report every 90 Days ,to someone who cant speak a word of Thai, i do hope so.

[Kwasaki]

No doubt if the Mrs Claims,she must submit 6 Photos of your Socks,and report every 90 Days ,to someone who cant speak a word of Thai, i do hope so.

No 90 day reporting, no need for photos of socks but 1 claim must be done within 3months and the other within 1 year.

She will have to get someone to help her fill out the BB1 form in English.

[nong38]

No doubt if the Mrs Claims,she must submit 6 Photos of your Socks,and report every 90 Days ,to someone who cant speak a word of Thai, i do hope so.

Wonderful, she will have to report to Whitehall, the UK government will pay for the travel and they will also provide free: interpretors, free accomodation, living expenses, hardship allowance, suitable clothes for the climate, medical assistance, tv, computer and vouchers for Wetherspoons. Good Lord !!!!!!

[Kwasaki]

No doubt if the Mrs Claims,she must submit 6 Photos of your Socks,and report every 90 Days ,to someone who cant speak a word of Thai, i do hope so.

Wonderful, she will have to report to Whitehall, the UK government will pay for the travel and they will also provide free: interpretors, free accomodation, living expenses, hardship allowance, suitable clothes for the climate, medical assistance, tv, computer and vouchers for Wetherspoons. Good Lord !!!!!!

Apart from the photos of my socks, a wife married to a UK man will not have to that either, she can stay in Thailand and people are available to help her with her rightful entitled claim, no need for the good lord to help either. Amen

[mikecwm]

Thank God I get an Australian pension, indexed to the CPI twice a year.

Why don't you also kick us in the balls while we're on the ground?

[StreetCowboy]

Here is a strange tale.A Brit came here 7 years ago,his work ethic sucks to me.A professional Student, until 20 Y.O.Got a minor degree in Russian,went there but got no job,than bummed around in Europe,on state aid and drugs,did 8years in a Brit Office,and paid in to the system at about 40 ish, made redundant and was on the dole till h came here.Now he recons he will get a pension in 10 years time,seems nonsense to me, he recons he was on benefit and had no money to pay for a pension so he gets one.I do hope not,or it belittles ak us Brits who have played fair.

That story seems to be an extention of the many thousands in the UK where people have never worked, been given places to live for free and have generally been taken care of by the state for most of their lives, makes me hugely angry to think about it all.

Thank heavens for Poles!

SC

[wandrinstar]

Yeh, no other Nations flood into Thailand for State Aid. We bring the Aid In,and get called Aliens, what would they call Eastern Europeans and Afro Races.

[nong38]

You can keep your domicil in thailand and your account inj your homeland, just use the ATM about 3 or 4 times a month.withdraw the max so that makes 3 to 4 times 150B and what your own bank charges.

You can avoid the 150 bt charge by going inside the bank with your passport, I do it all the time, saves a lot of money, takes a bit longer but what would you do with the time and its safer.

Could you explain more please, don't understand.

Are you saying if you have a UK debit card from your UK bank and you want to draw money from it the Thai bank pays you in baht at no charge.

Your UK bank will still charge though yes ???

Metrobank does not impose a charge for foreign withdrawals, Nationwide started charging 2% +£1 on top of any local charges, usually 150bts. I changed to Metrobank so pay no charges in the UK. I avoid the 150bts by going into th bank with my passport and doing the transaction with a person and they give me tea whilst all this going on too! Metrobank-online.co.uk

[nong38]

<br />

<br />Do you get any extra if your Married.Is it more Paperwork.I went to the Brit Embassy with Original Divorce papers 25 years ago,sto get it all street legal, before Marryin a Thai.More Hoops to Jump through, i wonder.?.<br />

<br />Others things said before are for UK guys if you pop your clogs and socks <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> before your Thai wife and you are legally married, she can claim 2 benefits if over 45 and 1 benefit if not, she can then get a UK

pension based on the UK NI contributions you have made.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Thats interesting, how would she claim and wouls she need to provide and to whom, does anyone know. The thought of getting something back for someone after I have departed would make me very happy.

[JohnC]

Thats interesting, how would she claim and wouls she need to provide and to whom, does anyone know

Cannot find anything on the pensions website on advice on how a widow would claim a pension so I suggest you call the national helpline and get all the info now thereby making it simpler for your wife when the time comes.

National helpline

08456 060 265

[theoldgit]

Cannot find anything on the pensions website on advice on how a widow would claim a pension so I suggest you call the national helpline and get all the info now thereby making it simpler for your wife when the time comes.

National helpline

08456 060 265

Don't think an 0845 works from Thailand, so try +44 191 218 7777

The full list of relevant numbers is here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/UsefulContactsByCategory/Over50sContacts/DG_178684

[nong38]

Cannot find anything on the pensions website on advice on how a widow would claim a pension so I suggest you call the national helpline and get all the info now thereby making it simpler for your wife when the time comes.

National helpline

08456 060 265

Don't think an 0845 works from Thailand, so try +44 191 218 7777

The full list of relevant numbers is here http://www.direct.go...tacts/DG_178684

I will check it out when I return to blighty in May, no hurry not planning on croacking any time soon, but it always best to be prepared, thanks for help and John C too.

[Kwasaki]

Cannot find anything on the pensions website on advice on how a widow would claim a pension so I suggest you call the national helpline and get all the info now thereby making it simpler for your wife when the time comes.

The full list of relevant numbers is here http://www.direct.go...tacts/DG_178684

I will check it out when I return to blighty in May, no hurry not planning on croacking any time soon, but it always best to be prepared, thanks for help and John C too.

The Thai wife coming into the subject does relate to pensions and this has been posted before by a member in the know and I have kept info for my records, I think this may help some people :-

The following outlines the situation and is to help people helping my wife to understand the position she finds herself in when I am gone and importantly having been married to me a English husband.

I have put together the following information I have gather over the years, the reason is, it seem to be one of the UK cliché’s is, i.e.

“ If you don’t ask you don’t get “.

My reason for all this effort is that when UK expatriate dies leaving a Thai widow, a Thai wife has little idea of what they are entitled to, further more the sad thing is and my main concern, if they ever get to eventually have contact with the UK pension service, they are told, there is no pension or entitlements for them and of course they will accept it, not really knowing what their rights are.

The Pension service people in Newcastle UK are all too fond of telling people here in Thailand that neither they nor their Thai wives are eligible for various benefits, this simply put is NOT TRUE .

Having worked in England, paying Taxes & National Insurance Contributions for over 41 years that makes me very, very angry. The disturbing thing is unless you can get someone to fight the system to help my wife, the hierarchy and alike in England, I believe just couldn't care less.

Do not accept what some Pension people tell you, they may not know the rules or maybe I am being too kind, we are not a majority so as a minority outside the UK they think they can treat us different.

Importantly It matters not, whether your wife is a UK citizen, nor whether she has ever set foot in the UK, if she has been legally married to a UK citizen and having cared for him, she is entitled from his National Insurance Contributions that he has made to the UK as would any UK wife or any other nationality wife would have been whether they were living in England or not.

If more information is required that is not in my following post, go on the UK direct government website for bereavement.

To download the printed form BB1 form if required :- http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/bb1_print.pdf

Information for person or persons to help my wife with UK benefits & pension entitlement the following procedure should take place.

Note :- this is fact. Don't be put off by jealous people who are usually the ones entitled to fligg all.

So with claim form BB1.

My Thai wife is over 45 and can apply for a Bereavement Allowance for a paid period up to 52 weeks dated from her English husband’s death, the amounts go on age.

Please Note :- That my wife must send the claim form for this within 3 months of my death, failure to do so may affect entitlement to benefit.

My wife is also entitled to a tax free Bereavement Payment of £2000 when I die. My wife can claim this Bereavement Payment for up 12 months after the death of her husband.

My wife at 45 years of age or over, after receiving 52 weeks of bereavement benefit will then have to wait in my case until she has reached her state pension age of 66 years of age before she receives any more UK benefits.

The Barclays private pension is a life insurance policy paid at full value at the time but when my UK pension is received it would of matured into a pension itself, it will be reduced to 50% of the receiving value upon my death and be paid to my wife for a number of years agreed on.

I have tried to make this as simple as possible and downloaded the claims form for the Bereavement Payment of £2000 and completed them as far as possible,

i.e. dates will have to be written in etc because I am not dead yet of course. :lol:

The application forms then only have to be sent off with the original documents not copies, that is :-

The marriage certificate, Wife's birth certificate, and her husband’s death certificate.

Further to this, any written Thai on any documents must be accompanied with a certified English translation which I do not see as too much of a problem.

Send them by FEDEX or DHL or a suitable courier so you have proof of receipt of the package to the address that is for overseas claim :-

International Pension Centre - Tyneview Park - Newcastle Upon Tyne - NE98 1BA - United Kingdom.

Please note :-

Let your wife understand if she remarries before her 66th birthday she will be no longer be eligible for UK state pension.

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.

I would imagine and I cannot see why the £2000 and the 52 weeks benefit will not be paid directly into our Thai bank account just like my UK pension payments would of been, this service is free of charge now.

To enable my wife to receive full bereavement benefits I must have the full 44 years National Insurance payments as a rule but this has charged to 30 years.

Personally I should have but I certainly have 41 years, my wife then would likely receive approx 80% of the rate at the time.

This should not however affect her own state pension when she reaches retirement age if it did the same would apply.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

Contrary to some beliefs I will just add that when claiming bereavement benefits, it doesn’t matter about a Thai wife not having a N.I. number.

The benefit people will do this themselves, which then enables them to make payment.

They do not notify you of this NI number but she will have her own personal Reference Number anyway because of the payments being made.

Independent Bereavement Help & support if you require :- Email…. [email protected] or Website. www.cruse.org.uk

I have much info so may be able to help with some questions but if not can point you in the direction of a man who can. K.

[prodriver]

Further to this, any written Thai on any documents must be accompanied with a certified English translation which I do not see as too much of a problem.

It was my understanding that the International Pension Centre had their own translators and that docs. such as birth certificate, marriage cert and death cert. could be sent without them being translated into english.

I'm trying to recall where I have read this....it might even have been on one of the forums on Thai Visa somewhere.

[JohnC]

Excellent info from kwasaki which I have copied in case the question is raised in the future. many thanks.

[Kwasaki]

Further to this, any written Thai on any documents must be accompanied with a certified English translation which I do not see as too much of a problem.

It was my understanding that the International Pension Centre had their own translators and that docs. such as birth certificate, marriage cert and death cert. could be sent without them being translated into english.

I'm trying to recall where I have read this....it might even have been on one of the forums on Thai Visa somewhere.

Yes !! you could be right about that and it may be so for most languages, I've never heard of it when it came to Thai though.

If you get my drift, and I'm sure you would know, when it comes to getting payments from the UK government, even if you are entitle to them by law, the main point is making sure to dot all the ' i ' and cross all the ' t ' and cover all possibilities of any questions they may raise when the BB1 form is received.

So getting translations done whether they need them or not is the best way to go IMO.

Excellent info from kwasaki which I have copied in case the question is raised in the future. many thanks.

Your welcome, when I got to know I was so pleased for my wife now, and to know she would get something from all the years I have flogged my cobblers off during my life in the UK.

Telephone numbers if there wanted are best found on the web site as in up to date ones.

By the way the guy that should take all the credit for this info is " prakhonchai nick " not me.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Kwasaki

[nong38]

Cannot find anything on the pensions website on advice on how a widow would claim a pension so I suggest you call the national helpline and get all the info now thereby making it simpler for your wife when the time comes.

The full list of relevant numbers is here http://www.direct.go...tacts/DG_178684

I will check it out when I return to blighty in May, no hurry not planning on croacking any time soon, but it always best to be prepared, thanks for help and John C too.

The Thai wife coming into the subject does relate to pensions and this has been posted before by a member in the know and I have kept info for my records, I think this may help some people :-

The following outlines the situation and is to help people helping my wife to understand the position she finds herself in when I am gone and importantly having been married to me a English husband.

I have put together the following information I have gather over the years, the reason is, it seem to be one of the UK cliché's is, i.e.

" If you don't ask you don't get ".

My reason for all this effort is that when UK expatriate dies leaving a Thai widow, a Thai wife has little idea of what they are entitled to, further more the sad thing is and my main concern, if they ever get to eventually have contact with the UK pension service, they are told, there is no pension or entitlements for them and of course they will accept it, not really knowing what their rights are.

The Pension service people in Newcastle UK are all too fond of telling people here in Thailand that neither they nor their Thai wives are eligible for various benefits, this simply put is NOT TRUE .

Having worked in England, paying Taxes & National Insurance Contributions for over 41 years that makes me very, very angry. The disturbing thing is unless you can get someone to fight the system to help my wife, the hierarchy and alike in England, I believe just couldn't care less.

Do not accept what some Pension people tell you, they may not know the rules or maybe I am being too kind, we are not a majority so as a minority outside the UK they think they can treat us different.

Importantly It matters not, whether your wife is a UK citizen, nor whether she has ever set foot in the UK, if she has been legally married to a UK citizen and having cared for him, she is entitled from his National Insurance Contributions that he has made to the UK as would any UK wife or any other nationality wife would have been whether they were living in England or not.

If more information is required that is not in my following post, go on the UK direct government website for bereavement.

To download the printed form BB1 form if required :- http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/bb1_print.pdf

Information for person or persons to help my wife with UK benefits & pension entitlement the following procedure should take place.

Note :- this is fact. Don't be put off by jealous people who are usually the ones entitled to fligg all.

So with claim form BB1.

My Thai wife is over 45 and can apply for a Bereavement Allowance for a paid period up to 52 weeks dated from her English husband's death, the amounts go on age.

Please Note :- That my wife must send the claim form for this within 3 months of my death, failure to do so may affect entitlement to benefit.

My wife is also entitled to a tax free Bereavement Payment of £2000 when I die. My wife can claim this Bereavement Payment for up 12 months after the death of her husband.

My wife at 45 years of age or over, after receiving 52 weeks of bereavement benefit will then have to wait in my case until she has reached her state pension age of 66 years of age before she receives any more UK benefits.

The Barclays private pension is a life insurance policy paid at full value at the time but when my UK pension is received it would of matured into a pension itself, it will be reduced to 50% of the receiving value upon my death and be paid to my wife for a number of years agreed on.

I have tried to make this as simple as possible and downloaded the claims form for the Bereavement Payment of £2000 and completed them as far as possible,

i.e. dates will have to be written in etc because I am not dead yet of course. :lol:

The application forms then only have to be sent off with the original documents not copies, that is :-

The marriage certificate, Wife's birth certificate, and her husband's death certificate.

Further to this, any written Thai on any documents must be accompanied with a certified English translation which I do not see as too much of a problem.

Send them by FEDEX or DHL or a suitable courier so you have proof of receipt of the package to the address that is for overseas claim :-

International Pension Centre - Tyneview Park - Newcastle Upon Tyne - NE98 1BA - United Kingdom.

Please note :-

Let your wife understand if she remarries before her 66th birthday she will be no longer be eligible for UK state pension.

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.

I would imagine and I cannot see why the £2000 and the 52 weeks benefit will not be paid directly into our Thai bank account just like my UK pension payments would of been, this service is free of charge now.

To enable my wife to receive full bereavement benefits I must have the full 44 years National Insurance payments as a rule but this has charged to 30 years.

Personally I should have but I certainly have 41 years, my wife then would likely receive approx 80% of the rate at the time.

This should not however affect her own state pension when she reaches retirement age if it did the same would apply.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

Contrary to some beliefs I will just add that when claiming bereavement benefits, it doesn't matter about a Thai wife not having a N.I. number.

The benefit people will do this themselves, which then enables them to make payment.

They do not notify you of this NI number but she will have her own personal Reference Number anyway because of the payments being made.

Independent Bereavement Help & support if you require :- Email…. [email protected] or Website. www.cruse.org.uk

I have much info so may be able to help with some questions but if not can point you in the direction of a man who can. K.

Kawasaki, thanks for that excellent bit of information put in a very straight forward easy to understand language, have a beer tonight!

[Kwasaki]

I have much info so may be able to help with some questions but if not can point you in the direction of a man who can. K.

Kawasaki, thanks for that excellent bit of information put in a very straight forward easy to understand language, have a beer tonight!

From previous post, your welcome, when I got to know I was so pleased for my wife now, and to know she would get something from all the years I have flogged my cobblers off during my life in the UK.

Telephone numbers if there wanted are best found on the web site as in up to date ones.

By the way the guy that should take all the credit for this info and the well deserved beer is " prakhonchai nick " not me.

Regards K.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Kwasaki

[nong38]

Cannot find anything on the pensions website on advice on how a widow would claim a pension so I suggest you call the national helpline and get all the info now thereby making it simpler for your wife when the time comes.

The full list of relevant numbers is here http://www.direct.go...tacts/DG_178684

I will check it out when I return to blighty in May, no hurry not planning on croacking any time soon, but it always best to be prepared, thanks for help and John C too.

The Thai wife coming into the subject does relate to pensions and this has been posted before by a member in the know and I have kept info for my records, I think this may help some people :-

The following outlines the situation and is to help people helping my wife to understand the position she finds herself in when I am gone and importantly having been married to me a English husband.

I have put together the following information I have gather over the years, the reason is, it seem to be one of the UK cliché's is, i.e.

" If you don't ask you don't get ".

My reason for all this effort is that when UK expatriate dies leaving a Thai widow, a Thai wife has little idea of what they are entitled to, further more the sad thing is and my main concern, if they ever get to eventually have contact with the UK pension service, they are told, there is no pension or entitlements for them and of course they will accept it, not really knowing what their rights are.

The Pension service people in Newcastle UK are all too fond of telling people here in Thailand that neither they nor their Thai wives are eligible for various benefits, this simply put is NOT TRUE .

Having worked in England, paying Taxes & National Insurance Contributions for over 41 years that makes me very, very angry. The disturbing thing is unless you can get someone to fight the system to help my wife, the hierarchy and alike in England, I believe just couldn't care less.

Do not accept what some Pension people tell you, they may not know the rules or maybe I am being too kind, we are not a majority so as a minority outside the UK they think they can treat us different.

Importantly It matters not, whether your wife is a UK citizen, nor whether she has ever set foot in the UK, if she has been legally married to a UK citizen and having cared for him, she is entitled from his National Insurance Contributions that he has made to the UK as would any UK wife or any other nationality wife would have been whether they were living in England or not.

If more information is required that is not in my following post, go on the UK direct government website for bereavement.

To download the printed form BB1 form if required :- http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/bb1_print.pdf

Information for person or persons to help my wife with UK benefits & pension entitlement the following procedure should take place.

Note :- this is fact. Don't be put off by jealous people who are usually the ones entitled to fligg all.

So with claim form BB1.

My Thai wife is over 45 and can apply for a Bereavement Allowance for a paid period up to 52 weeks dated from her English husband's death, the amounts go on age.

Please Note :- That my wife must send the claim form for this within 3 months of my death, failure to do so may affect entitlement to benefit.

My wife is also entitled to a tax free Bereavement Payment of £2000 when I die. My wife can claim this Bereavement Payment for up 12 months after the death of her husband.

My wife at 45 years of age or over, after receiving 52 weeks of bereavement benefit will then have to wait in my case until she has reached her state pension age of 66 years of age before she receives any more UK benefits.

The Barclays private pension is a life insurance policy paid at full value at the time but when my UK pension is received it would of matured into a pension itself, it will be reduced to 50% of the receiving value upon my death and be paid to my wife for a number of years agreed on.

I have tried to make this as simple as possible and downloaded the claims form for the Bereavement Payment of £2000 and completed them as far as possible,

i.e. dates will have to be written in etc because I am not dead yet of course. :lol:

The application forms then only have to be sent off with the original documents not copies, that is :-

The marriage certificate, Wife's birth certificate, and her husband's death certificate.

Further to this, any written Thai on any documents must be accompanied with a certified English translation which I do not see as too much of a problem.

Send them by FEDEX or DHL or a suitable courier so you have proof of receipt of the package to the address that is for overseas claim :-

International Pension Centre - Tyneview Park - Newcastle Upon Tyne - NE98 1BA - United Kingdom.

Please note :-

Let your wife understand if she remarries before her 66th birthday she will be no longer be eligible for UK state pension.

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.

I would imagine and I cannot see why the £2000 and the 52 weeks benefit will not be paid directly into our Thai bank account just like my UK pension payments would of been, this service is free of charge now.

To enable my wife to receive full bereavement benefits I must have the full 44 years National Insurance payments as a rule but this has charged to 30 years.

Personally I should have but I certainly have 41 years, my wife then would likely receive approx 80% of the rate at the time.

This should not however affect her own state pension when she reaches retirement age if it did the same would apply.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

Contrary to some beliefs I will just add that when claiming bereavement benefits, it doesn't matter about a Thai wife not having a N.I. number.

The benefit people will do this themselves, which then enables them to make payment.

They do not notify you of this NI number but she will have her own personal Reference Number anyway because of the payments being made.

Independent Bereavement Help & support if you require :- Email…. [email protected] or Website. www.cruse.org.uk

I have much info so may be able to help with some questions but if not can point you in the direction of a man who can. K.

I have just spotted a possible problem, the wife's birth certificate, she does not have one! She does have a Thai Id card but there is no way she could part with that, so how would we get around that one?

[JohnC]

Have a look at this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/499335-birth-certificate-for-settlement-visa/page__p__4712643__hl__thai+birth+certificate__fromsearch__1#entry4712643

I also read somewhere (cannot remember where!) that a Thai person can got to the Amphur in their district where they were born and get a retrospective birth certificate.

[wandrinstar]

At some time your wife must have had a Birth Cert to get her I.D. and Passport. Her Amphur of Birth can issue all the required info, plus a bit of Tea Money.

[nong38]

Ok thanks for that, we usually go there oncee a year visiting. Tea money eh, wonder they might react to a poke in the eye with a shaftpole! Seriously it would be worth a cuppa to get something back of HMRC highway robbers dept!

Thanks to all for this wonderful news, not much of it about at the moment.

[Kwasaki]

Ok thanks for that, we usually go there oncee a year visiting. Tea money eh, wonder they might react to a poke in the eye with a shaftpole! Seriously it would be worth a cuppa to get something back of HMRC highway robbers dept! Thanks to all for this wonderful news, not much of it about at the moment.

It's not a problem as the following post below states. and Thais don't need a birth certificate to get an ID that is obtain by the mother taking the spouse along to the Amphur office and showing her ID, once they have a ID they can get a passport.

Also read somewhere (cannot remember where!) that a Thai person can got to the Amphur in their district where they were born and get a retrospective birth certificate.

Yes that is exactly what Thais do, no need for tea money etc there many Thai people without birth certificates but if they are required they can be obtain from there Amphur office.

This reminds me of a funny lovely little story and a reminder of a " Crocodile Dundee " film.

Mother in-law needed birth certificate, forget why, we go to Amphur office, after a while the family were all in fits of laugher, I when over to ask what so funny, my Mrs told me that they had just asked Mum when she was born, she was silent for a while thinking deeply and then she said " I was born in the summer time ".

The Amphur office made up a date for her by going on the oldest sons age.

Edited October 17, 2011 by Kwasaki

[F1fanatic]

Cannot find anything on the pensions website on advice on how a widow would claim a pension so I suggest you call the national helpline and get all the info now thereby making it simpler for your wife when the time comes.

The full list of relevant numbers is here http://www.direct.go...tacts/DG_178684

I will check it out when I return to blighty in May, no hurry not planning on croacking any time soon, but it always best to be prepared, thanks for help and John C too.

The Thai wife coming into the subject does relate to pensions and this has been posted before by a member in the know and I have kept info for my records, I think this may help some people :-

The following outlines the situation and is to help people helping my wife to understand the position she finds herself in when I am gone and importantly having been married to me a English husband.

I have put together the following information I have gather over the years, the reason is, it seem to be one of the UK cliché's is, i.e.

" If you don't ask you don't get ".

My reason for all this effort is that when UK expatriate dies leaving a Thai widow, a Thai wife has little idea of what they are entitled to, further more the sad thing is and my main concern, if they ever get to eventually have contact with the UK pension service, they are told, there is no pension or entitlements for them and of course they will accept it, not really knowing what their rights are.

The Pension service people in Newcastle UK are all too fond of telling people here in Thailand that neither they nor their Thai wives are eligible for various benefits, this simply put is NOT TRUE .

Having worked in England, paying Taxes & National Insurance Contributions for over 41 years that makes me very, very angry. The disturbing thing is unless you can get someone to fight the system to help my wife, the hierarchy and alike in England, I believe just couldn't care less.

Do not accept what some Pension people tell you, they may not know the rules or maybe I am being too kind, we are not a majority so as a minority outside the UK they think they can treat us different.

Importantly It matters not, whether your wife is a UK citizen, nor whether she has ever set foot in the UK, if she has been legally married to a UK citizen and having cared for him, she is entitled from his National Insurance Contributions that he has made to the UK as would any UK wife or any other nationality wife would have been whether they were living in England or not.

If more information is required that is not in my following post, go on the UK direct government website for bereavement.

To download the printed form BB1 form if required :- http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/bb1_print.pdf

Information for person or persons to help my wife with UK benefits & pension entitlement the following procedure should take place.

Note :- this is fact. Don't be put off by jealous people who are usually the ones entitled to fligg all.

So with claim form BB1.

My Thai wife is over 45 and can apply for a Bereavement Allowance for a paid period up to 52 weeks dated from her English husband's death, the amounts go on age.

Please Note :- That my wife must send the claim form for this within 3 months of my death, failure to do so may affect entitlement to benefit.

My wife is also entitled to a tax free Bereavement Payment of £2000 when I die. My wife can claim this Bereavement Payment for up 12 months after the death of her husband.

My wife at 45 years of age or over, after receiving 52 weeks of bereavement benefit will then have to wait in my case until she has reached her state pension age of 66 years of age before she receives any more UK benefits.

The Barclays private pension is a life insurance policy paid at full value at the time but when my UK pension is received it would of matured into a pension itself, it will be reduced to 50% of the receiving value upon my death and be paid to my wife for a number of years agreed on.

I have tried to make this as simple as possible and downloaded the claims form for the Bereavement Payment of £2000 and completed them as far as possible,

i.e. dates will have to be written in etc because I am not dead yet of course. :lol:

The application forms then only have to be sent off with the original documents not copies, that is :-

The marriage certificate, Wife's birth certificate, and her husband's death certificate.

Further to this, any written Thai on any documents must be accompanied with a certified English translation which I do not see as too much of a problem.

Send them by FEDEX or DHL or a suitable courier so you have proof of receipt of the package to the address that is for overseas claim :-

International Pension Centre - Tyneview Park - Newcastle Upon Tyne - NE98 1BA - United Kingdom.

Please note :-

Let your wife understand if she remarries before her 66th birthday she will be no longer be eligible for UK state pension.

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.

I would imagine and I cannot see why the £2000 and the 52 weeks benefit will not be paid directly into our Thai bank account just like my UK pension payments would of been, this service is free of charge now.

To enable my wife to receive full bereavement benefits I must have the full 44 years National Insurance payments as a rule but this has charged to 30 years.

Personally I should have but I certainly have 41 years, my wife then would likely receive approx 80% of the rate at the time.

This should not however affect her own state pension when she reaches retirement age if it did the same would apply.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

Contrary to some beliefs I will just add that when claiming bereavement benefits, it doesn't matter about a Thai wife not having a N.I. number.

The benefit people will do this themselves, which then enables them to make payment.

They do not notify you of this NI number but she will have her own personal Reference Number anyway because of the payments being made.

Independent Bereavement Help & support if you require :- Email…. [email protected] or Website. www.cruse.org.uk

I have much info so may be able to help with some questions but if not can point you in the direction of a man who can. K.

Quite. I am English and have worked all my life until taking 'early retirement' and moving to Thailand with my husband of 28 years.

He died 3 years later and it never even crossed my mind that I would be entitled to anything from the Brit government as we were both under the retirement age.

I heard about 'bereavement benefit' 10 months after he died, so missed out on the 'weekly allowance'.

[Kwasaki]

Quite. I am English and have worked all my life until taking 'early retirement' and moving to Thailand with my husband of 28 years.

He died 3 years later and it never even crossed my mind that I would be entitled to anything from the Brit government as we were both under the retirement age.

I heard about 'bereavement benefit' 10 months after he died, so missed out on the 'weekly allowance'.

I think you are referring to this part :-

I have put together the following information I have gather over the years, the reason is, it seem to be one of the UK cliché's is, i.e.

" If you don't ask you don't get ".

' F1fanatic ' I know from posts before and my condolences for your loss.

Kind regards K

[wandrinstar]

Are there any Extras you can claim for..?. Ive never been a Doleie all my Life , i have a House in England , paid U.K Tax fully,and Pension , but worked abroard. I went back for a break between contracts,and was advised by a Pro Scrounger to sign on , i did so and had a free holiday. Seeing as they dish Millions a week out to Aliens , i was wondering can i dream up some bullshit claim like they do..Such as Hemeroids and a Bad Back.. or even Kevlar Sock Dependancy. .One thing that pisses me off at Pats Bike Week is meeting the Irish on semi permanant residence here claiming everything and getting it. Excuse my Rant, but they treat us like Trash after all we've put in. Id have no Guilt putting in a False claim anymore.