Uk State Pension

[yogi100]

They cant even catch terrorists and the like from getting in and out of Britain ,so to be honest i do not think "percy the pensioner" has a lot to worry about.

A lot of Percys have been caught so either some dastardly person has shopped them or there are things we dont know.

Simple question to all if you are a UK pensioner how long have you been out here and continuing to get the annual increase? Any takers?

I am assuming you would be spending 6 months + of the year here.

Personally I would be very interested if there are any with 3+ years, you can initally get away with it for a short while but 3+ years? I await your news!

I know of six fellows who have fallen foul of the pension and benefits mafia in the UK. In each and every case their troubles and woes were caused by informers in either Blighty or Pattaya. This has been my experience over the last decade and many of my pals in Pattaya are expats or long stayers.

So keep your trap shut, tell no one your business, keep your head down and do not reveal your correct surname to anyone if you can help it. These agencies only know what they are told either by yourself or a snake in the grass. In the latter case the authorities are duty bound to investigate but we all know how these jobsworths take delight in causing us distress and twisting the knife and rely on grasses to make any headway in their pathetic careers.

[yogi100]

she has been in the UK , England for 27 months, but has been working legally since week two. I had to pay for her collage, for her ESOL course, and any other course she may want to take. also I had to fight My doctor because most are fund holders and don't want none EU Immigrants. if she was Eastern European she could claim but because the EU and non elected body has in posed this on the UK. I think i will stop now before i get into trouble.

You're hardly being racist about Thais! So why would you get in trouble?

How long does your wife have to pay tax before she is entitled to UK benefits?

The reason why EU citizens are entitled to benefits is (I think) 'cos UK citizens could claim benefits in those countries under EU agreements.

You can't. If you are destitute in Spain your only option is to return to the UK! This happened to my friend, his wife and three children. They only provide benefits for their own and then only for a limited period. If you are English you definitely get nothing, my friend is a wily fellow and looked into all possibilities before coming back to Blighty.

[prakhonchai nick]

Topping up your NI contributions, will ensure you receive a bigger state pension when you reach state retirement age, whatever that will be. But in addition it will, if you are married, ensure tht after your death, your widow will receive bereavement benefits, and be eligible fior a state pension based on the number of contributions made by you.

Bereavement benefits can be a minimum of 2000GBP, could be an allowance of 30GBP + for up to 1 year, if your widow was aged 45+ at the time of your death, and for those who have children (you need not be the father if they are your wifes/widows), your widow could receive the princely sum of 20,000bt+ a month whilst one of the children goes to school and is under 20.

The form you need is called BR1 I believe, it requires specific documents to be sent with the application, so my advice is to get the form already filled in and make sure the lady sends it DHL or similar there is a time limit on applications. Its well worth it, someone will get something back on your behalf!

Your widow is allowed 1 year to claim the 2000GBP bereavement grant, but if there are children the widowed parents allowance cannot be backdated by more than 3 months from date of death.

[nong38]

They cant even catch terrorists and the like from getting in and out of Britain ,so to be honest i do not think "percy the pensioner" has a lot to worry about.

A lot of Percys have been caught so either some dastardly person has shopped them or there are things we dont know.

Simple question to all if you are a UK pensioner how long have you been out here and continuing to get the annual increase? Any takers?

I am assuming you would be spending 6 months + of the year here.

Personally I would be very interested if there are any with 3+ years, you can initally get away with it for a short while but 3+ years? I await your news!

I know of six fellows who have fallen foul of the pension and benefits mafia in the UK. In each and every case their troubles and woes were caused by informers in either Blighty or Pattaya. This has been my experience over the last decade and many of my pals in Pattaya are expats or long stayers.

So keep your trap shut, tell no one your business, keep your head down and do not reveal your correct surname to anyone if you can help it. These agencies only know what they are told either by yourself or a snake in the grass. In the latter case the authorities are duty bound to investigate but we all know how these jobsworths take delight in causing us distress and twisting the knife and rely on grasses to make any headway in their pathetic careers.

How do you know for certain it was informers and not systems, if it were informers, they must have a had a good idea or from what small group it has come from. Edited January 24, 2012 by nong38

[yogi100]

quite a few of my social circle,are over 70 and lived here for at least 10 years and i can vouch,they are all get full oap benefits,

Not quite sure what you mean by this? Are you saying that they get their yearly increase and winter fuel payment etc ?

as this is a open web site,one has to be careful what one says,or who one says it to.

Too true, someone with the necessary authority can trace the location (IP address) of a PC in minutes. Islamic radicals are located in just such a manner by security services in the countries where they are considered a possible threat even in Internet cafes.

However do not let this information cause you to feel paranoid because the appropriate authorities are unlikely to be worried about us old codgers taking steps to preserve our measly pensions which are the lowest of all the advanced nations in the EU. They act on information from informants unless they accidentally stumble upon a 'fraudulent' claim.

[nong38]

The forms you require, off the top of my head are Marriage certificate, death certificate, Thai birth certificate nd I think there is one other, it best to make sure you have everything signed and sealed ready to go and they have to originals, so take your own copies and send it securely. Go and have a look at the form its on the web site under bereavement.

[yogi100]

They cant even catch terrorists and the like from getting in and out of Britain ,so to be honest i do not think "percy the pensioner" has a lot to worry about.

A lot of Percys have been caught so either some dastardly person has shopped them or there are things we dont know.

Simple question to all if you are a UK pensioner how long have you been out here and continuing to get the annual increase? Any takers?

I am assuming you would be spending 6 months + of the year here.

Personally I would be very interested if there are any with 3+ years, you can initally get away with it for a short while but 3+ years? I await your news!

I know of six fellows who have fallen foul of the pension and benefits mafia in the UK. In each and every case their troubles and woes were caused by informers in either Blighty or Pattaya. This has been my experience over the last decade and many of my pals in Pattaya are expats or long stayers.

So keep your trap shut, tell no one your business, keep your head down and do not reveal your correct surname to anyone if you can help it. These agencies only know what they are told either by yourself or a snake in the grass. In the latter case the authorities are duty bound to investigate but we all know how these jobsworths take delight in causing us distress and twisting the knife and rely on grasses to make any headway in their pathetic careers.

How do you know for certain it was informers and not systems, if it were informers, they must have a had a good idea or from what small group it has come from.

The agency representatives told them they were acting on 'information received' from a member of the public although understandably no names were forthcoming. We have our suspicions in such cases and normally are our hunches prove correct. To the best of my recollections in all cases it came out in the wash and the culprits were envious so called friends or bitter ex wives or girlfriends.

One unfortunate fellow had a bar near the junction of Soi Honey Inn and Soi Bhukaow. He was a medically retired Yorkshire coal miner and a fellow bar owner was responsible in his case.

The saying about a woman scorned was not coined in haste. Two of these chaps will bear this out. One 'ex' sent his mail back to the authorities 'in error' or so she later claimed. The other did it out of spite and jealousy.

The others were victims of 'friends' and neighbours

[prakhonchai nick]

Are rewards paid to informants?

[nong38]

The scorned other half or someone who feels they are acting on others( perseved) interest is plausible. For someone out here to do it is stupid they are losing potential business, it does make you wonder though if its worth giving others the opportunity might just be worth being honest and not letting on to just make the informers look stupid, the bonus being that you would sleep easy at night never having to worry about the knock on the door.

Edited January 24, 2012 by nong38

[yogi100]

The case of the fellow I mentioned in my previous post who had the bar in Soi Bhukaow made the FRONT PAGE of the Daily Express when it was exposed around 5 years ago. The Express made more of a fuss over an old, sick ex coal miner living in Pattaya on his incapacity benefit than they ever did about the MPs expenses or the millions of our money given to the posh bankers. He suffered from that lung disease associated with the coal mining industry, not a 'bad back' or 'depression'.

Our betters in the government and the media hypocrites will come down like a ton of bricks on us working class scum so remember the old saying, 'Loose lips, no more trips'.

[steve187]

If you have lived in the uk and paid NI 'stamp ' for three years, you can continue to pay NI contributions at class 2 rates which for 2012/2013 is £2.65 per week. normal voluntry stamps class 3 will be £13.25.

I am not sure if having any income from the uk will change those figures.

I thought it was necessary to prove to the authorities that you were self employed to be able to pay the Class 2 stamp. I certainly had to some 7/8 years ago!

the rules changed a few year ago, prior to the change you had to pay class 3, £12 ish per week

[transam]

Self employed class 2, they then take your NI top up from earnings for the year.

[Patronus]

The case of the fellow I mentioned in my previous post who had the bar in Soi Bhukaow made the FRONT PAGE of the Daily Express when it was exposed around 5 years ago. The Express made more of a fuss over an old, sick ex coal miner living in Pattaya on his incapacity benefit than they ever did about the MPs expenses or the millions of our money given to the posh bankers. He suffered from that lung disease associated with the coal mining industry, not a 'bad back' or 'depression'.

Our betters in the government and the media hypocrites will come down like a ton of bricks on us working class scum so remember the old saying, 'Loose lips, no more trips'.

I may have misinterpreted your posts but they sounded rather like you were condoning fraudulent behaviour.

Apologies if I misread them.

[personchester]

Is it worth all the fuss just to get a small annual increase. If inflation averages 2-3% a year then you would get an extra 2-3 GBP on your pension, enough to buy one beer !!! OK over 10-20 years that would mount up but by that time you will be 80+ years old. You would be lucky to be still alive and even if you are too old to be buying beers (or anything else).

This years increase is about 10%

UK pension doubles approx every 7 years.

You are entirely incorrect, this has never been the case, and it will not occur, if as you suggested, the pensions where to double within 7 years approx: ... that would mean an average yearly increase of 14.28%, it is a magic dream, please wake up,

[cardholder]

Is it worth all the fuss just to get a small annual increase. If inflation averages 2-3% a year then you would get an extra 2-3 GBP on your pension, enough to buy one beer !!! OK over 10-20 years that would mount up but by that time you will be 80+ years old. You would be lucky to be still alive and even if you are too old to be buying beers (or anything else).

This years increase is about 10%

UK pension doubles approx every 7 years.

You are entirely incorrect, this has never been the case, and it will not occur, if as you suggested, the pensions where to double within 7 years approx: ... that would mean an average yearly increase of 14.28%, it is a magic dream, please wake up,

Maybe someone else is dreaming !

Compounding a 10% annual increase would see the pension almost double over 7 years. For example 100.00 would become 195.00 after 7 years = 100 +10+11+12+13+15+16+18 = 195.

Back to sleep personchester

[afarang]

I know nothing about the U.K. , system .I am Australian ,. The moment you pass through Immigration at any international airport in Oz, Centrelink Are informed instantly . All their computers are LINKED. I would be surprised if such a linkage did not occur in the u.k..Simply by scanning your passport. you are

"known" by your pension people to have left the country. Sure , they don't know your destination , or do they? Interesting

[weegee]

the only way the uk will know what is in your passport, is to look at it, if it is not available, they can not know what is in it.

Of course they do. Every exchange and documentation is stored electronically these days. And on record.

CORRECT!!!!!!

[MAJIC]

Possum

The moral rights and wrongs concerning your State Pension,are neither here nor there,its current law only that counts

the fact of the matter is: in order to receive your annual Pension increase requires one,to be permanent resident in the Uk.

This appeal to receive Pension Increases whilst living abroad has already been appealed twice in the European Courts and been turned down,on both occasions except if you live in a European Union Country.

If you are resident in the Uk for 6 months and 6 months in Thailand,then you are not permanently Resident in the Uk,so no ifs or buts,you are not permanently resident in the Uk!

If you decide not to declare the above facts,then you should be aware of the Departments Advertising and Hotline to prevent fraudulent claims............"Its not if we catch you,it's when"

Nonsense !

I don't know why you post such speculative rubbish with researching first !

This from the direct.gov website - it really is quite clear:-

Receiving your State Pension when moving abroad

If you are moving permanently, you will only get yearly increases in your pension if you are in a European Economic Area (EEA) country. You’ll get yearly increases in your pension if you move to a country that has a special agreement with the UK. This special agreement must allow for the annual increase of the UK State Pension. If you spend six months or more each year in the UK, you'll be entitled to your State Pension - with yearly increases - paid in full.

The same DWP Has the following to say on the same subject::

State Pension for Britons living abroad

If you're planning to live outside the UK when you retire, you'll still be able to claim your UK State Pension. Find out how your State Pension is paid if you live abroad. How to pay tax on your State Pension and who to contact if you move abroad.

Claiming your UK State Pension when you live abroad

You can claim your UK State Pension if you live outside the UK. You will only receive the yearly index-linked increases if you live in either:

• the European Economic Area (EEA)
  
• Switzerland
  
• a country which the UK has a social security agreement with, and the agreement allows for the annual increase of the UK State Pension
  

If you live outside those areas, you won’t be entitled to the increases that normally happen yearly. But if you return to live in the UK, your UK State Pension will be increased to current levels.

How to claim your UK State Pension if you live abroad............

So there is some confusion,still not explained on this subject,and I dont believe Thailand has any reciprocal Social Security arrangement on Pensions with the UK,such as EEC Countries.Or as you call it a "Special Ageement"

Returning to the UK for 6 months to claim the Annual Pension Increase is hardly "But if you return to live in the UK,your UK State Pension will be increased to current levels"

So do you think they mean return to live permanently in the UK with a 6 month qualifying period? or just 6 months to get your Annual increase,and then go back to Thailand for 6 months???

Because it appears to me going by the DWP Website that they are saying both.

I believe the only way to settle the Ambiguity is to write or phone the DWP for clarification!

Not such speculative rubbish as you may think!!

[MAJIC]

Possum

The moral rights and wrongs concerning your State Pension,are neither here nor there,its current law only that counts

the fact of the matter is: in order to receive your annual Pension increase requires one,to be permanent resident in the Uk.

This appeal to receive Pension Increases whilst living abroad has already been appealed twice in the European Courts and been turned down,on both occasions except if you live in a European Union Country.

If you are resident in the Uk for 6 months and 6 months in Thailand,then you are not permanently Resident in the Uk,so no ifs or buts,you are not permanently resident in the Uk!

If you decide not to declare the above facts,then you should be aware of the Departments Advertising and Hotline to prevent fraudulent claims............"Its not if we catch you,it's when"

Nonsense !

I don't know why you post such speculative rubbish with researching first !

This from the direct.gov website - it really is quite clear:-

Receiving your State Pension when moving abroad

If you are moving permanently, you will only get yearly increases in your pension if you are in a European Economic Area (EEA) country. You’ll get yearly increases in your pension if you move to a country that has a special agreement with the UK. This special agreement must allow for the annual increase of the UK State Pension. If you spend six months or more each year in the UK, you'll be entitled to your State Pension - with yearly increases - paid in full.

The same DWP Has the following to say on the same subject::

State Pension for Britons living abroad

If you're planning to live outside the UK when you retire, you'll still be able to claim your UK State Pension. Find out how your State Pension is paid if you live abroad. How to pay tax on your State Pension and who to contact if you move abroad.

Claiming your UK State Pension when you live abroad

You can claim your UK State Pension if you live outside the UK. You will only receive the yearly index-linked increases if you live in either:

• the European Economic Area (EEA)
  
• Switzerland
  
• a country which the UK has a social security agreement with, and the agreement allows for the annual increase of the UK State Pension
  

If you live outside those areas, you won’t be entitled to the increases that normally happen yearly. But if you return to live in the UK, your UK State Pension will be increased to current levels.

How to claim your UK State Pension if you live abroad............

So there is some confusion,still not explained on this subject,and I don't believe Thailand has any reciprocal Social Security arrangement on Pensions with the UK,such as EEC Countries.Or as you call it a "Special Agreement"

Returning to the UK for 6 months to claim the Annual Pension Increase is hardly,as the DWP state:"But if you return to live in the UK,your UK State Pension will be increased to current levels"Neither is keeping an accomodation address in the UK would be considered,as in compliance of UK Laws!

So do you think they mean you must return to live permanently in the UK with a 6 month qualifying period? or just 6 months to get your Annual increase,and then flit back to Thailand for 6 months???

Personally I dont think the long drawn out EEC Court of Appeals concerning the Expats disbarment of Annual Pension increases,had in mind leaving a blatant loophole open to those that choose to play the system. (and just for the record the fact that Expats are not given annual Pension increases was a Travesty of Justice IMO) And yes I also paid my 40 years NHS Contributions,so I am also not exempt from the EEC Ruling on this matter.

It appears to me, going by the DWP Website that they are saying both,or deliberately left it open to interpretation.

I believe the only way to settle the Ambiguity in this matter ...is to write or phone the DWP for clarification!

Not such speculative rubbish as you may think!!

Edited January 24, 2012 by MAJIC

[cardholder]

Double post by all means Mr Magic but it is still drivel.

You claimed in post #9 that you are not permanently resident if you stay 6 months in the UK and 6 months in Thailand - and therefore not entitled to the increases. WRONG - unequivocally WRONG.

The direct.gov website (quite rightly) earned plain English awards for ot's content. This could not be clearer:-

Receiving your State Pension when moving abroad

If you are moving permanently, you will only get yearly increases in your pension if you are in a European Economic Area (EEA) country. You’ll get yearly increases in your pension if you move to a country that has a special agreement with the UK. This special agreement must allow for the annual increase of the UK State Pension. If you spend six months or more each year in the UK, you'll be entitled to your State Pension - with yearly increases - paid in full.

[theoldgit]

I know nothing about the U.K. , system .I am Australian ,. The moment you pass through Immigration at any international airport in Oz, Centrelink Are informed instantly . All their computers are LINKED. I would be surprised if such a linkage did not occur in the u.k..Simply by scanning your passport. you are "known" by your pension people to have left the country. Sure , they don't know your destination , or do they? Interesting

As has been said a number of times, the computers in the "UK" aren't linked to the extent that such information is available to other government departments - yet. It's also been pointed out that UK passports are not routinely scanned when passport holders leave the UK, and when they are that's all they do, scan, not record.

I was at a meeting with Jack Straw many years ago when he was shadow Home Secretary, he told me that it was crazy that Home Office computer systems didn't share information, and when he came to power that is one thing he would address. He came to power a couple of years later, and his party stayed in power for a long time, but it didn't happen. I think it will happen one day as e-borders rolls out, and one day I'm sure information sharing could be on the cards, but we are long way off it.

[yogi100]

The case of the fellow I mentioned in my previous post who had the bar in Soi Bhukaow made the FRONT PAGE of the Daily Express when it was exposed around 5 years ago. The Express made more of a fuss over an old, sick ex coal miner living in Pattaya on his incapacity benefit than they ever did about the MPs expenses or the millions of our money given to the posh bankers. He suffered from that lung disease associated with the coal mining industry, not a 'bad back' or 'depression'.

Our betters in the government and the media hypocrites will come down like a ton of bricks on us working class scum so remember the old saying, 'Loose lips, no more trips'.

I may have misinterpreted your posts but they sounded rather like you were condoning fraudulent behaviour.

Apologies if I misread them.

You did not misinterpret my posts, I do condone what you may term 'fraudulent behaviour' however most folk might consider 'social injustice' a more apt and fitting term so you know what you can do with your apology.

What does it matter where a British old age pensioner who has paid his dues chooses to live. Morally justify why a British retiree in the LOS should be financially victimised and not one in Slovakia, Spain, The Philippines or Malta.

I dare say you can quote rules, laws and regulations till you are blue in the face but you sound as if you are the sort of self righteous,

smug, sanctimonious, self important jobsworth who would take delight in landing an unsuspecting ex pat deep in the proverbial. The sort of person who should be avoided like the plague, that's what you sound like, I hope I'm wrong.

Edit. Likewise, apologies if I misinterpreted your post.

Edited January 25, 2012 by yogi100

[astral]

Please visit this site

http://www.pension-parity-uk.com/

for more information about the campaign to change this unfair system

Then visit http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16387

and sign the petition. We need 100,000 signatures to get a debate in Parliament

[yogi100]

Please visit this site

http://www.pension-parity-uk.com/

for more information about the campaign to change this unfair system

Then visit http://epetitions.di...petitions/16387

and sign the petition. We need 100,000 signatures to get a debate in Parliament

I've signed but there was a radio program the other day that revealed the govt pay absolutely no notice of these 100,000 signiature petitions. The gray vote can decide who forms a govt so it would be more effective to pester your MP and try and oganise demos. The main problem is those who are cursed to stay in the UK or have insufficient funds to travel will not give us their support because of envy and jealousy and those sanctimonious pricks who say we should 'obey the law' for the simple fact that it is the law regardless of wheather or not it is fair and just.

[Kwasaki]

The forms you require, off the top of my head are Marriage certificate, death certificate, Thai birth certificate nd I think there is one other, it best to make sure you have everything signed and sealed ready to go and they have to originals, so take your own copies and send it securely. Go and have a look at the form its on the web site under bereavement.

The other one is the BB1 form itself, I have downloaded the form and filled it out as completely as I can, the widow has to put the date of death on the form, page 3 & 6.

Page 4. is a YES or No answer as to whether or not you were in receipt of pension when pegging it.

Page15. sign her name in English will be better and put the date.

Also better to get any Thai on the 3 original certificates translated to English and sending the original translation papers.

I would like to thank and say " prakhonchai nick " has been a great help.

[F1fanatic]

Please visit this site

http://www.pension-parity-uk.com/

for more information about the campaign to change this unfair system

Then visit http://epetitions.di...petitions/16387

and sign the petition. We need 100,000 signatures to get a debate in Parliament

I've signed but there was a radio program the other day that revealed the govt pay absolutely no notice of these 100,000 signiature petitions. The gray vote can decide who forms a govt so it would be more effective to pester your MP and try and oganise demos. The main problem is those who are cursed to stay in the UK or have insufficient funds to travel will not give us their support because of envy and jealousy and those sanctimonious pricks who say we should 'obey the law' for the simple fact that it is the law regardless of wheather or not it is fair and just.

The government cares about:

1) furthering its own ends - more particularly their own future, lucrative non-exec directorships and 'consultancy' work once they leave office

2) their own benefits (expenses etc. - note how their own pension arrangements are unaffected by those imposed on the rest of the public sector)

3) the voters - as people that need to be hoodwinked into thinking the govt 'cares' and, more particularly, their MP 'cares' .

There is not a snowballs's chance in hell of overseas pensioners getting a better deal!

The country is in a mess and the voters have no sympathy at all for anyone who has moved abroad. The govt knows this v well.

[Ricardo]

I've signed but there was a radio program the other day that revealed the govt pay absolutely no notice of these 100,000 signiature petitions. The gray vote can decide who forms a govt so it would be more effective to pester your MP and try and oganise demos. The main problem is those who are cursed to stay in the UK or have insufficient funds to travel will not give us their support because of envy and jealousy and those sanctimonious pricks who say we should 'obey the law' for the simple fact that it is the law regardless of wheather or not it is fair and just.

"pester your MP"

If only those of us, who are permanent-residents overseas, had an MP to pester or represent us !

[transam]

Those in government only care about what THEY can ''possibly'' claim for THEIR own life style. Some MP's are now in prison cos of that fact.

[nong38]

Mp's get a good deal on time served to get the Mp's pension, well its not 30+ years is it and I bet the moving abroad rule does not apply to them, not that I would expect any of them admit to living in Pattaya or similar .

[nong38]

Inpterpretation is something the plain English people seem to have missed, every almost the rules and forms seem to change.

If you are out here and go back to the UK, you would ring up thepension people and tell them you were back and they would temporarily increase your pension whilst in the UK. This would then return to you "overseas level" on departure, so it would be up to you to inform them of your departure date. Now with the 6 month rule if you do an equal split you get everything or if you have been out here for say 10 years, go back to the UK for 6 months and everything is brought up to date again for maybe another 10 years? That is how I interpret it, anyone for a cheap flight?