UK pensions

[siampolee]

A piece of information concerning my post # 951.

The guy I spoke with requested my email address and this morning I received an electronic claim form along with the guidance notes which I have downloaded.The life certificate form has now been completed and I will be getting the correct signature later this day and then putting said form into snail mail to the U.K.

Again, kudos to the staff , Brett in question at the pension centre for dedication to their clients.

For those advocating dishonesty, note that honesty is in reality a quicker and easier path to follow.

As a bonus to honest endeavors one is unlikely to find ones pension stopped while a fraud investigation is carried out and any subsequent over payments taken back.

[Ricardo]

I dont know how many of you have written to UKIP about our position and if they might like to correct it for a few votes but now is the time,

<snip for brevity>

I myself sent them an email, to [email protected] , and got a nice reply explaining that it's too late now for any further input, to their platform for the approaching election, which is quite reasonable really.

Nevertheless it cannot hurt, if they get some feedback from us potentially-disenfranchised overseas-voters, can it ?

Then next time round, when they're defending seats rather than just trying to win them for a first time, they may remember us & do something !

I would suspect that there are plenty of voters, currently still living/working in the UK, who would hope/dream of moving overseas at some time in the future, and who therefore have an interest in unfreezing-pensions or maintaining their right-to-vote ?

[loppylugs1]

A piece of information concerning my post # 951.

The guy I spoke with requested my email address and this morning I received an electronic claim form along with the guidance notes which I have downloaded.The life certificate form has now been completed and I will be getting the correct signature later this day and then putting said form into snail mail to the U.K.

Again, kudos to the staff , Brett in question at the pension centre for dedication to their clients.

For those advocating dishonesty, note that honesty is in reality a quicker and easier path to follow.

As a bonus to honest endeavors one is unlikely to find ones pension stopped while a fraud investigation is carried out and any subsequent over payments taken back.

From time to time I do comment on this thread,and yes your particular meanderings do get an airing. Just concentrate on yourself and the other"unfortunates" See we can all underline and make it bolder. Over the years we have been informed there is no protocol ,no payments taken back,no punishments handed out no nothing, no dishonesty where nothing is mentioned

Now I understand you are grieved ,but please grieve in silence

[dragonfly94]

Looks to me like honesty gets your pension stopped, is inconvenient and a bit like 90 day reports, unnecessary. I am not advocating not telling them a death occurs. These forms are merely to see if you are still alive, the time to let them know is when you are not, constant checks are intrusive.

[jacky54]

dragonfly 94 post # 952

Just tell them you moved back home and not have the life cert hassle, ceasation of payments is then linked to death cert

Personally I prefer honesty .

Sadly it's your attitude and even perhaps your current ongoing or past actions that cause the honest folk to have to go through all this rigmarole

It's a pity that so many of our politicians and bankers would appear not to agree with you, honesty rarely pays and is often a mugs game.

[Jip99]

Looks to me like honesty gets your pension stopped, is inconvenient and a bit like 90 day reports, unnecessary. I am not advocating not telling them a death occurs. These forms are merely to see if you are still alive, the time to let them know is when you are not, constant checks are intrusive.

'Constant checks' are sensible and good business practice.

Pension trustees of private pension funds do it as a matter of course.

Frankly, an annual check after age 70 is not unreasonable.

I think some thought should go into making the reporting system a bit slicker - even electronic.

[jacky54]

Yes online would be OK, if the Thais can do it surely the UK could, but the UK could not even manage an ID card as too expensive.

[evadgib]

I dont know how many of you have written to UKIP about our position and if they might like to correct it for a few votes but now is the time,

<snip for brevity>

I myself sent them an email, to [email protected] , and got a nice reply explaining that it's too late now for any further input, to their platform for the approaching election, which is quite reasonable really.

Nevertheless it cannot hurt, if they get some feedback from us potentially-disenfranchised overseas-voters, can it ?

Then next time round, when they're defending seats rather than just trying to win them for a first time, they may remember us & do something !

I would suspect that there are plenty of voters, currently still living/working in the UK, who would hope/dream of moving overseas at some time in the future, and who therefore have an interest in unfreezing-pensions or maintaining their right-to-vote ?

I recently saw traffic from Farage stating that anyone visiting UK, even for short periods, should re register as a voter in order to reset the 15 year clock.

[Ricardo]

If Ricardo pays tax at source and it is under his Personal Tax allowance then of course he can claim it back, everybody has a personal tax allowance of 10,000 pounds whereby you do not pay tax if you have earned under this amount.

That is my impression, but I will post an update, whether or not I eventually do manage to get a refund.

Although Standard-Life had said 7-10 days before the proceeds reached me, the lump-sum (25% tax-free + 75% less 20% income-tax) actually hit my Jersey bank-account within 2 days of the phone-call, a good start.

I received the paperwork from Standard Life by post on Monday, including a 3-part P45, it's a long time since I saw one of those !

So I wrote today to HMRC, to request a refund of the tax deducted & sent direct to HMRC under the PAYE-scheme, the letter from the insurer does suggest that it might be able to be reclaimed, saying :-

"The tax amount shown may not be right as all your income for the year has to be taken into account"

&

"Ask HM Revenue & Customs for a tax refund now if you think you have paid too much tax - you don't have to wait for the end of the tax year."

[siampolee]

loppylugs1 post # 958

From time to time I do comment on this thread,and yes your particular meanderings do get an airing. Just concentrate on yourself and the other"unfortunates" See we can all underline and make it bolder. Over the years we have been informed there is no protocol ,no payments taken back,no punishments handed out no nothing, no dishonesty where nothing is mentioned

Now I understand you are grieved ,but please grieve in silence

Now where does the comment unfortunates come into my post as well as the grieve in silence matter?

Methinks that you are a trifle disturbed perhaps even a victim of your own misdeeds.

My other pension providers ask for and receive life certificate verification every now and again, frankly I am happy care is being exercised concerning both my funds and others funds. I certainly do not rely upon the state retirement pension so as I can or rather we can live in comfort

Therefore I am happy and honest, not bitter and twisted..

[siampolee]

Interesting and indeed a worrying comment to those who are currently contributing to their pension funds and possibly those in receipt of pensions.

I can but only presume that this matter is not related solely to the industry that has got its Union official speaking out, no doubt all pension schemes are going to subjected to state robbery and profit plundering at the expense of the paying membership who were or are under the illusion they are securing a decent retirement income and a comfortable old age.,

What next compulsory euthanasia for those attaining pension age?

Prime Minister plays Fagin over Pensions

11 Feb 2015

David Cameron has been accused of playing Fagin with an underhand raid on rail staff pensions, the four rail unions said today. ASLEF, the RMT, the TSSA and Unite issued a combined warning that more than 100,000 staff and pensioners will suffer losses under the proposals from the Tory-Lib Dem coalition.

‘The government, once again, is raiding workers’ pensions to fund tax cuts for the rich,’ said the four general secretaries – Mick Whelan of ASLEF, Mick Cash of the RMT, Manuel Cortes of the TSSA, and Len McCluskey of Unite – in a joint statement.

As part of its austerity agenda, the government is proposing wide ranging changes to the state pension – and not just to the age of retirement. This time David Cameron and George Osborne are picking the pockets of the occupational pension schemes. The government has passed legislation that ends pension contracting out from 6 April 2016, when the new single tier state pension comes into operation. Where schemes such as the Railway Pension Scheme are currently contracted out, this will mean an increase in both employers’ and members’ National Insurance contributions from that date.

The Tories have given the employers a statutory override to simply dip into workers’ occupational pension schemes to pay the increased National Insurance bill – without reference to the pensions’ trustees or scheme rules. They are protecting the rail companies’ profits by raiding rail workers pensions.

Union leaders pledged today:‘We are not going to stand idly by and watch our pensions being plundered to fund their private profits.’

[fgmr]

1. What number of petitioners are considered acceptable to the relevant Parliamentary Committee before they will accept the petition?

2. Has N0.11 Downing St., ever stated what the nett cost to the Treasury would actually be after deducting NHS and Social Welfare expenses?

3. I understood that a petition had been submitted to the European Commission some time ago, is this true?

We still pay our Income Tax and do not even get a vote in the next General Election. Would it not be timely to resurrect this issue?

[lungbing]

You can get a vote if you apply. But the voting paper is sent to you here just four days before the election. Fat lot of good that would be.

[nong38]

1. What number of petitioners are considered acceptable to the relevant Parliamentary Committee before they will accept the petition?

2. Has N0.11 Downing St., ever stated what the nett cost to the Treasury would actually be after deducting NHS and Social Welfare expenses?

3. I understood that a petition had been submitted to the European Commission some time ago, is this true?

We still pay our Income Tax and do not even get a vote in the next General Election. Would it not be timely to resurrect this issue?

The appeal the European Court faiied, the judges back HMG.

HMG and HMRC are very happy that you can contribute to the coffers, they are not interested, at the moment, in the projected savings that pensioners abroad save the services of the UK.

The petition has to have 100,000 signatures for them to consider putting it forward, no g'tees and the ones that have got going tend to get a lot to start with then it tails off as other petitions start and yours going down the list and out of sight. It sounds like a good idea in principal but it its bad in practice.

Sorry to bring you bad news, we need to be like mosquitos and just keep coming back and biting until somethings happen.

There are plenty of other countries who play the same game with ex pat pensioners, we are not alone.

[Jip99]

You can get a vote if you apply. But the voting paper is sent to you here just four days before the election. Fat lot of good that would be.

I have appointed a proxy to vote for me.

I am sure the ex-missus won't mind....

[nong38]

A date for your diaries................ The Budget is on 18th March.

[nong38]

Interesting article in todays Moneymail.co.uk about UK pensioner costs year on year, region on region. I dont expect the HMG will notice that the state pension does not cover the figures shown here, neither the current version or the new super duper version due very soon.

[nong38]

David Cameron is pledging to keep the 2.5% annual pension increase until at least 2020 if he gets re-elected. He also is protecting bus passes, winter fuel and universal credits according to the BBC website today, some in UK news and some in UK politcs. He talks once more about what they pensioners have done for the country, paid their taxes and dues and he wants them to live in dignity etc, have a look and then wonder why you are discriminated against by the likes of David, Ed and Nick.

[transam]

Just a heads up on the Life Certificate thing. Posted mine off a few weeks back, so to be sure they received it I emailed them, they replied saying they had..... .............At least I now know my pension will not stop.

[billd766]

David Cameron is pledging to keep the 2.5% annual pension increase until at least 2020 if he gets re-elected. He also is protecting bus passes, winter fuel and universal credits according to the BBC website today, some in UK news and some in UK politcs. He talks once more about what they pensioners have done for the country, paid their taxes and dues and he wants them to live in dignity etc, have a look and then wonder why you are discriminated against by the likes of David, Ed and Nick.

Big Dave is just another politician in a long line who can smile while lying through their teeth at the same time as shaking your hand while stabbing you in the back with his other hand.

What is the definition of a good politician.

A dead one.

[Ricardo]

and preferably with a stake through his heart, just to make certain !

[billd766]

As a slight aside but definitely a follow up subject I got this link from a mate of mine this evening.

It can be very important to married guys and especially those with young children.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death/y/overseas/thailand/same_country

No, sadly there is no end to the UK government rip offs.

If your widow wants to claim the £2,000 death benefit from the UK then she HAS to go through all this crap and if you have children of school age they are entitled to an allowance while in full time schooling until age 18 I think.

While your widow doesn't HAVE to register a death abroad then by not registering it she misses out on the death benefit and also if she IS entitled to a widows pension or any other benefit she will get nothing unless your death is registered.

Barstewards and double barstewards the lot of them.

[nontabury]

As a slight aside but definitely a follow up subject I got this link from a mate of mine this evening.

It can be very important to married guys and especially those with young children.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death/y/overseas/thailand/same_country

No, sadly there is no end to the UK government rip offs.

If your widow wants to claim the £2,000 death benefit from the UK then she HAS to go through all this crap and if you have children of school age they are entitled to an allowance while in full time schooling until age 18 I think.

While your widow doesn't HAVE to register a death abroad then by not registering it she misses out on the death benefit and also if she IS entitled to a widows pension or any other benefit she will get nothing unless your death is registered.

Barstewards and double barstewards the lot of them.

I can't find any reference in your link regarding any allowance for children of school age.in the event that the father dies.

[billd766]

As a slight aside but definitely a follow up subject I got this link from a mate of mine this evening.

It can be very important to married guys and especially those with young children.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death/y/overseas/thailand/same_country

No, sadly there is no end to the UK government rip offs.

If your widow wants to claim the £2,000 death benefit from the UK then she HAS to go through all this crap and if you have children of school age they are entitled to an allowance while in full time schooling until age 18 I think.

While your widow doesn't HAVE to register a death abroad then by not registering it she misses out on the death benefit and also if she IS entitled to a widows pension or any other benefit she will get nothing unless your death is registered.

Barstewards and double barstewards the lot of them.

I can't find any reference in your link regarding any allowance for children of school age.in the event that the father dies.

There is a link here

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_bereavement_ew/benefits_and_bereavement.htm

https://www.gov.uk/widowed-parents-allowance/overview

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-child-parent-dies/if-one-or-both-parents-die

[phusingpete]

As a slight aside but definitely a follow up subject I got this link from a mate of mine this evening.

It can be very important to married guys and especially those with young children.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death/y/overseas/thailand/same_country

No, sadly there is no end to the UK government rip offs.

If your widow wants to claim the £2,000 death benefit from the UK then she HAS to go through all this crap and if you have children of school age they are entitled to an allowance while in full time schooling until age 18 I think.

While your widow doesn't HAVE to register a death abroad then by not registering it she misses out on the death benefit and also if she IS entitled to a widows pension or any other benefit she will get nothing unless your death is registered.

Barstewards and double barstewards the lot of them.

I have been looking at the forms for death benefits and have not seen any indication that you have to register the death in the UK to claim benefit. In fact it states that the UK will accept a registered death certificate from the country where the death took place. Could anyone confirm this, clearly it is important.

[Eff1n2ret]

As a slight aside but definitely a follow up subject I got this link from a mate of mine this evening.

It can be very important to married guys and especially those with young children.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death/y/overseas/thailand/same_country

No, sadly there is no end to the UK government rip offs.

If your widow wants to claim the £2,000 death benefit from the UK then she HAS to go through all this crap and if you have children of school age they are entitled to an allowance while in full time schooling until age 18 I think.

While your widow doesn't HAVE to register a death abroad then by not registering it she misses out on the death benefit and also if she IS entitled to a widows pension or any other benefit she will get nothing unless your death is registered.

Barstewards and double barstewards the lot of them.

I have been looking at the forms for death benefits and have not seen any indication that you have to register the death in the UK to claim benefit. In fact it states that the UK will accept a registered death certificate from the country where the death took place. Could anyone confirm this, clearly it is important.

I agree with you, only a Thai Death Certificate with a translation is required. The document quoted by "bild" is a bit ambiguous because most of it is taken up with procedures and charges for registering the death in the UK when it has already stated that you don't need to do this.

The actual form BB1 for claiming the bereavement allowance and benefit, preceded by advice on how to fill it in, is here:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/404964/bb1-print-jan-2015.pdf

I would advise anyone to run off a copy and fill it in as fully as they can and stick it in the safe against the evil day. That way the missis is spared the hassle of trying to ferret out the info required to complete the form.

[lungbing]

Already done just that. And told her to check if an updated form BB1 is available by the time I pop my clogs, although I'll keep an eye on that.

The only data she'll have to fill in that I haven't already provided is the date of my death! Then sign it, date it and send it off.

[siampolee]

As above all done and all that is needed is the date of my departure.

[i claudius]

I have done it as well ,luckily my wife reads and writes english ,after many years there.

[Expattaff1308]

The International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP)

An article about frozen pensions in the political online journal the Commentator

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/5644/half_million_pensioners_ignored_by_pm_s_benefit_pledge