UK pensions

[adammike]

On 11/16/2017 at 6:45 AM, Jip99 said:

 

 

 

So....... 13 payments in 11 months ?.........no ?

 

 

A foot long piece of string is still a foot long..... however you try to bend it.

The UK pension is payed weekly, my 12 years gets me £46 a week,as I live abroad it gets payed every four weeks not monthly!! so I get 13 payments of about €200 the last one was €210 cos the £ was on the rise.

[sandyf]

19 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Do you have to pay another fee in Thailand?

 

A mate of mine also has his Civil Service Pension paid into his HSBC account in, I think, Jersey, he transfers funds as and when and, as you say, that transaction only costs £4.

 

However whilst the HSBC only charge £4 he's hit with the further charge of about £25 when HSBC sends it to his account with the Bank of Ayudhya. He used to have an account with HSBC here but when they pulled out of retail banking in Thailand he opened an account with the Bank of Ayudhya and the HSBC act as an intermediary bank and take their cut.

 

Do you get this charge, or is there a way round it?

There is certainly no other charges applied by HSBC, only the amount sent plus the £4 ever comes out of my account.

There are no charges listed by TMB but probably a handling fee applied which would be reflected in the rate of exchange. Any fee applied must be minimal or TMB would be giving a better rate than SuperRich, which I would doubt.

 

Did your mate actually open the account or was it done for him. I seem to remember that HSBC said they would transfer all existing accounts, could be they still have a finger in the pie. He may be better off trying another Thai bank.

I have been doing it for over ten years and the HSBC charge used to be £17 so it was a bit of a bonus when they dropped it.

[simoh1490]

On 3/3/2018 at 8:57 PM, nontabury said:

If she were to do that, her pension would return to the original amount.

You must stay in the U.K ( except for short holidays ) for over Two years, then when you return to your previous country it would be frozen again from That date.

NB - are you certain about the two years and short holidays part, what's your source please?

 

EDIT TO ADD:

 

I think you confuse eligibility for benefits in general with the state pension cost of living increases, indeed there are benefits where what you mention about two years/short holidays does apply. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/going-abroad

 

A separate document, not from government but from a reliable source states that six months of residency in the UK is required in order to be paid the cost of living benefit, it says: 

 

 "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".

 

 

http://www.focusondisability.org.uk/leave-uk.html

 

 

Edited June 7, 2018 by simoh1490

[simoh1490]

20 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Do you have to pay another fee in Thailand?

 

A mate of mine also has his Civil Service Pension paid into his HSBC account in, I think, Jersey, he transfers funds as and when and, as you say, that transaction only costs £4.

 

However whilst the HSBC only charge £4 he's hit with the further charge of about £25 when HSBC sends it to his account with the Bank of Ayudhya. He used to have an account with HSBC here but when they pulled out of retail banking in Thailand he opened an account with the Bank of Ayudhya and the HSBC act as an intermediary bank and take their cut.

 

Do you get this charge, or is there a way round it?

I know in the case of HSBC and Bangkok Bank that HSBC uses Natwest as their intermediary because HSBC does not have a banking relationship with BB in Thailand, odd as that may seem. The variables in this appear to be the branch of HSBC that is sending the funds (Jersey and the UK may well be treated differently) and, the receiving bank in Thailand. There must be a SWIFT transfer relationship between the sending and the receiving banks, otherwise, an intermediary will be used and you will be charged accordingly, such relationships are specific pairs of banks.

[billd766]

11 hours ago, evadgib said:

...legion card or show the tattoo?

 

No Tats, sorry.

 

I was a crabfat, not a fish head or a bootneck.

 

I used to belong to the RBL here in Thailand but when the RBL in the UK changed the renewal payments back to the UK I gave up in disgust as it never really worked for me.

[evadgib]

FAO Veterans:

https://www.defencediscountservice.co.uk/

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by evadgib

[nong38]

I don't know if anyone caught that bit in this is money today about the errors that have been found in peoples pensions going back decades, some have been over paid some under paid.

Those overpaid will have future payments reduced until equalized those underpaid will be re- imbursed, do you want to know?

[billd766]

 

I wrote to my MP last week about frozen pensions here.

 

The second is about frozen pensions for British pensioners living in over 150 countries who have had their pensions forzen form the day that they received them.

 

I am a follower of the  APPG group who under Sir Roger Gale are trying to restore frozen pensions to parity with the UK.

 

There is a link 

here http://www.britishpensions.org.au/frozenindexed.htm about it.

 

I am also a member of this group,

 

http://www.britishpensions.org.au/frozenindexed.htm

 

What is your political feeling about this and also your personal feeling"

 

Her response was this.

 

On the policy of frozen pensions abroad, I support the Government’s initiative to guard against the long-term costs of the social security system. I can tell you that this issue has been examined extensively by the domestic courts, culminating in a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in 2010. In all these cases the courts have found in favour of the Government.

 

No surprise there.

 

I followed that up this monrning with this.

 

However I am sad to note that the British government still has failed the moral test regarding "frozen pensions".

 

They seem quite happy to tax me on my pensions, give me no support at all, yet I and many others of my generation and those previous to mine paid the full contributions (in my case for 44 years) yet fail to get the same treatment and pension rates as those who have paid less. 

 

In addition to that "frozen" pensioners get no claim on the NHS or any other "benefits" from the UK and thus save more government funds.

 

We are not asking for any back payments but simply equal treatment that pensioners in the UK and a few other countries get. The cost to the Treasury is far less than that of "Foreign aid" and IMHO opinion the government has a legal and moral duty to amend the law, despite what the ECJ has said. After all, they do not run the UK though they can lay down the law in any way they wish until Brexit has been completed.

 

I am not expecting a reply until sometime next week.

 

Meanwhile I urge all of you with frozen pensions (and still have voting rights) to email your MP asking for thier views

 

After that,who knows?

 

Sir Roger Gale, Conservative MP for North Thanet is in our corner and fighting on behalf of ALL frozen pensioners and he has far more information than I do. Perhaps if you would talk with him you would understand more.

 

Meanwhile I urhe all of you on frozrn pensions and voting rights to lobby your MP whose email address you can find through Google.

 

You must add your name and voting address in the UL and be sure that you are on the electoral roll.

 

 

 

 

[simoh1490]

In fact Bill, UK expats are not only liable to pay 100% of NHS treatment costs but also an additional 50% surcharge. That is the part I find truly galling, especially since immigrants can insure against those charges through a UK government scheme and at a nominal cost but UK expats cannot.

[nong38]

4 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

In fact Bill, UK expats are not only liable to pay 100% of NHS treatment costs but also an additional 50% surcharge. That is the part I find truly galling, especially since immigrants can insure against those charges through a UK government scheme and at a nominal cost but UK expats cannot.

Shocking absolutely shocking.

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

I wrote to my MP last week about frozen pensions here.

 

The second is about frozen pensions for British pensioners living in over 150 countries who have had their pensions forzen form the day that they received them.

 

I am a follower of the  APPG group who under Sir Roger Gale are trying to restore frozen pensions to parity with the UK.

 

There is a link 

here http://www.britishpensions.org.au/frozenindexed.htm about it.

 

I am also a member of this group,

 

http://www.britishpensions.org.au/frozenindexed.htm

 

What is your political feeling about this and also your personal feeling"

 

Her response was this.

 

On the policy of frozen pensions abroad, I support the Government’s initiative to guard against the long-term costs of the social security system. I can tell you that this issue has been examined extensively by the domestic courts, culminating in a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in 2010. In all these cases the courts have found in favour of the Government.

 

No surprise there.

 

I followed that up this monrning with this.

 

However I am sad to note that the British government still has failed the moral test regarding "frozen pensions".

 

They seem quite happy to tax me on my pensions, give me no support at all, yet I and many others of my generation and those previous to mine paid the full contributions (in my case for 44 years) yet fail to get the same treatment and pension rates as those who have paid less. 

 

In addition to that "frozen" pensioners get no claim on the NHS or any other "benefits" from the UK and thus save more government funds.

 

We are not asking for any back payments but simply equal treatment that pensioners in the UK and a few other countries get. The cost to the Treasury is far less than that of "Foreign aid" and IMHO opinion the government has a legal and moral duty to amend the law, despite what the ECJ has said. After all, they do not run the UK though they can lay down the law in any way they wish until Brexit has been completed.

 

I am not expecting a reply until sometime next week.

 

Meanwhile I urge all of you with frozen pensions (and still have voting rights) to email your MP asking for thier views

 

After that,who knows?

 

Sir Roger Gale, Conservative MP for North Thanet is in our corner and fighting on behalf of ALL frozen pensioners and he has far more information than I do. Perhaps if you would talk with him you would understand more.

 

Meanwhile I urhe all of you on frozrn pensions and voting rights to lobby your MP whose email address you can find through Google.

 

You must add your name and voting address in the UL and be sure that you are on the electoral roll.

 

 

 

 

Yes Bill, always worth reminding MP's of the morality of this matter.  I wrote to my MP a couple of years ago when it came up in parliament. Being a Labour MP she said they supported the uprating and it would be addressed when they were in government, not holding my breath.

 

This argument about protecting long term costs is quite despicable, they are effectively saying that they hope expats die rather than repatriate to the UK.

Paying income tax which contributes to the state pension, as far as frozen pensions are concerned is nothing short of legalised fraud.

In my particular case I would suggest it costs more to deal with my annual claim for the extra while I am in the UK than it would do to pay me the full pension.

[evadgib]

On 6/15/2018 at 9:13 PM, nong38 said:

I don't know if anyone caught that bit in this is money today about the errors that have been found in peoples pensions going back decades, some have been over paid some under paid.

Those overpaid will have future payments reduced until equalized those underpaid will be re- imbursed, do you want to know?

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-5844857/Is-state-pension-correct-Government-admits-data-bungle.html

[delphioracle]

I wonder how the Windrush pensioners will fare?

 

Being  what could be described as an ethnic minority it will be interesting to see what may happen. See the cut and paste below concerning the  ICBP email  which I am sure  some here may well have received via their email link.

 

Quote

Dear ICBP Supporter,
 
I write to you as a follow up to CHOGM, where as you know, we made quite a splash with our Advans travelling around London and Windsor with the message of discrimination against frozen pensioners.
 
As often is the case, another event ended up sabotaging some of the press space we were hoping to dominate: the Windrush scandal. We are however, exploring if some of the already deported Windrush immigrants to the UK in the sixties and seventies were returned to countries, where to add insult to injury, their UK pensions would be frozen.
 
We are still insisting with the British government that if British pensioners in the EU are going to be guaranteed the continuation of their pension indexation, then “What about us?”.
 
We are also continuing to point out to the governments of Australia and Canada, where most frozen pensioners live, that when discussing any post Brexit trade deals, the resolution of the frozen pension issue must be part of any negotiation.
 
In other news, I need to let you know that I am stepping down from the Chair and also the board of ICBP. I have been deeply involved with the campaign for the unfreezing of pensions and it is now time for me to step aside. John Duffy of the Caribbean British Pensioners Association has been elected to take over from me in the next couple of weeks. John has tremendous drive coupled with great energy, so I know the fight for justice is in good hands.
I will personally still be involved as I will remain on the Canadian board and will be available for any background information for the new ICBP board.
 
At the same time, our relationship with PHA, the political and lobbying organisation who have been helping us in the UK for the past five years is coming to an end, as their main political staff member is leaving them.  The  new board is discussing strategies for moving forward with this critical element of UK involvement.
 
On another issue,  privacy and GRPR for those of you in Europe. I want to inform you that we hold a safe database of your name and email address, and in some cases country, solely for the purposes of informing you about the campaign to unfreeze pensions, which you originally signed up for. We do not divulge, share or in any way pass on your information.
If you wish to unsubscribe from our communications, please press the unsubscribe button below.
 
Finally, I would like to thank you for your continued interest and support of ICBP
With best wishes,


Shelia Telford
Chairman ICBP

 

Edited June 17, 2018 by delphioracle

[billd766]

1 hour ago, delphioracle said:

I wonder how the Windrush pensioners will fare?

 

Being  what could be described as an ethnic minority it will be interesting to see what may happen. See the cut and paste below concerning the  ICBP email  which I am sure  some here may well have received via their email link.

 

 

 

I got one this morning too and I was going to post it but you beat me to it.

 

Thank you.

[evadgib]

5 hours ago, delphioracle said:

I wonder how the Windrush pensioners will fare?

 

Being  what could be described as an ethnic minority it will be interesting to see what may happen.

#Me too. I'm waiting a little longer to allow HMG time to collate the data they sought prior to last weeks cut off date.

Quote

Further to my observations re Windrush: The home secretary confirmed the following on Andrew Marr 's show this morning:-

- 7 of 31 eligible deportees have so far been traced by HMG with the help of their host govts.

- a further 30+ deportees were sent home after offending in UK and will not be helped by HMG.

I will submit an FoI request later this year to see how many had their pensions frozen and how much the govt pay to correct it.

 

Edited June 17, 2018 by evadgib

[nong38]

26 minutes ago, evadgib said:

#Me too. I'm waiting a little longer to allow HMG time to collate the data they sought prior to last weeks cut off date.

 

If the HMG are correcting pensions what about me and you? We too are an ethnic minority and would certainly not want to be discriminated against.

[nong38]

Just  been watching PMQ and the NHS funding debate and the on going question where the money is going to come from, some from taxes and one MP C Philip suggested that people over retirement age should pay National Insurance contributions, best watch this situation in the Autumn budget when the taxes increases to fund the NHS are likely to be aired, anyone doing cart wheels?

[lungbing]

I think that refers to pensioners that are still working should pay NI, not all pensioners.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

30 minutes ago, lungbing said:

I think that refers to pensioners that are still working should pay NI, not all pensioners.

That's also my understanding

[nong38]

37 minutes ago, Rajab Al Zarahni said:

That's also my understanding

Let us hope that is the case.

[dick dasterdly]

13 hours ago, lungbing said:

I think that refers to pensioners that are still working should pay NI, not all pensioners.

But why should pensioners that are still working continue to pay NI?

 

Having said this, selfishly - I'm more concerned at the prospect of the 'personal allowance' being denied to those living abroad, and paying uk tax ☹️.

Edited June 21, 2018 by dick dasterdly

[Jip99]

4 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

But why should pensioners that are still working continue to pay NI?

 

To be fair, why not?

 

There is an argument that says ALL working people should contribute to NI. I see nothing wrong in that. You receive a salary, you pay tax and NICs.

 

Equally, I see nothing wrong in having an age cap - whether that should be increased to, say 70/75, is open to debate.

 

Another angle is say no further deductions will be payable once you have contributed for e.g. 50 years.....

[dick dasterdly]

Just now, Jip99 said:

 

To be fair, why not?

 

There is an argument that says ALL working people should contribute to NI. I see nothing wrong in that. You receive a salary, you pay tax and NICs.

 

Equally, I see nothing wrong in having an age cap - whether that should be increased to, say 70/75, is open to debate.

 

Another angle is say no further deductions will be payable once you have contributed for e.g. 50 years.....

Because they are no longer entitled to any other benefits than they are already receiving?  e.g. If they lose their job, they're not going to be eligible for 'job seekers' allowance' - or whatever it's called now?

Edited June 21, 2018 by dick dasterdly

[Jip99]

Just now, dick dasterdly said:

Because they are no longer entitled to 'job seekers allowance' - or whatever it is called now?

 

 

Then whatever 'benefits' that may be available should also be extended to match the age that people are expected/allowed to work to.

[dick dasterdly]

Just now, Jip99 said:

 

 

Then whatever 'benefits' that may be available should also be extended to match the age that people are expected/allowed to work to.

Surely that's the point.  If they're receiving a state pension, they've reached that age?

 

Or am I missing the point entirely?

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, dick dasterdly said:

Surely that's the point.  If they're receiving a state pension, they've reached that age?

 

Or am I missing the point entirely?

 

If they are receiving state pension they are usually considered to be "retired" that is/was the norm.

 

I think the only point you are missing is the fact that it may not be unreasonable to expect people (of any age) in employment to pay tax/NICs.

[i claudius]

The problem in Britain so it seems is that the state pension is so low ,many of todays OAPs have to work to make ends meet .

[nong38]

16 minutes ago, i claudius said:

The problem in Britain so it seems is that the state pension is so low ,many of todays OAPs have to work to make ends meet .

The example given by the Conservative MP was someone like Sir Alex Ferguson who was not paying NI and was earning slightly more than the National living Wage! He was working past retirement age much like Arsene Wenger and Roy Hodgson to name others.

I think they will raise NI in the Budget by 1p that would seem to be the fairest way to do it, if you don't count the spongers, asylum seekers and the like who don't want to pay in, just take out.

[dick dasterdly]

I left the uk more than a decade ago, and have lost track.

 

Is there still a 'ceiling' on income on which NI is paid?

[chris2004]

1 hour ago, i claudius said:

The problem in Britain so it seems is that the state pension is so low ,many of todays OAPs have to work to make ends meet . 

They had 40+ years to prepare for retirement. Surely most people would have other financial plans rather than rely on a known low state pension.