UK pensions

[evadgib]

Some may find this useful too:

Changes to HMRC telephone numbers

[NoshowJones]

Think you will find its £148 per week.

The guy is already on OAP so he will stick with that rate he is on now...13 weeks? hardly worth it flying backwards and forwards

For increases a person could stay 90 days in Thailand -- hop over to the philippines for long enough to register with DWP and hop back again for the next 90 days. Dunno about Pension Credits though - seems like that is a different ball-game

I am registered in LOS and my basic was topped up to 135 quid......

I know someone who's friend lives in LOS but pension wise lives in the UK , was caught out and is now having to pay money back.

Pray tell,how is the money being paid back?

It is UK law that a person on a state pension must be left with a decent amount to live on.

[topt]

I am registered in LOS and my basic was topped up to 135 quid......

I know someone who's friend lives in LOS but pension wise lives in the UK , was caught out and is now having to pay money back.

Pray tell,how is the money being paid back?

It is UK law that a person on a state pension must be left with a decent amount to live on.

possum1931 - do you have link to reference that statement - and how do you define "decent"?

[Liquorice]

Slightly off topic, but someone mentioned repayment of overpaid benefits.

I was a single parent, raised 4 kids, and received child tax credits from 2003 - 2006.

In 2005 I was told I had been overpaid for 2 years as a result of not informing them of a change in circumstances,

from self employed to employed. That wasn't true, I informed them of all changes and salary.

They said I would have to appeal, which I duly obliged.

It took 10 months to receive a reply, which stated I had actually been underpaid by 2K+ for 2003 and the funds had

been deposited in my bank............sure enough the cash was already deposited.

Two days later, I received another reply that I had also been underpaid 2K+ for 2004 and the funds had been deposited

in my bank........sure enough the cash was already deposited. That was over £5K deposited in 3 days.

We had a brilliant holiday in Menorca that year. lol.

Then I received notification that the Appeals team had actually calculated the benefits incorrectly and I had been overpaid

by some £2K+ and demanding a cheque within 30 days. By this time I'd lost all confidence in their ability to calculate anything and requested a full breakdown, month by month, year by year.

My youngest daughter reached 19 by 2006 so all payments were then stopped.

I kid you not, it took 10 months to receive any reply and I never got a breakdown so refused to repay anything.

Once a year I'd get a reply and once a year I'd repeat the request for a breakdown of figures.

In 2012 I received a reply stating they admitted the error was the theirs, but as a period of 6 years had lapsed they were writing the amount off and closing the case.

That would suggest benefits overpayments can only be reclaimed for up to 6 years.

I think acts of deliberate fraud may be the exception.

[JetsetBkk]

" If we pay you too much money If we pay you too much money we have the right to take back any money we pay that you are not entitled to. This may be because of the way the payment system works. For example, you may give us some information which means you are entitled to less money. Sometimes we may not be able to change the amount we have already paid you. This means we will have paid you money that you are not entitled to. We will contact you before we take back any money. Important additional information You must tell us straight away when your bank or account details change. If you do not, your payments may be delayed. If you require further information, please contact us on +44 191 218 7777. You may find it useful to keep these notes."

Allow me, Rajab. (I'm feeling very helpful today )

Go here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-basic-state-pension

Download the PDF file: "The basic State Pension, Ref: BR1"

Open with PDF reader.

Go to page 11: "Notes to help you fill in your claim form continued"

Read para 3, titled: "If we pay you too much money"

My good deed for the day.

[uptheos]

Benefit overpayments and social fund loans

The Limitation Act says that the limitation period for benefit overpayments and social fund loans is six years.

The cause of action (when the limitation period starts running) for benefit overpayments, is when a final decision is made on the overpayment.

This is most likely to be a final decision by a council, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or a tribunal.

For social fund loans, the cause of action is when the loan becomes due for repayment.

If the council or DWP tries to issue a county court claim against you for an overpayment of benefit, and you think it is statute-barred, you can put in a defence. This is complicated and you should get legal advice first.

However, if you are getting ongoing benefits, the DWP or council can take money directly from your benefit or wages to repay overpayments. The rules can be complicated.

[Liquorice]

Why don't you two just agree to disagree and shake hands.

Your diverting and developing this topic into a personal tit for tat and point scoring exercise.

Nothing personal but if I were a Mod I'd delete all your posts that had nothing to do with UK Pensions.

I like many others have a personal interest in this topic, but whenever I get a new reply message, I really don't want to continue reading your personal slanging match.

You've both made excellent contributions to the forum in the past, but your only demeaning yourselves now.

[theoldgit]

No comment needed, now let's draw a line and move on.

[nong38]

Not much in the UK budget to worry expats and possibly one little bit of good news, it seems like anyone receiving dividend interest from shares will have a 5000gbp allowance from some time in the future so I am sure some look forward to that, personal tax allowance will now make small gains every year by the look of it til the end of the Parliament.

[sandyf]

What concerned me as I mentioned above, is that if he were to apply for Pension Credit and get that refused as he comes to Thailand every 6 months, the next thing they will do is refuse him his Pension increase as well as he 'lives' in a Thailand - a country not eligible for the annual increase!

Thanks again to you all for your feedback.

He would be entitled for the time in the UK, so no refusal. I applied for the time I was back to sell my house, about 3 months. It is a slow process and you need to be there as they can phone you up any time to ask questions. I had become ineliglble by the time they paid me. The good thing was that after I had ceased to be eligible they continued to pay for a further 6 months, sometimes you do get something for nothing.

I am not sure on current rates but he would get the difference between OAP and pension credit. That could be reduced by a certain amount depending on money in the bank. Other benefits may also be available so it is worth doing, even for a short time.

[nong38]

The 5000gbp dividend allowance starts next April and the Personal Tax allowance goes up to 11,000GBP (up 400 ) the following year 2017 it is go up by a further 200GBP to 11200 GBP.

Good article in the Moneymail.co.uk today, there might be other things that apply to you, buy to let landlords etc.

[JB300]

The 5000gbp dividend allowance starts next April and the Personal Tax allowance goes up to 11,000GBP (up 400 ) the following year 2017 it is go up by a further 200GBP to 11200 GBP.

Good article in the Moneymail.co.uk today, there might be other things that apply to you, buy to let landlords etc.

Interesting as about the only benefit I see of being a non-working non-UK resident is that I wouldn't have to pay additional tax on dividends if I went above the higher tax rate, if this allowance is a sign of things to come then I'm tempted to declare myself as a UK resident (for tax purposes) as I can only see this helping in terms of future changes to frozen pensions/access to NHS etc...

Anything I'm missing here???

NB I'm ignoring capital gains tax as all of my assets were either purchased more than 5 (complete tax) years ago or have been purchased whilst I've been a non-resident.

[sandyf]

I am registered in LOS and my basic was topped up to 135 quid......

I know someone who's friend lives in LOS but pension wise lives in the UK , was caught out and is now having to pay money back.

Pray tell,how is the money being paid back?

It is UK law that a person on a state pension must be left with a decent amount to live on.

You are not being clear enough, it is not part of state pension, the age was 60 when I claimed. At the moment if you have reached the qualifying age a single person is entitled to £151.20 a week, couples £230.85. If your income is below that level it can be topped up with pension credit. You cannot claim pension credit if you live abroad.

[Ebenezer]

I thought that getting more by deferring was ending, but it seems not. Deferring looks like a good idea if you're (ahem) abroad. Even under the new scheme you get 1% extra for every nine weeks you defer, which is attractive.

...................and if you live abroad, in a country where the pension increases are normally frozen, you also get the benefit of receiving these increases for the duration of the deferment period.

Crai Krup. I have been deferring my pension in the hope that what you say is correct i.e. I will get the deferral uplift when I take my pension even though I live in Thailand. Was this also your assumption or do you know it to be the case?

[theoldgit]

I deferred my pension a couple of years ago and got mine paid at the higher rate in the new tax year.

I did call Newcastle for advice, and they told me I would get the lower rate, they were wrong.

[NoshowJones]

I would like everyone who is interested in the freezing of UK pensions, to go to Topic "Forced to return to home country- What would you do?

Then go to post #151 from Linky. Then read what poster Geriatric Kid has said in answer to my post about frozen pensions.

[evadgib]

Links of interest to this board:

Freedom of information: new Commission

Offshore tax evaders to face tough new criminal sanctions

DWP annual report and accounts 2014 to 2015

[jpinx]

Links of interest to this board:

Freedom of information: new Commission

Offshore tax evaders to face tough new criminal sanctions

DWP annual report and accounts 2014 to 2015

quote --

over 90 countries across the world sign up to automatically exchange information on taxpayers

--endquote

Anyone know where this list is?

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Links of interest to this board:

Freedom of information: new Commission

Offshore tax evaders to face tough new criminal sanctions

DWP annual report and accounts 2014 to 2015

I also found this interesting quote from the government paper: Tackling Fraud Error and Debt in the Benefits and Tax Credit System (March 2015):

"DWP has also increased its efforts to eradicate benefit fraud among claimants living outside the UK, for example British pensioners living abroad. New, stringent checks place greater responsibility on people who have moved abroad to verify their identity and prove they are eligible for their claim".

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Links of interest to this board:

Freedom of information: new Commission

Offshore tax evaders to face tough new criminal sanctions

DWP annual report and accounts 2014 to 2015

quote --

over 90 countries across the world sign up to automatically exchange information on taxpayers

--endquote

Anyone know where this list is?

I think this is what you are looking for although it's not bang up to date as further countries are acceding to the agreement on a daily basis:

http://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/Status_of_convention.pdf

[jpinx]

Links of interest to this board:

Freedom of information: new Commission

Offshore tax evaders to face tough new criminal sanctions

DWP annual report and accounts 2014 to 2015

quote --

over 90 countries across the world sign up to automatically exchange information on taxpayers

--endquote

Anyone know where this list is?

I think this is what you are looking for although it's not bang up to date as further countries are acceding to the agreement on a daily basis:

http://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/Status_of_convention.pdf

Thanks

I don't see Thailand on that list -- anyone know anything about that?

[jacky54]

"DWP has also increased its efforts to eradicate benefit fraud among claimants living outside the UK, for example British pensioners living abroad. New, stringent checks place greater responsibility on people who have moved abroad to verify their identity and prove they are eligible for their claim".

so what are these 'stringent checks' ? we need to know the facts, not scaremongering. If you have a UK address and a ni number why would you have to verify identity?

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

"DWP has also increased its efforts to eradicate benefit fraud among claimants living outside the UK, for example British pensioners living abroad. New, stringent checks place greater responsibility on people who have moved abroad to verify their identity and prove they are eligible for their claim".

so what are these 'stringent checks' ? we need to know the facts, not scaremongering. If you have a UK address and a ni number why would you have to verify identity?

I read it as an expression of intent but I don't know precisely what the DWP had in mind.

[jpinx]

"DWP has also increased its efforts to eradicate benefit fraud among claimants living outside the UK, for example British pensioners living abroad. New, stringent checks place greater responsibility on people who have moved abroad to verify their identity and prove they are eligible for their claim".

so what are these 'stringent checks' ? we need to know the facts, not scaremongering. If you have a UK address and a ni number why would you have to verify identity?

I read it as an expression of intent but I don't know precisely what the DWP had in mind.

"DWP has also increased its efforts to eradicate benefit fraud among claimants living outside the UK.........."

is in the past tense -- not some future intention.

This is typical of how they avoid allowing anyone enough information to make informed decisions about their life. They prefer us all to be reactive - not pro-active.

[theoldgit]

Baiting post removed.

[Eff1n2ret]

In skimming through the DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15 I did spot this on page 96:-

22. During 2014-15, the Department has undertaken work in a number of areas to reduce fraud and error. These include: • ........... • Addressing abroad fraud by greater use of data-sharing to verify the continued entitlement of UK state pensioners living overseas;

This probably refers more to the increased activity in issuing Life Certificates noted on other threads in this forum. It could also include expats falsely claiming to be resident in the UK, but the extent to which it is on their radar as a significant problem is anybody's guess. However, if they decide that they could save a few million quid the 'data-sharing' activities could persuade them to take an interest, if there are as many "unfrozen pensioners in Thailand as you suggest. I'm one of the "few" (in your view) who are "frozen", but the issue is so outrageous that I don't blame anyone for trying to get away with it. I just prefer to sleep at night.

[chiang mai]

"DWP has also increased its efforts to eradicate benefit fraud among claimants living outside the UK, for example British pensioners living abroad. New, stringent checks place greater responsibility on people who have moved abroad to verify their identity and prove they are eligible for their claim".

so what are these 'stringent checks' ? we need to know the facts, not scaremongering. If you have a UK address and a ni number why would you have to verify identity?

I sense a whiff of nervousness in the air!

[theoldgit]

Many years ago I was in a meeting with the Home Secretary, it was Jack Straw so that shows how long ago it was.

He was saying that when he took up post he was astounded to find that computer systems didn't "talk to each other" in the various Home Office departments, he said he was going to address this issue and would then work with Ministerial colleagues to ensure that all government departments would talk to each other.

He did say that the sharing of information, even within the Home Office, faced legal hurdles, but he was determined to overcome them.

When I retired there was little progress in the Home Office systems sharing information. it's hardly a secret that, like most government departments, the Home Office has had more than its fair share of IT fiascos, and as far as I know there was even less progress in the sharing of information between government departments.

[loppylugs1]

"DWP has also increased its efforts to eradicate benefit fraud among claimants living outside the UK, for example British pensioners living abroad. New, stringent checks place greater responsibility on people who have moved abroad to verify their identity and prove they are eligible for their claim".

so what are these 'stringent checks' ? we need to know the facts, not scaremongering. If you have a UK address and a ni number why would you have to verify identity?

I sense a whiff of nervousness in the air!

Must be those underpants of yours

As the DWP rules state the OAP cannot be stopped reduced or re-paid only another benefit attached to it will be reduced.

Another round of pure crap about to be launched Gossip and the war guess what happened? 1234 any guesses?

completely happy and secure along with 90% of the others in Thailand

It was targeted at "life certificates" ie are you still alive

[chiang mai]

FWIW the US had similar problems with their lack of interconnected systems and information sharing between States AND more importantly, between levels of law enforcement, until 9/11 that is. The reasons for that however are somewhat different from the UK example in that nobody perceived a need!