UK pensions

[evadgib]

It seems like pensioners would be saving the UK Government a lot of money by not using the NHS. In 2012, Romney wanted to give retirees vouchers to get healthcare outside of Medicare....would have been total win/win for everyone. He didn't win and we, in LOS, were left with only "Hope and Chang."

The saving is not just in the NHS. Social Services,, Social Housing, Pension Credit, the Winter Fuel Allowance, Free Prescriptions, the Bus Pass to name but a few. Furthermore, all UK pensions are taxed at source so depending on your income you could even be paying 40 or 45 % income tax on your pensions for nothing more than the possibility that you might be a user of the Consular service during your period in Thailand. Most of those who post hostile comments on the frozen pension issue seem to be completely unaware that many expat UK pensioners are also UK taxpayers, even higher rate taxpayers !

A recent reply on this board or one of the related links seemingly confirmed my suspicion that the Chancellor/HMG want the general public to believe that we're trying to obtain something for nothing so that they can project themselves as defenders of the public purse while pointing fingers in our direction & uttering populist soundbites questioning our loyalty in a 'it's their own fault' sort of way....

In reality this is a state sponsored con trick actively lapped up by the sort of idiot that readily believes Freddy Starr dines on Hampster

Edited August 28, 2015 by evadgib

[theoldgit]

Sorry, I've wandered off topic (again) so might as well add another OT subject (that we do touch on in this thread), I see the UK govt has done a U-Turn on "Free" NHS for Expats... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/expat-health/11633938/Government-U-turn-on-NHS-access-for-expats.html

Yes, off topic, let's keep this one about frozen pensions.

As Taff says, the NHS issue has its own thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/813369-uk-expats-liable-for-cost-of-nhs-treatment/

[evadgib]

Ministers must provide more funding to protect injured war veterans from spending compensation on social care costs, local authority leaders say.

Personnel injured in service before April 2005 receive a War Disablement Pension which counts towards fees.

Anyone injured after this date has all care expenses paid in full.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34086516

Edited August 29, 2015 by evadgib

[transam]

I'm from the US, but from recent reports, the UK citizens are getting the run-a-round in CM. Consulate closed, and they have to jump through lots of hoops for a simple passport renewal...like two roundtrips to BKK. Australian consulate closed, too. This at a time when there is an ever increasing number of expats in CM, and you would think the outrageous fees they charge could pay for the facility.

For a few years now, UK passports can only be renewed in the UK so either you do it on a trip there (can easily be done in 1 day if you book an appointment in advance & is the approach I took last October) or you renew by post (which is what my mate did & it took 4 weeks from Singapore) no need to speak/engage with any "Local" embassies/consulates.

I can only assume the "2 trips to Bangkok" were because they used an agent there, complete waste of time IMHO, it doesn't come much easier than renewing your UK passport.

You been in a cave chummy...............

Not really mate, in fact I'd say exactly the opposite... Haven't been living in a cave so renew my passport when & from where I choose

Get out of your cave every now & again, there's a big world out there

But sadly YOU don't know the UK PP renewal procedure.....BUT, you can ask here and we will tell you the PRESENT DAY procedure....

No I know the renewal process very well (I dare say better than most), schedule a same day appointment at the office in Liverpool, 30 mins on the train (which runs every 30 minutes) to pop there in the morning, a bit of shopping & lunch around Lord Street (AIX always has great sales on) then pop back at 1pm to pick up my new passport & a 30min train back

Easy life

Cool, but I live permanently in a cave in LOS and know how I must renew my PP here.........

And a very nice "Cave" it is I can think of a lot worse (like living in the UK [emoji15])

Aaaaaaaaaaah, are you another reincarnated thebladder....gawd, I hope not..

[Scott]

Please stay on topic. This thread is about pensions, not passports.

[JB300]

...Back to thread, I'm (only) 49 but am feeling more confident that when I do get to collect my pension (have paid in more than most in my almost 30 years working in the UK) things will be a lot fairer (read "Just [emoji35])

Then again, might just be the curse of being English (fair play & all that [emoji17])

Edited August 29, 2015 by Sheryl
quote of dleteed content and reply to it removed by Moderator

[metisdead]

Comment on moderation has been removed. If a member does not wish to participate any longer on this forum, simply sign out and never sign in again.

[Sheryl]

Off topic posts have been removed and the bickering that went with them.

The topic is UK pensions.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Here is a link to the best article I have so far found dealing with the issues of State Pension top up and deferral. I found it very useful in helping me reach a decision between these two options. On balance I think the deferral option wins by a mile.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/11844145/The-best-way-to-boost-your-state-pension-should-you-top-it-up-or-defer-it.html.

[Liquorice]

Here is a link to the best article I have so far found dealing with the issues of State Pension top up and deferral. I found it very useful in helping me reach a decision between these two options. On balance I think the deferral option wins by a mile.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/11844145/The-best-way-to-boost-your-state-pension-should-you-top-it-up-or-defer-it.html.

It's another risk you take, defer or spend.

A friend of mine deferred his state pension. Kept seeing the ££££'s mount up.

Fit as a fiddle, ex police, suddenly dropped dead at 72, never saw a penny of his state pension.

No family, no Will, I guess the state gets to keep it.

[Henryford]

Here is a link to the best article I have so far found dealing with the issues of State Pension top up and deferral. I found it very useful in helping me reach a decision between these two options. On balance I think the deferral option wins by a mile.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/11844145/The-best-way-to-boost-your-state-pension-should-you-top-it-up-or-defer-it.html.

It's another risk you take, defer or spend.

A friend of mine deferred his state pension. Kept seeing the ££££'s mount up.

Fit as a fiddle, ex police, suddenly dropped dead at 72, never saw a penny of his state pension.

No family, no Will, I guess the state gets to keep it.

Deferring your pension is a big mistake for exactly this reason. That's why the Government would like you to do it. He must have lost 50,000 pounds !!

[i claudius]

Here is a link to the best article I have so far found dealing with the issues of State Pension top up and deferral. I found it very useful in helping me reach a decision between these two options. On balance I think the deferral option wins by a mile.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/11844145/The-best-way-to-boost-your-state-pension-should-you-top-it-up-or-defer-it.html.

It's another risk you take, defer or spend.

A friend of mine deferred his state pension. Kept seeing the ££££'s mount up.

Fit as a fiddle, ex police, suddenly dropped dead at 72, never saw a penny of his state pension.

No family, no Will, I guess the state gets to keep it.

Deferring your pension is a big mistake for exactly this reason. That's why the Government would like you to do it. He must have lost 50,000 pounds !!

Friend of mine deferred then discovered he had cancer a yearlater ,take the money .

[Liquorice]

Here is a link to the best article I have so far found dealing with the issues of State Pension top up and deferral. I found it very useful in helping me reach a decision between these two options. On balance I think the deferral option wins by a mile.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/11844145/The-best-way-to-boost-your-state-pension-should-you-top-it-up-or-defer-it.html.

It's another risk you take, defer or spend.

A friend of mine deferred his state pension. Kept seeing the ££££'s mount up.

Fit as a fiddle, ex police, suddenly dropped dead at 72, never saw a penny of his state pension.

No family, no Will, I guess the state gets to keep it.

Deferring your pension is a big mistake for exactly this reason. That's why the Government would like you to do it. He must have lost 50,000 pounds !!

I remember the year before he passed away, he had a statement of deferred State Pension over £36,000.

Sadly he never had a days sickness in his life and believed he was going to live to see 100.

Burst aneurysm in the brain.........dropped like a brick.

[evadgib]

I would think NOK could recover that from his estate. Fortunately the right person to ask is in my proximity this week so i'll do just that....

[billd766]

A note of caution/warning about the State pension being transferred to Thailand.

My pension gets paid every 4th Friday from the UK and generally shows up in my KBank account on the Monday following unless there is a bank holiday in Thailand.

This month it did not show yesterday nor today.

I called KBank and they saw no sign in their system, they checked with the International department, no sign either.

I then rang the International State people in the UK what was happening and it seems as though there is a problem transferring some pensions to some banks in Thailand due to a change in the banking transfer system. I was affected and the guy I spoke to asked the usual security questions and that was OK and he then did my transfer on the spot so my pension will be on its way today.

It may not affect everyone but IF your pension is late in being paid this may be the reason.

Their contact details are here

https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

International Pension Centre
[email protected]
Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777
Textphone: +44 (0)191 218 7280
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

[sandyf]

A note of caution/warning about the State pension being transferred to Thailand.

My pension gets paid every 4th Friday from the UK and generally shows up in my KBank account on the Monday following unless there is a bank holiday in Thailand.

This month it did not show yesterday nor today.

I called KBank and they saw no sign in their system, they checked with the International department, no sign either.

I then rang the International State people in the UK what was happening and it seems as though there is a problem transferring some pensions to some banks in Thailand due to a change in the banking transfer system. I was affected and the guy I spoke to asked the usual security questions and that was OK and he then did my transfer on the spot so my pension will be on its way today.

It may not affect everyone but IF your pension is late in being paid this may be the reason.

Their contact details are here

https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

International Pension Centre

[email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777

Textphone: +44 (0)191 218 7280

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

I received the following from DWP yesterday, letter dated 25th August. I have had a payment since the letter was dated so I am hoping I am not affected. I gave the Swift/BIC code with the account details at the time of application.

The information we have shows that your British State Pension is paid into a bank account in

Thailand.

Our banking- provider, Citibank, has told us that banks in Thailand now need a Bank Identification

Code (SWIFT/SIC}, which can be either 8 or 11 characters long. This change is from July 2015.

We will be changing your banking details on our system to show this new information. We will not be

changing your account number.

Unfortunately the first payment using a SWIFT/SIC code will take longer to appear in your account.

It will take about 6 days longer than you would normally be expecting it.

After this first delay, your payments will start showing in your account every 4 weeks.

[transam]

A note of caution/warning about the State pension being transferred to Thailand.

My pension gets paid every 4th Friday from the UK and generally shows up in my KBank account on the Monday following unless there is a bank holiday in Thailand.

This month it did not show yesterday nor today.

I called KBank and they saw no sign in their system, they checked with the International department, no sign either.

I then rang the International State people in the UK what was happening and it seems as though there is a problem transferring some pensions to some banks in Thailand due to a change in the banking transfer system. I was affected and the guy I spoke to asked the usual security questions and that was OK and he then did my transfer on the spot so my pension will be on its way today.

It may not affect everyone but IF your pension is late in being paid this may be the reason.

Their contact details are here

https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

International Pension Centre

[email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777

Textphone: +44 (0)191 218 7280

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

I received the following from DWP yesterday, letter dated 25th August. I have had a payment since the letter was dated so I am hoping I am not affected. I gave the Swift/BIC code with the account details at the time of application.

The information we have shows that your British State Pension is paid into a bank account in

Thailand.

Our banking- provider, Citibank, has told us that banks in Thailand now need a Bank Identification

Code (SWIFT/SIC}, which can be either 8 or 11 characters long. This change is from July 2015.

We will be changing your banking details on our system to show this new information. We will not be

changing your account number.

Unfortunately the first payment using a SWIFT/SIC code will take longer to appear in your account.

It will take about 6 days longer than you would normally be expecting it.

After this first delay, your payments will start showing in your account every 4 weeks.

https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKEwjF1aL7iunHAhUOjo4KHRXoD5o&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bangkokbank.com%2FBangkokBank%2FPersonalBanking%2FDailyBanking%2FTransferingFunds%2FTransferringIntoThailand%2FPages%2FInwardFAQs.aspx&usg=AFQjCNFrd7I_Bu5W7YWG9kiLrGAGzyriXQ

[sandyf]

My pension gets paid every 4th Friday from the UK and generally shows up in my KBank account on the Monday following unless there is a bank holiday in Thailand.

Bill

My pension is also due on a Friday and it is normally credited about 9.15am on the Friday morning, Autobaht comes on line at 9am. It shows up as an Autobaht credit and I get SMS confirming receipt. If there is a bank holiday involved I normally get it on the Thursday. In the 3 years it has only ever been on the Monday on 2 occasions.

I am hoping that my payments have always come under the new requirements and that no change is necessary. If that is the case there is the possibility that you may get your pension on a Friday in the future.

[sandyf]

A note of caution/warning about the State pension being transferred to Thailand.

My pension gets paid every 4th Friday from the UK and generally shows up in my KBank account on the Monday following unless there is a bank holiday in Thailand.

This month it did not show yesterday nor today.

I called KBank and they saw no sign in their system, they checked with the International department, no sign either.

I then rang the International State people in the UK what was happening and it seems as though there is a problem transferring some pensions to some banks in Thailand due to a change in the banking transfer system. I was affected and the guy I spoke to asked the usual security questions and that was OK and he then did my transfer on the spot so my pension will be on its way today.

It may not affect everyone but IF your pension is late in being paid this may be the reason.

Their contact details are here

https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

International Pension Centre

[email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777

Textphone: +44 (0)191 218 7280

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

I received the following from DWP yesterday, letter dated 25th August. I have had a payment since the letter was dated so I am hoping I am not affected. I gave the Swift/BIC code with the account details at the time of application.

The information we have shows that your British State Pension is paid into a bank account in

Thailand.

Our banking- provider, Citibank, has told us that banks in Thailand now need a Bank Identification

Code (SWIFT/SIC}, which can be either 8 or 11 characters long. This change is from July 2015.

We will be changing your banking details on our system to show this new information. We will not be

changing your account number.

Unfortunately the first payment using a SWIFT/SIC code will take longer to appear in your account.

It will take about 6 days longer than you would normally be expecting it.

After this first delay, your payments will start showing in your account every 4 weeks.

https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKEwjF1aL7iunHAhUOjo4KHRXoD5o&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bangkokbank.com%2FBangkokBank%2FPersonalBanking%2FDailyBanking%2FTransferingFunds%2FTransferringIntoThailand%2FPages%2FInwardFAQs.aspx&usg=AFQjCNFrd7I_Bu5W7YWG9kiLrGAGzyriXQ

Fail to see what the Bangkok Bank has to do with the DWP.

[billd766]

A note of caution/warning about the State pension being transferred to Thailand.

My pension gets paid every 4th Friday from the UK and generally shows up in my KBank account on the Monday following unless there is a bank holiday in Thailand.

This month it did not show yesterday nor today.

I called KBank and they saw no sign in their system, they checked with the International department, no sign either.

I then rang the International State people in the UK what was happening and it seems as though there is a problem transferring some pensions to some banks in Thailand due to a change in the banking transfer system. I was affected and the guy I spoke to asked the usual security questions and that was OK and he then did my transfer on the spot so my pension will be on its way today.

It may not affect everyone but IF your pension is late in being paid this may be the reason.

Their contact details are here

https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

International Pension Centre

[email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777

Textphone: +44 (0)191 218 7280

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

I received the following from DWP yesterday, letter dated 25th August. I have had a payment since the letter was dated so I am hoping I am not affected. I gave the Swift/BIC code with the account details at the time of application.

The information we have shows that your British State Pension is paid into a bank account in

Thailand.

Our banking- provider, Citibank, has told us that banks in Thailand now need a Bank Identification

Code (SWIFT/SIC}, which can be either 8 or 11 characters long. This change is from July 2015.

We will be changing your banking details on our system to show this new information. We will not be

changing your account number.

Unfortunately the first payment using a SWIFT/SIC code will take longer to appear in your account.

It will take about 6 days longer than you would normally be expecting it.

After this first delay, your payments will start showing in your account every 4 weeks.

https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKEwjF1aL7iunHAhUOjo4KHRXoD5o&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bangkokbank.com%2FBangkokBank%2FPersonalBanking%2FDailyBanking%2FTransferingFunds%2FTransferringIntoThailand%2FPages%2FInwardFAQs.aspx&usg=AFQjCNFrd7I_Bu5W7YWG9kiLrGAGzyriXQ

I use KBank and I sent all the details including the SWIFT code to them when I started getting my pension 6 years ago.

Nothing has changed at my end at all and this month was the first time in 6 years that it has been late.

I have no idea what they changed but calling them worked for me.

[billd766]

A note of caution/warning about the State pension being transferred to Thailand.

My pension gets paid every 4th Friday from the UK and generally shows up in my KBank account on the Monday following unless there is a bank holiday in Thailand.

This month it did not show yesterday nor today.

I called KBank and they saw no sign in their system, they checked with the International department, no sign either.

I then rang the International State people in the UK what was happening and it seems as though there is a problem transferring some pensions to some banks in Thailand due to a change in the banking transfer system. I was affected and the guy I spoke to asked the usual security questions and that was OK and he then did my transfer on the spot so my pension will be on its way today.

It may not affect everyone but IF your pension is late in being paid this may be the reason.

Their contact details are here

https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

International Pension Centre

[email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 7777

Textphone: +44 (0)191 218 7280

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

I received the following from DWP yesterday, letter dated 25th August. I have had a payment since the letter was dated so I am hoping I am not affected. I gave the Swift/BIC code with the account details at the time of application.

The information we have shows that your British State Pension is paid into a bank account in

Thailand.

Our banking- provider, Citibank, has told us that banks in Thailand now need a Bank Identification

Code (SWIFT/SIC}, which can be either 8 or 11 characters long. This change is from July 2015.

We will be changing your banking details on our system to show this new information. We will not be

changing your account number.

Unfortunately the first payment using a SWIFT/SIC code will take longer to appear in your account.

It will take about 6 days longer than you would normally be expecting it.

After this first delay, your payments will start showing in your account every 4 weeks.

https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKEwjF1aL7iunHAhUOjo4KHRXoD5o&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bangkokbank.com%2FBangkokBank%2FPersonalBanking%2FDailyBanking%2FTransferingFunds%2FTransferringIntoThailand%2FPages%2FInwardFAQs.aspx&usg=AFQjCNFrd7I_Bu5W7YWG9kiLrGAGzyriXQ

Fail to see what the Bangkok Bank has to do with the DWP.

Yhat may be the intermediary bank that the Citibank in the UK uses to channel the funds to Thailand. My next door neighbour gets her benefits from the USA only through the Bangkok Bank as they are the bank that the US government use to transfer funds from the USA.

[transam]

I recall I asked BKK bank for the branch Swift code, they said they don't use one, just a blanket letter code...Hmmm, I thought, but pension service was happy with all the branch info and send it direct to them using no UK bank. All I get charged is 300bht to receive it this end by BKK bank.

PS. This is just info for the readers.

[AlexRRR]

I made this point before, but got nil support.

Pensioners living in the UK will likely plough ALL their money back into the economy there, buying their food and paying tax such as VAT.

Ex-pats, by definition will put most of their pension into the coffers of their country of choice.

I agree with the existing situation.

I agree this is a very valid reason. Expanding your argument further, it's about more than just taxes.

Money spent in the UK has a "multiplier effect" on the UK economy. i.e you spend a pound, and the recipient of that pound in turn will likely spend at least part of that pound on buying something else from someone else, who in turn spends and so on. The result is greater domestic demand and a stronger UK economy which creates jobs for people who in turn spend money and are less reliant on the state. The result: many benefits to the UK + the whole country ends up in a better place. Looked at another way a pension spent in the UK costs the government less than a pension spent in Thailand

On the other hand a pensioner spending their pension in Thailand benefits the Thai economy, and creates Thai jobs etc, with no real benefit to UK. The UK already gives away far too much to non-UK nationals that it shouldn't do. The country is in bad shape financially, and struggling with its debts.

Also to be borne in mind:

- For people who say they have paid all their lives into the UK system. Remember 1) they contributed nothing for the first 16 years or so of their lives 2) They have had other non-pension benefits already, such as healthcare 3) The UK system doesn't save their money for the future in a magic pot somewhere, they spend it as it comes in. 4) Everyone knows existing workers (partly) fund existing pensioners, which is becoming more and more unsustainable each day + 5) Why should existing workers in the UK be creating jobs in Thailand which could actually take away jobs in their own country. Thailand sets a fine example of nationalism and protectionism and generally gives little or zero in policies that really benefit foreigners.

- The overseas pensioner usually knows the rules of the game and it's their choice to live in Thailand

- If pensions for overseas people not contributing any longer to the UK were increased, the government would simply take it off other needy areas of society. It's not as if they have a large pot of money as an excess. The UK spends more than it earns. In all likelihood, they'd reduce all pensioners over time rather than increase. eg when they equalised pension ages for men and women, all that happened is everyone ended up with a worse deal and lowest comoon denominator over time

If thinking only of myself and my family, I'd be in favour of equalising the pensions so I personally get more.

Looking at the bigger picture, and with a little less self interest, it's probably better for the UK I get a lower pension, and it goes to the people in the UK that need it, and benefits the UK. I knew the score when I signed up. I don't contribute much to the UK these days, so why should I get handouts of people I've never met.

(BTW That's no excuse for the government to continue wasting money in the ways it does, and not looking after its own nationals at the expense of foreigners in many other areas too)

Because you contributed to The UK economy by being a tax payer, you are actually discriminated against because you choose to spend your retirement elsewhere.

Retires from GB who choose to live overseas are being taken advantages of, small voice and soft target.

In AU they only cut energy concessions which reduces the pension by around $70 a fortnight,it's still indexed twice a year, I think your reasoning is flawed don't know about over there but with all the BS that's been flying around here the governments spin the crap to make us feel like where sponges on the rest of the country and they have a lot of people believing it when in reality with forced superannuation paid by employers within 30 years most people can expect to retire on it or only part pension, the argument isn't about us old bludgers sponging on the system it should be how governments spend our tax money.

It's about time incoming governments stopped trying to seduce voters with gifts of tax breaks, baby bonus's paid parental leave etc, get off the backs of the people who made the country in the first place manage our god dam money better to begin with and come up with a system that is fair for all....stop bashing welfare recipients, get unemployed back to work and change the tax laws....if a company like Apple sell products there they pay tax there, I know our treasure kicked up a stink had a quick look now all is quite on that front, yet Apple and other multinational company's if were made to pay there share would wipe out Australian dept in the very first year..

[sandyf]

I then rang the International State people in the UK what was happening and it seems as though there is a problem transferring some pensions to some banks in Thailand due to a change in the banking transfer system. I was affected and the guy I spoke to asked the usual security questions and that was OK and he then did my transfer on the spot so my pension will be on its way today.

I suspect that the problem is not in the Swift code itself as indicated by the DWP but in the branch code. Without the branch code the payment cannot be completely automatic.

Here in Thailand banks only use 8 character Swift codes for retail accounts, the head office. 11 character codes are only available for corporate business, the last 3 characters being the branch code.

When I completed my pension application form I put the branch code in the branch code field and may have inadvertently avoided a problem. I would think that many were unaware of the branch code and left the field blank. In the absence of a branch code the payment would be made to head office and distributed to accounts from there.

I suspect that Citibank will have to identify the branch from the account number and add it the branch code field in the details held by DWP and it is this that is causing the delays.

[Lite Beer]

Has anyone actually contacted the pensions people and received a future state pensions forecast?

I phoned them last November and was assured that a statement would be sent to the address in UK I gave them.

Still waiting.

Sent the form from Thailand giving my Thai address 5 weeks ago.

Still waiting.

Do they actually respond or is it all BS?

Thinking of sending them 10 applications every month until I actually get a reply.

[transam]

Has anyone actually contacted the pensions people and received a future state pensions forecast?

I phoned them last November and was assured that a statement would be sent to the address in UK I gave them.

Still waiting.

Sent the form from Thailand giving my Thai address 5 weeks ago.

Still waiting.

Do they actually respond or is it all BS?

Thinking of sending them 10 applications every month until I actually get a reply.

Phone 'em...I did and talked to a nice guy........

[Lite Beer]

Has anyone actually contacted the pensions people and received a future state pensions forecast?

I phoned them last November and was assured that a statement would be sent to the address in UK I gave them.

Still waiting.

Sent the form from Thailand giving my Thai address 5 weeks ago.

Still waiting.

Do they actually respond or is it all BS?

Thinking of sending them 10 applications every month until I actually get a reply.

Phone 'em...I did and talked to a nice guy........

They are all nice on the phone but did you actually receive a forecast?

looks impossible to me.

[sandyf]

Has anyone actually contacted the pensions people and received a future state pensions forecast?

I phoned them last November and was assured that a statement would be sent to the address in UK I gave them.

Still waiting.

Sent the form from Thailand giving my Thai address 5 weeks ago.

Still waiting.

Do they actually respond or is it all BS?

Thinking of sending them 10 applications every month until I actually get a reply.

I had one a few years back, if I remember right it took about 10 weeks to come through.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Has anyone actually contacted the pensions people and received a future state pensions forecast?

I phoned them last November and was assured that a statement would be sent to the address in UK I gave them.

Still waiting.

Sent the form from Thailand giving my Thai address 5 weeks ago.

Still waiting.

Do they actually respond or is it all BS?

Thinking of sending them 10 applications every month until I actually get a reply.

I'm surprised you have had such a disappointing experience. I have applied for forecasts on two occasions in the past and received both of them promptly. These were both to an address in the UK.

I have however had several instances of non delivery when posting parcels from England to Thailand.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Ross Altmann, in post now for four months as the new pensions minister.

In her past life she was a staunch campaigner for the ending of the injustice of frozen pensions.

She is now conspicuously silent on this issue.

Has she sold her soul for 30 pieces of silver !