UK pensions

[chiang mai]

Well aint that just a load of old b*llocks on the part of government! So far the score is a loss of: pension uplift, pension top up off lift, use of onshore IFA services, NGS access, inability to buy onshore UK financial products, loss of UK based credit cards. If they keep this up I could start to get pee'd off!

Basically you are a 2nd class British citizen.

And wait, there's more: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/864372-dont-update-your-bbc-iplayer/

It seems we have now lost access to the BBC also, no really! And this year I loose my ability to vote in UK elections, just when I was starting to warm to Jeremy!!

[JB300]

Well aint that just a load of old b*llocks on the part of government! So far the score is a loss of: pension uplift, pension top up off lift, use of onshore IFA services, NGS access, inability to buy onshore UK financial products, loss of UK based credit cards. If they keep this up I could start to get pee'd off!

Basically you are a 2nd class British citizen.

And wait, there's more: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/864372-dont-update-your-bbc-iplayer/

It seems we have now lost access to the BBC also, no really! And this year I loose my ability to vote in UK elections, just when I was starting to warm to Jeremy!!

...

Hope you're not a Lloyds Bank Shareholder (like me & given its historic popularity as a good income stock, I would imagine a lot of retirees are as well) and so don't feel ripped off about not being able to participate in the Share offer & get the discounted/bonus shares...

Edited October 21, 2015 by JB300

[nong38]

Re the Lloyds offer, I have registered my interest and expect to go for some when the offer is made, as its being skewed towards smaller investors I dont think many will get a lot, but as as income share for the future it looks good, so if you about £1000 handy it might be worth a punt.

[nong38]

There is also an interesting article about pensions today in the www.express.co.uk which does not make good reading for the future. What did surprise me was the comment that the retirement date may by raised to 69 in the 2040s! I think it will be much sooner than that.

[chiang mai]

The UK Pensions triple lock seems to be coming under fire from the Institute of Fiscal Studies, seems that it's unsustainable and will account for 1% of total spending by 2020. Expect the triple lock rule to change, which puts expat pension increases even further back than ever.. Google for associated reports. http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/613446/Millions-threat-retirement-income-slash-pension-payouts

Edited October 21, 2015 by chiang mai

[JB300]

Re the Lloyds offer, I have registered my interest and expect to go for some when the offer is made, as its being skewed towards smaller investors I dont think many will get a lot, but as as income share for the future it looks good, so if you about £1000 handy it might be worth a punt.

Interesting, my Broker (Barclays Stockbrokers) won't let you register unless you declare yourself a resident of UK/Channel Islands so I'm guessing either your's will or you did.

Mine/I won't, but don't want to go OT on this thread so have started a new one... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/864770-Lloyds-Share-Offer

Cheers

JB

[evadgib]

Seen elsewhere & worth repeating here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06mczxq

Edited October 23, 2015 by evadgib

[evadgib]

Just a thought, but when I renewed my eligibility on the electoral register online recently it asked 'when did you leave UK' to which I truthfully answered 'May 2013', the date of my most recent visit. If this goes unchecked it appears that I have reset the '15-years-and-you're-out' clock which means i'll have a say in the EU referendum and the next general election or 2

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

(I have no idea of the exact date I qualified as non resident for tax purposes, but nor had HMRC when challenged via a tribunal some years ago!)

Since posting the above i have received written confirmation that all is well.

Related link:

Vision for electoral registration: speech by John Penrose

Maintaining the ability to vote enables our voices to be heard, despite Cameron & Osborne appearing somewhat deaf!

Edited October 24, 2015 by evadgib

[evadgib]

Are the consortium planning anything for the forthcoming Commonwealth heads of Govt meeting?

State Visit to Malta and CHOGM

[Alexander3]

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.

[Sawan Chan 7]

I've reached the grand old age of 50 and realize that I'd better start putting something away for my retirement at 70 or there abouts.

I worked in the UK for 10 years before coming to work in Thailand.

Can anyone be so kind to advise me the first thing I should do to start paying the missed NI contributions?

Does anyone have a phone number or email address of the correct authorities in the UK to contact.

Hopefully, I'll not be hit with a few thousand pound bill but just pay the weekly/monthly fee.

Much appreciated

SCJ

[canopus1969]

https://www.gov.uk/browse/working/state-pension

[Sawan Chan 7]

https://www.gov.uk/browse/working/state-pension

Thanks, a lot of reading there!

[i claudius]

The only problem is ,will you still get a pension in 20 years time,what with immigration etc,? I would not put it past the govt to screw future generations

Edited November 3, 2015 by i claudius

[oncearugge]

I've reached the grand old age of 50 and realize that I'd better start putting something away for my retirement at 70 or there abouts.

I worked in the UK for 10 years before coming to work in Thailand.

Can anyone be so kind to advise me the first thing I should do to start paying the missed NI contributions?

Does anyone have a phone number or email address of the correct authorities in the UK to contact.

Hopefully, I'll not be hit with a few thousand pound bill but just pay the weekly/monthly fee.

Much appreciated

SCJ

Information in the link.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

[Sawan Chan 7]

The only problem is ,will you still get a pension in 20 years time,what with immigration etc,? I would not put it past the govt to screw future generations

Another problem is I might get run over by a buffalo on my 67th birthday. Better to cover my options just in case.

[nong38]

I dont know if any of you have seen the flak HMRC is getting about failing the public in the service department. It also claimed that 9 out of 10 who appeal that they have been paying too much tax have been proved right. In the last available tax year figure they collected £517 billion and yet they still cannot afford to up rate our pensions and give us the annual increases their blurb claims they pay.

If I tried to tell you that I have £517 billion but I cannot afford to support UK pensioners with £600 you would laugh, call me tight fisted or cheapskate, yet that is exactly what HMG is doing whichever party is in power and they continue to get away with it, no one notices unless you are affected, shameful.

[transam]

I dont know if any of you have seen the flak HMRC is getting about failing the public in the service department. It also claimed that 9 out of 10 who appeal that they have been paying too much tax have been proved right. In the last available tax year figure they collected £517 billion and yet they still cannot afford to up rate our pensions and give us the annual increases their blurb claims they pay.

If I tried to tell you that I have £517 billion but I cannot afford to support UK pensioners with £600 you would laugh, call me tight fisted or cheapskate, yet that is exactly what HMG is doing whichever party is in power and they continue to get away with it, no one notices unless you are affected, shameful.

When you/me are a pensioner, we are a non event....Has beens...It's true.

My dad got a war injury payment when he was 85..Took some doing cos he was a 'has been'...

PS. Think it was 5 quid a month NOT back dated......

[evadgib]

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is "still failing UK taxpayers", a group of MPs has said.

It accused HMRC of only answering half the phone calls to its customer care centre, and failing to carry out enough prosecutions.

Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said customer service was so bad that it could be affecting tax collection.

HMRC denied that, and said it had now recruited 3,000 more staff to help.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34717035

Edited November 4, 2015 by evadgib

[i claudius]

They lie,I paid my tax they say I have not,there is no one answering the phone ,nowhere to write, what to do,?

[billd766]

I dont know if any of you have seen the flak HMRC is getting about failing the public in the service department. It also claimed that 9 out of 10 who appeal that they have been paying too much tax have been proved right. In the last available tax year figure they collected £517 billion and yet they still cannot afford to up rate our pensions and give us the annual increases their blurb claims they pay.

If I tried to tell you that I have £517 billion but I cannot afford to support UK pensioners with £600 you would laugh, call me tight fisted or cheapskate, yet that is exactly what HMG is doing whichever party is in power and they continue to get away with it, no one notices unless you are affected, shameful.

Ah, but you are not a politician so yes we would call you a cheapskate.

After all if you had any moral standards then you wouldn't BE a politician.

[billd766]

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is "still failing UK taxpayers", a group of MPs has said.

It accused HMRC of only answering half the phone calls to its customer care centre, and failing to carry out enough prosecutions.

Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said customer service was so bad that it could be affecting tax collection.

HMRC denied that, and said it had now recruited 3,000 more staff to help.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34717035

I will be honest and say that every time I have called them they have answered.

They have also been knowledgeable and helpful even going back 10 years into my tax records.

Bear in mind that most of the people that you talk to initially are call centre staff with income tax training.

[i claudius]

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is "still failing UK taxpayers", a group of MPs has said.

It accused HMRC of only answering half the phone calls to its customer care centre, and failing to carry out enough prosecutions.

Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said customer service was so bad that it could be affecting tax collection.

HMRC denied that, and said it had now recruited 3,000 more staff to help.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34717035

I will be honest and say that every time I have called them they have answered.

They have also been knowledgeable and helpful even going back 10 years into my tax records.

Bear in mind that most of the people that you talk to initially are call centre staff with income tax training.

I wish i could even get through to a call centre , half an hour waiting for call to be answered about 5 times ,i have given up ,let em take me to court i will fly back and ask for expenses when i show them they got the money a few days after i got the letter .

[nong38]

Note for your diaries, Chancellors Autumn Statement set for 25th November.

[sandyf]

I've reached the grand old age of 50 and realize that I'd better start putting something away for my retirement at 70 or there abouts.

I worked in the UK for 10 years before coming to work in Thailand.

Can anyone be so kind to advise me the first thing I should do to start paying the missed NI contributions?

Does anyone have a phone number or email address of the correct authorities in the UK to contact.

Hopefully, I'll not be hit with a few thousand pound bill but just pay the weekly/monthly fee.

Much appreciated

SCJ

The first thing you need to do is establish 10 years of contributions, anything less and you are not entitled to any state pension. You would need to make up a further 25 years to get the full pension and that could be quite expensive. You would need to decide if the expense is worth it or put the money somewhere else which my produce a better return.

[transam]

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is "still failing UK taxpayers", a group of MPs has said.

It accused HMRC of only answering half the phone calls to its customer care centre, and failing to carry out enough prosecutions.

Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said customer service was so bad that it could be affecting tax collection.

HMRC denied that, and said it had now recruited 3,000 more staff to help.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34717035

I will be honest and say that every time I have called them they have answered.

They have also been knowledgeable and helpful even going back 10 years into my tax records.

Bear in mind that most of the people that you talk to initially are call centre staff with income tax training.

I wish i could even get through to a call centre , half an hour waiting for call to be answered about 5 times ,i have given up ,let em take me to court i will fly back and ask for expenses when i show them they got the money a few days after i got the letter .

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/phoned-hmrc-couldnt-tax-mistakes-005906645.html

[i claudius]

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is "still failing UK taxpayers", a group of MPs has said.

It accused HMRC of only answering half the phone calls to its customer care centre, and failing to carry out enough prosecutions.

Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said customer service was so bad that it could be affecting tax collection.

HMRC denied that, and said it had now recruited 3,000 more staff to help.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34717035

I will be honest and say that every time I have called them they have answered.

They have also been knowledgeable and helpful even going back 10 years into my tax records.

Bear in mind that most of the people that you talk to initially are call centre staff with income tax training.

I wish i could even get through to a call centre , half an hour waiting for call to be answered about 5 times ,i have given up ,let em take me to court i will fly back and ask for expenses when i show them they got the money a few days after i got the letter .

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/phoned-hmrc-couldnt-tax-mistakes-005906645.html

Thanks my daughter has just written to them for me , if that is of no use i will let them take me to court , i will just fly over ,and produce the proof when i am called .

[evadgib]

Calling via skype and saving the log (date, time, number, duration, even if you don't get through!) might prove useful later.

HTH

[Expattaff1308]

The International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP)

This week, ICBP directors John Markham and Sheila Telford will travel to London for eight days of meetings with the APPG ( All Party Parliamentary Group ) on frozen pensions as well as politicians of all parties, journalists and to press the case for unfreezing of pensions . We would like to thank them for this important work and wish them success.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Here is a link to a well argued article by a journalist who is definitely on our side.

http://new.spectator.co.uk/2015/11/the-war-on-pensioners/