UK pensions

[nong38]

A bit difficult to enjoy life for some who face the very real prospect that their meagre pensions will be reduced by 20% forcing them to return to a life of decrepit impoverishment in the UK where they will live alone without their Thai wives whose migration they cannot sponsor due to those meagre funds.

Never mind, the car accident may never happen and all will be well in pixie land.

It is a racing cert that this consultation exercise, an oxymoron if ever I heard one, will presage the withdrawal of personal allowances within the next three years. Folk should consider their options now and make plans accordingly, rather than stick their heads in those paradisial sands they may currently languish upon.

The amount of money that a change in personal allowance would be raised in extra taxes is very small, thats why its a long way off, what would be of far larger worry is if income tax and NI were to be merged, right now we dont pay NI but might be forced to endure a tax rate of 32% rather than 20% and in the "interests of streamling the system" is far more likely. The treasury would also be very aware of the number of people who would be dragged into this situation and it would be hoped that they too would think this through before implementation, again this is just a possibility and its not worth spending too much time worrying about possibilities, every month I look at the Premium Bonds in anticipation, then return to normal life as nothing has changed my life.

There is a Chancellor's statement in November I think which will give a clue to whats likely to be in the next spring budget, anything that might affect us would be at least a year away from then as preperations would need to made, it is also just before the next general election and not a time for making changes that upset the voters.

[theoldgit]

For those in receipt of a Civil Service Pension, it's worth reminding that you can receive an extra increase to take account of the frozen State Pension element of your pension.

Pensioners who live in certain countries outside of the UK are not entitled to increases to their State Pension. If this applies to you, we can continue to pay the pension increases to your GMP with your Civil Service pension but you must contact the Pension Service who will ask us to do this.

I wasn't actually sure what this meant but last year I did call the Pension Service and the outcome was that my Civil Service pension was increased and I received a sum of £180 in pension arrears.

It did take a couple of calls to Newcastle as the first lady I spoke to had no idea what I was talking about.

[dave2]

re

On one of the pages it shows a breakdown of your pension, what is/are the difference between the two letters?.

here ya go !

pic 1 april

pic 2 august

the additional state pension of 10 pound 07 p has gone

i think Rajab Al Zarahni was right in his post but i still dont understand it

maybe its coz ive got another private pension coming in as well as a company pension ? but i dont remember doing anything about serps

dave2

[nong38]

Oh dear seem to have the almighty one! If you are in the UK for 6 months and abroad for 6 months it does affect your annual pension increase, as I am sure you were well aware of.

If you have or think you have found a way of circumventing the system you really should not be airing it here, lots read it and you might find the wrong person homeing in on you. You might think you are full proof, nothing is fool proof.

We try and help help each other here knowing the rules that abide, if you ( or any other reader ) chooses to disregard it and go another route its up them and their conscience, for you to come here bragging about what you have done in the full knowledge of the DWP and you can know and play by the rules is entirely up to you, just be careful your view on what can be done and what cannot may not be the HMG's and in that case you will lose.

[theoldgit]

I've once more removed a number of posts that are off topic, no longer relevant, contain unnecessarily long quotes or are simply advising how to get round pension rules.

This thread started to advise people about a petition regarding the freezing of pensions, which many of us around the globe regard as unfair, it has evolved into a thread to discuss legitimate points surround this issue.

I'm not going to comment of the legalities of those who boast about the way they ignore the rules citing it is not illegal to do so, because I simply don't know, however if it was legal to flout the rules, I'm sure thousands of people around the world would be doing so.

So lets keep this thread on topic and relevant to the issue.

To all UK pensioners or future pensioners I kindly ask you to read and sign the online petition for pension parity.

Edit: This thread was initially started to request that members sign the e-petition for pension parity, IE to unfreeze pensions.

That e-petition is no longer available, it's past its closing date and did not reach the required numbers to be considered by the relevant Parliamentary Committee.

The thread is being kept open, as it's of interest to affected members, to provide updated information on UK Pension issues.

I have edited the thread from the 160 pages, it once reached, to it's current level, most the posts were out of date or were just the same posts with the same links posted over and over again, usually with a one liner added on.

This is an important issue which is of interest to many of us, can I ask that posts are kept snappy and on topic and you resist the urge to simply hit the quote button.

[nontabury]

I don't know if your a teacher and you only move in such circles, but I pay UK taxis and I know of many others ex-pats that also pay tax on their combined UK income, be it state pension,private pension,savings or investments etc.

[theoldgit]

The GMP element is quite important for those with Government Service pensions, and maybe others.

When you reach State Pension age your Government Service pension is reduced by the GMP element which is included in your State Pension.

Those with a Government Service Pension should advise The Pension Service and their Pension Provider that their State Pension is frozen, and you will then be paid the full element on your Government Service Pension and the full increase every year.

I was advised of this a couple of years ago, not sure that I really understood what it meant, but the end result was an increase in my Civil Service Pension monthly pension payment, and back pay of £180 the following month.

[steve187]

You’ll be able to get the new State Pension if you’re eligible and:

• a man born on or after 6 April 1951
• a woman born on or after 6 April 1953

You’ll need 35 qualifying years to get the full new State Pension.

link here - https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-its-calculated

[evadgib]

Employment review launched to improve clarity and status of British workforce

'Your future, your pension': DWP in new drive to raise awareness of State Pension changes

Pension reforms: nine things you should know

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/11144991/Retirement-age-to-rise-by-as-much-as-six-months-per-year.html

[Guest jonzboy]

Does anyone know, under what circumstances can a male claim against the NI history of a prior UK wife, for pension purposes?

If for example the man has accumulated say 20 years of pension contributions and the ex-wife has accumulated 40 years, can the man claim against the ex-wife's contributions, in order to increase his pension?

CM,

you'll find some answers in this attached document, but as I am not familiar with the former spouse aspects I'll leave it to you to work out what it means

derived-inherited-entitlement.pdf

[fletchsmile]

Hopefully more people will start to understand this issue.

Two big problems:

1. The increase of a benefit and entitlement culture where people expect, and the self interest that can foster.

2. The slow realisation by people that say they "paid their dues" and are "entitled" to this that and the other, that they didnt pay enough to cover their own futures.

Basically the baby boomer generation was a large generation that only had to fund a smaller generation of their parents whose numbers were also cut further by WW2.

So simply put a lot of people paying for a few.

Now we have the opposite of fewer paying for a lot.

Basically the baby boomers didnt pay enough. They should have paid more to fund their future pensions instead of the small dues they paid for their parents.

So for people who say they "paid their dues" and are "entitled":

1. They didn't pay enough

2. They are part of the problem. They allowed this to happen and voted for the governments that did.

3. Sad how they have created a legacy of entitlement culture, benefits and handouts.

So really the baby boomers generation needs to better realise their legacy, own up to their part in the mess things are now, and move away from the "entitlement" and selfish "me culture".

Unfortunately one of the fairest ways to make it happen is to ultimately make those who didnt pay enough pay more in some way. The logical outcome:

1. Lower pensions later in life

2. For those no longer living in the UK and no longer contributing to the country. You didnt pay enough. The country got in a mess under your watch. So claiming you want more pension and are entitled to it is a bit rich. Particularly expecting the next generation to pay for it

Then for the new generation coming thru they need to pay more too and the government needs to start properly putting that away for the future. Perhaps creating a sovereign wealth fund. But at least build some assets.

Yes there are also other related issues with the govt wasting money that need addressing. But time people faced facts on pensions at least

Cheers

Fletch

[nong38]

Perhaps they did pay enough but the HMG decided that they could divert some of the cash to other destinations and it wont be noticed, at least not for a long time, but you are right to say that a lot were contributing for a much smaller group.

In the Indie today Osborne is suggesting that workers should be contributing into their own personal welfare fund, a fiver a week and the state only gets involved if and when you it runs out. Something to watch out for in the autumn statement.

Interestingly enough my daughter is taking the view that there might not be a state pension when her time comes and making her own provision, she probably will have 30+ years to go, I expect she will get a state pension but it will likely have dimished some what and probably means checked.

There will no doubt be a lot as you say who will make no effort, or very little, to provide for their retirement years and just fall upon the state for help having a good time before retirement as well, well they need to re-housed in a retirement home and their assets sold to help out, then they might wake up to the fact that you put nothing in, you get nothing out, life is not free.

Might be able to supply free noodles I suppose, we could call it a noodles kitchen.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Fletchsmile: You should have rested your case even before you posted your first comment. The general tenor of this thread is about the inequitable treatment of those who have retired to certain countries and now receive frozen pensions measured against those who retired to other countries where they receive the same increases as those in the UK. I, like many others, will tolerate a high level of detriment in the interests of my country's economic difficulties, particularly those arising from the welfare needs of an ageing population. They can freeze my pension without my uttering a whisper of complaint ,providing everyone else, including those who are retired back in the UK, are subject to the same treatment. I don't like being treated badly but I will protest as loud as I can when others are not treated equally badly.

Your focus on the shortcomings of the baby boomer generation is misplaced. The freezing of UK State pensions of those retiring to certain foreign countries has been an arrangement that has existed since the middle 50's, long before the baby boomers were even invented. Furthermore, the problem of funding UK state pensions arises from an exponential increase in longevity rather than a surge in the size of one particular cohort of the population. You are right to identify that the problem was not addressed at the relevant time by past generations, however your notion that the whole baby boomer generation should bear the burden of guilt is even dafter than the concept of original sin. As others have stated, we had our income tax and National Insurance deducted at source and many of us continued to pay NI contributions long beyond reaching our full pension entitlement.

I, like many others, are angry at the predicament of younger generations but I certainly won't take the blame for it!

[billd766]

Just a little bit from the BBC News website from this morning.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29647781

A Million pensioners still living in poverty says Age UK

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said no one should be ashamed of claiming.

"We are absolutely determined to make sure that pensioners receive the full support they are entitled to - with as little hassle as possible," the spokesman said.

And he pointed out that the state pension was currently protected by the "triple-lock" until the end of the parliament, meaning the highest of CPI inflation, average earnings, or 2.5%.

Age UK would now like to see:

• official targets to reduce pensioner poverty
• all pensioners able to claim the single-tier state pension, which otherwise starts in April 2016
• the state pension's "triple-lock" to be put into legislation, making it permanent
• a reduction in the complexity of claim forms

I highlighted in bold the joke.

[evadgib]

http://m.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29669421

New service from CAB/TPAS inc telephone enquiries.

[evadgib]

Sort the waste and stupidity caused by politicians and the bludgers, and there will be enough money to give to those that are ENTITLED.

Not to mention the oft overlooked fact that we're fully paid up members of the club & not trying to get access to "Our <Sunreaders/the types that think we're after a freebee> Taxes!"

[Lite Beer]

An MPs view on the Bristish expats frozen pension scandal
Written By Roger Gale, MP

Gale`s View - Embargo 6th November. There are those who believe that Members of Parliament should not concern ourselves with other than local or at least domestic matters.

That applies to Overseas Aid, to other people`s wars of course, and to issues such as the voting rights of citizens living overseas or the benefits paid to them. Winter Fuel Allowance or "money paid to rich people sitting on yachts in the Mediterranean drinking gin" (an absolute travesty of the truth ) is a particular anathema.

Some, of us, however, believe that we have duties that extend beyond the constituency, County or even national boundaries and for the past several weeks Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing) and I have been addressing one of parliament`s many such lost causes.

Read More: http://algarvedailynews.com/features/politics/402-an-mps-view-on-the-bristish-expats-frozen-pension-scandal

--Algarvedailynews.com 2014-10-25

[nong38]

Bit of chat in the UK at the moment about "the living wage" the amount a person needs to live on. The minimum rate in London is 8.80 and outside 7.65 per hour, average for the 8.22 per hour, say you work 35 hours thats nearly 290 pounds a week before tax, the average earnings in the UK is 27k, before tax.

There are strong rumours that the minimum rate will be highlighted in manifestos for the forthcoming General Election, it does not make me feel wonderful when they cannot give me and you a platry 2.50 a week when we left the UK and handed our jobs on to someone else, maybe an person who was not even born in the UK but they will get an increase and I/we who contributed for many years will be given the cold shoulder, yet again.

When you look at the average of 27k and look what you are expected to live on in the UK, you will all know your difference, well, how does that work then? Its bad enough for us not getting an increase and that all seems fine to a bunch of decent chaps and chapess's who all get over 60k pa and generous pension ( compared to mine).

The world is not a fair place, but at one time the UK used to be known for fairness, not since 1955 apparently, a date that will go down in infamy with ex pat pensioners, the date HMG made its biggest raid on pensioners in history and something they ALL seem to think does not seem to be put right! Why would you vote for any of them?

[theoldgit]

I'm a new Uk pensioner and have read that I may receive a '' life certificate '' at some future time from the The UKs Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and I was wondering if any one here had received a UK life certificate and what did you do about getting it signed , any general advice / thoughts please .

The list is the same as countersigning passport photos https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

Check the list of people who can witness a life certificate. This is now the same as the list of people who can countersign a passport photo - though they dont need to live in the UK, or have a passport from a specific country.

[evadgib]

Removal of the 15 year limit on Registering to vote in British elections

On Tuesday December 2^nd Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for The Cotswolds is tabling a 10-minute Bill with the above objective on Tuesday December 2^nd 2.30 p.m. House of Commons. He will be supported by Sir Roger Gale and others. Posters who remain on the UK electoral register should write to their MP’s asking that they attend the house in order to support the motion. Posters that aren’t on the register & who have been abroad less than 15 years can register online via this link: https://www.gov.uk/voting-when-abroad

Don't know who your MP is?: http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-your-mp Be sure to inc your full name & postal address or they won't be able to respond.

(It'll be much harder to ignore 1.5M 'frozen' pensioners if they're all able to vote-that's enough to fill 80 average parliamentary seats!)

[nontabury]

It's OK being registered for a postal vote, but the voting papers are only sent out 4 days before the election, which is neither use nor ornament. Now a web-based vote using, say, your NI number or HMRC gateway ID, that would be useful.

Are you sure,4days, I recall at a recent by- election that the Liberals won by a small margin, that many of the pundits put their success down to many of their supporters having placed their vote a couple of weeks before the actual by-election.

Personally I sent in the appropriate forms to register as a postal voter in early September, by the 25th not having received confirmation of my inclusion to the list, I e-mailed the registrar to ask why, he informed me that they only send out confirmation letters once a month and that I should receive mine shortly. Yesterday the 17th November, I e-mailed him again, informing him that I have still not received the confirmation letter.

[sandyf]

Actually Sandy that is not strictly correct as I have been doing my income tax on line now since 2001 and yes you do need to log in through the government gateway but they will send the information to you at your Thai address.

If you go down this path make sure that you keep a separate record of your taxes paid and also your tax code.

I had a problem earlier this year and spoke to a very helpful lady on the phone who looked up my tax records for about 7 years and made the necessary changes online while we talked.

Instead of an under payment of some £1,400 that they say I owed them it turns out that they owed me about £360 which, as I don't have a UK bank account, will be credited to this years tax filing.

When you file online explain to them that as you live in Thailand your state pension is frozen from the date of issue. If not then they assume that you get the pension increase every year.

You may well be right regarding the address, I also have Government gateway for DVLA and I may have seen the address restriction on there. I have had both for some time and memory not as good as it was.

Am well aware of your last point but I just pay the additional tax and pick up the refund at the end of the year. It was only £18 this year. They are aware I live in Thailand but still assume the pension increase.

Hi Sandy. I think we are about the same age. My problem was that until I got the demand for the £1,400 I just used to tell them to alter my tax code. When I got the demad this time I made up a spreadsheet and tracked back as far as I could on tax paid, tax codes and earnings. I had a problem from the early days as I didn't have the software that I used in the early stages and couldn't find it on the internet though I did find the company that made it. They didn't have a copy either.

The lady I spoke to at HMRC was or seemed to be unaware that we in Thailand and many other countries have frozen pensions until I told her. I suppose that they though I was a silly old fart who just put down the original pension rates and forgot to change it every year. The people on the phones are usually quite user friendly and very helpful I found though she wouldn't give me a better tax code nor would she tell me the winning lottery numbers for the following week.

Still I managed with her help to turn a £1,400 debit into a £360 credit to me so at least it paid for the cost of the phonecall.

Yes you did well with that.

Before I came to Thailand, about 6 years now, I was self employed so up till then my tax was done by an accountant. From the time I came until I got state pension I did not have to pay any tax. My other pensions were below the allowance so it was all very straightforward.

Since I started state pension I have had direct payment which means there are no tax deductions. They have to recover it elsewhere so I paid quite close attention to the code numbers on the other 2 pensions. In the beginning they made a right mess and even after 3 sets of code numbers I still ended up with about £200 refund. Since then the only discrepancy has been the state pension increase and I have let that ride.

You are right about keeping records as I believe that they are more prone to error than people realise.

[siampolee]

Electoral Commission briefing – Overseas Registration

Please find attached a briefing that sets out the Electoral Commission’s work to ensure that British citizens living abroad are registered to vote in advance of the 2015 UK Parliamentary election.

We issued this briefing to all Peers yesterday ahead of today’s short debate secured by Lord Norton of Louth -Increasing the electoral registration of British citizens living abroad. The debate is scheduled for today (Wednesday 26 November) from 3.45pm.

We are also issuing the briefing to all MP’s ahead of the debate for information.

The Commission welcomes the support of MPs in getting British citizens living abroad registered and our briefing includes some useful examples of what Parliamentarians can do to help encourage registration.

Perhaps a tad off of topic nevertheless here goes

Above in the quote box is a redacted part copy of an email received this very morning.Looks like things may go our way and hopefully a positive result may lead to a bill to achieve pension equality for all.

For those who have received a like mail you will be aware that there is a P.D.F download which gives more information which however it is not possible to copy and paste.

[JetsetBkk]

..........................................

If someone can advise how to post a PDF document, I would be grateful.

Just post it as an attachment to your next posting. Most people will know how to download it and open it.

Like this.....

Thanks. Was looking for attachment but in the wrong place. Must have been off the bottom of the screen and never thought to scroll down.

This is the document I was referring to in previous post.

page3.docx

Goodness knows what kind of format that is Certainly not a .pdf -- I can't open it

Try this:

.

[evadgib]

Press releases & publications from DWP 01-30 Nov 14

https://www.gov.uk/government/announcements?keywords=&announcement_filter_option=all&topics%5B%5D=all&departments%5B%5D=department-for-work-pensions&world_locations%5B%5D=all&from_date=01%2F11%2F2014&to_date=

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?keywords=pensions&publication_filter_option=all&topics%5B%5D=all&departments%5B%5D=department-for-work-pensions&official_document_status=all&world_locations%5B%5D=all&from_date=01%2F11%2F2014&to_date=

HTH

[evadgib]

as for my State Pension, too young at the moment, shall worry about that when the time comes..

Too late, the time to support the consortium is long before you're caught up in it ie now!

[JetsetBkk]

I just got this email from "David Cameron".

Actually, it was from "[email protected]", but nice try, DC:

2015 is a big year for Britain.

Just five years ago, we were on the brink of bankruptcy. Investors wondered whether Britain was a safe bet any more. Businesses panicked about shrinking order books. And parents wondered what sort of future their children would inherit.

So when we came to office, we set in place a long-term economic plan - and asked for the patience and hard work of the British people to see it through.

Together we have been turning our country around.

In 2014 ours was the fastest-growing economy of all the major advanced nations. We have reduced our deficit by half. And every day we have been in Government, an average of 1000 new jobs have been created.

But our plan is not just fixing the economy - we are making Britain a country where effort is rewarded: where those who put in, get out; where if you put the hours in, you keep more of your own money; where if you're willing to save, you can buy a home of your own; where those retiring can have dignity and security in old age.

All this is at stake in the General Election in May. It is a critical moment for Britain's future - and the choice is clear: between the competence of sticking with our long-term plan, or the chaos of giving it up and going backwards.

So please - join Team2015, our volunteer network, today and play your part in the most important election in a generation.

With a second term in Government, we can carry on creating more jobs, giving more young people the opportunity to get on in life, and giving more families peace of mind about the future.

So our national New Year's resolution for 2015 must be to stick to the plan and stay on course to prosperity.

Volunteer for Team2015 today, and let's keep securing a better future for our children and grandchildren.

My reply:

Dear David,

I will do all you request provided you do just one thing for me: you stop freezing state pensions for expats. You know it is an indefensible policy. So stop it, now.

You might also stop thousands of expats voting for UKIP.

Regards,

...............

Living in a non-"uprated" country.

[nontabury]

Only 45% of new pensioners will be entitled to the full, new, flat-rate state pension in the first five years of the system, government figures show.

The new state pension, aimed at simplifying the system, will see a single payment of about £150 made to new pensioners from April 2016.

New figures suggest that two million people will not get the full amount.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30777166

Typical bureaucratic mess-up by the politicians, they've now simplified it, so there are now many different levels of money received. Including those who have paid in the most, yet receive a lower amount.

[nong38]

If the amount is small and it is paid cash you will be able to get away with it.

The HMRC power was in the news about 1 year ago, when they were trying to catch more tax evaders and wanted the power to raid accounts of anyone they suspected was not co-operating with HMRC, at the time and has always been the case for a long time, they would send you a tax demand, that seems to have changed so that they take the money from your account and its up to you to go to the courts and recover it, they do have access to your accounts so beware.

There was an article in Moneymail this last week regrading the computer looking for the same regular amount turning up and then not being declared.

[Jip99]

I think most of us have nothing to fear, only you wlll know.

But experience shows that these things start with good intentions that everyone agres with and then gets extended because they can. Do not be surprised, I wont be, if they do come it with.............whats the problem if you have nothing to fear?

If HMRC do smell a rat they will come after to you and make life very difficult for you, not my words but an accountant friend.

Watch each and every autumn statement and budget.

Always sensible to keep one eye on the budget/Autumn statement.

My message, and opinion, is that no one needs to lose any sleep over it.

If HMRC are being more intelligent, and effective, in catching major tax evaders then they have my full support.