Can My Thai Wife "inherit" Uk State Pension When I Croke?

[prakhonchai nick]

There have been a number of changes to the Pension and Bereavement rules since this thread was started.

Currently -and until April 2016, bereavement benefits include a £2000 lump sum + a weekly payment for 1 year to a widow over 45 with no eligible children, or a widowed parents allowance where there is a child in secondary education, under 20 years of age. There is no entitlement to a state pension for the widow.

From 6th April 2016, the bereavement benefits are being revamped, Basically a widow will be entitled to one of 2 payments. 1) approx £5000 lump sum if no eligible children and 2) approx £10,000 lump sum if there are eligible children. The lump sum may be paid in 2 parts. Again no entitlement to state pension.

The main problem with all these benefits and widows obtaining their just dues from their late husband's estate, savings, pensions, premium bonds etc is that most widows do not know how to go about claiming, and in many cases are unaware that they are entitled to anything.

If anyone wants any help on the above matters, advice on who can take care of the widows when the time comes, please PM me for full information.

[i claudius]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

This is not what i intend when i die ,but i can see the guys point ,you pay into your pension all your life expecting to get it ,then the govt defraud you by changing the goalposts and not upping your pension yearly if you come here to live ,Also Brown and the labour govt stole your private pension and Blair faught tooth and nail to make sure that the E.U stopped us getting the rises ,and this was a Labour working mans party , so Fraud ,yes succesive govts have used it on us pensioners.

[prakhonchai nick]

The Pension Service (DWP) have a policy of checking whether pensioners are still alive at regular periods. Indeed they specifically check those where payments are made directly to overseas accounts.

If the appropriate "still alive" form is not completed and returned within a few weeks, payment is stopped.

I have just seen first hand knowledge of this - a pensioner was in hospital for 2/3 months at deaths door. A letter arrived mfrom the DWP which was put aside by the wife, and payments stopped just a couple of weeks before his death. I am helping the widow claim bereavement benefits to which she is entitled and the underpayment on the state pension.

[MAJIC]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

This is not what i intend when i die ,but i can see the guys point ,you pay into your pension all your life expecting to get it ,then the govt defraud you by changing the goalposts and not upping your pension yearly if you come here to live ,Also Brown and the labour govt stole your private pension and Blair faught tooth and nail to make sure that the E.U stopped us getting the rises ,and this was a Labour working mans party , so Fraud ,yes succesive govts have used it on us pensioners.

Two wrongs do not equal a right!

[i claudius]

So your saying if the govt screw you you should just accept it? If so if you screw the govt they should accept it then,two wrongs ect

[pigeonjake]

@ claudius,

dont forget in the uk we were screwed from the day we started working,

tax when you earn your money,

tax when you spend your money,

tax when you save your money.

and tax when you die,,,

[JockPieandBeans]

From 6th April 2016, the bereavement benefits are being revamped, Basically a widow will be entitled to one of 2 payments. 1) approx £5000 lump sum if no eligible children and 2) approx £10,000 lump sum if there are eligible children. The lump sum may be paid in 2 parts. Again no entitlement to state pension.

@ prakhonchai nick

Would these bereavement benefits be applicable to any widow. ie, husband dies but not yet at pension age. Or only widows that were married to guys who were already drawing their Old Age Pension ?

Thanks

[prakhonchai nick]

From 6th April 2016, the bereavement benefits are being revamped, Basically a widow will be entitled to one of 2 payments. 1) approx £5000 lump sum if no eligible children and 2) approx £10,000 lump sum if there are eligible children. The lump sum may be paid in 2 parts. Again no entitlement to state pension.

@ prakhonchai nick

Would these bereavement benefits be applicable to any widow. ie, husband dies but not yet at pension age. Or only widows that were married to guys who were already drawing their Old Age Pension ?

Thanks

Deceased husband can be any age, as can the widow. No need for the deceased to be drawing state pension. Only criteria is that they were legally married

[JockPieandBeans]

From 6th April 2016, the bereavement benefits are being revamped, Basically a widow will be entitled to one of 2 payments. 1) approx £5000 lump sum if no eligible children and 2) approx £10,000 lump sum if there are eligible children. The lump sum may be paid in 2 parts. Again no entitlement to state pension.

@ prakhonchai nick

Would these bereavement benefits be applicable to any widow. ie, husband dies but not yet at pension age. Or only widows that were married to guys who were already drawing their Old Age Pension ?

Thanks

Deceased husband can be any age, as can the widow. No need for the deceased to be drawing state pension. Only criteria is that they were legally married

Thanks for the prompt response Nick.

I'm not married nor have any intention of popping my clogs.

But good info for anyone else who is married and not at retirement age.

Cheers.

[lungbing]

You, or rather your widow, should be given an NI number when she applies for the bereavement benefit and bereavement allowance that she is entitled to, no matter what her nationality. She will need an NI number as the bereavement allowance is taxable.

[laolover88]

Does the widow have to be living in the UK with ILR?

[prakhonchai nick]

You, or rather your widow, should be given an NI number when she applies for the bereavement benefit and bereavement allowance that she is entitled to, no matter what her nationality. She will need an NI number as the bereavement allowance is taxable.

The widow will be allocated a NI number as part of the benefit process. This enables the benefits to be paid. I am not aware they are taxable -if so, the widow will normmally be eligible for the £10,000 personal allowance, regardless of what it says on the IR website.

Does the widow have to be living in the UK with ILR?

The widow does not have to live in the UK. In fact it does not matter if she has never been there, as long as her deceased husband was British and paid NI contributions..................ILR??

[i claudius]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

Might as well at least he paid in all the immigrants to Britain never paid a penny but get everything on a plate

[prakhonchai nick]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

Might as well at least he paid in all the immigrants to Britain never paid a penny but get everything on a plate

Don W's post is 2 years old!

A foreign wife WILL receive bereavement benefits. If she has children, these benefits are especially lucrative,

The pension service make checks every 2/3 years to ensure the state pensioner is still alive. A form is sent out that needs to be countersigned by a solicitor or someone of similar standing stating that the pensioner is still alive. Failure to return the completed form within 3./4 weeks and the pension payment is stopped.

Edited September 27, 2014 by prakhonchai nick

[phutoie2]

There have been a number of changes to the Pension and Bereavement rules since this thread was started.

Currently -and until April 2016, bereavement benefits include a £2000 lump sum + a weekly payment for 1 year to a widow over 45 with no eligible children, or a widowed parents allowance where there is a child in secondary education, under 20 years of age. There is no entitlement to a state pension for the widow.

From 6th April 2016, the bereavement benefits are being revamped, Basically a widow will be entitled to one of 2 payments. 1) approx £5000 lump sum if no eligible children and 2) approx £10,000 lump sum if there are eligible children. The lump sum may be paid in 2 parts. Again no entitlement to state pension.

The main problem with all these benefits and widows obtaining their just dues from their late husband's estate, savings, pensions, premium bonds etc is that most widows do not know how to go about claiming, and in many cases are unaware that they are entitled to anything.

If anyone wants any help on the above matters, advice on who can take care of the widows when the time comes, please PM me for full information.

Thanks for this, is there any info on length of NI contributions?, Did it not be 44 years for the bereavement allowance?.

In my own case I only have 36 years worth and took early redundacy package. So have not paid any further NI since moving to Thailand. - Thanks.

[prakhonchai nick]

There have been a number of changes to the Pension and Bereavement rules since this thread was started.

Currently -and until April 2016, bereavement benefits include a £2000 lump sum + a weekly payment for 1 year to a widow over 45 with no eligible children, or a widowed parents allowance where there is a child in secondary education, under 20 years of age. There is no entitlement to a state pension for the widow.

From 6th April 2016, the bereavement benefits are being revamped, Basically a widow will be entitled to one of 2 payments. 1) approx £5000 lump sum if no eligible children and 2) approx £10,000 lump sum if there are eligible children. The lump sum may be paid in 2 parts. Again no entitlement to state pension.

The main problem with all these benefits and widows obtaining their just dues from their late husband's estate, savings, pensions, premium bonds etc is that most widows do not know how to go about claiming, and in many cases are unaware that they are entitled to anything.

If anyone wants any help on the above matters, advice on who can take care of the widows when the time comes, please PM me for full information.

Thanks for this, is there any info on length of NI contributions?, Did it not be 44 years for the bereavement allowance?.

In my own case I only have 36 years worth and took early redundacy package. So have not paid any further NI since moving to Thailand. - Thanks.

Currently, to obtain the full amount of bereavement benefits -other than the £2000 lump sum -it is necessary to have paid 44 NI contributions. Less than 44, and the benefits will be paid pro rata. From April 2016, the position is still unclear.

[watcharacters]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

I dont believe there is a provision to be 'proud' when one lives in abstract poverty; though I could be wrong.

Does fraud or stealing have boundaries based on poverty?

[MAJIC]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

I dont believe there is a provision to be 'proud' when one lives in abstract poverty; though I could be wrong.

Sure! and no need to blame another Country for the "abstract poverty" and failings of not providing for the destitute people of their own Country! and please spare me the the Bleeding heart "Thailand can't afford it"...we all know it's not a third world Country any more! if it is why are some "farangs" happy to rough it! and still claim what a wonderful cheap life they have in Thailand!

Edited October 13, 2014 by MAJIC

[jacky54]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Not really authorities will notify UK embassy, death certificate will be referenced by the pension dept and pension stopped. It's all linked up these days, only way round it is not to tell anyone he's dead, but that is a crime and still collecting the pension fraud.

[prakhonchai nick]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Not really authorities will notify UK embassy, death certificate will be referenced by the pension dept and pension stopped. It's all linked up these days, only way round it is not to tell anyone he's dead, but that is a crime and still collecting the pension fraud.

What you suggest happens - in theory - is correct, but in practice it doesn't happen that way.

The British Embassy are notified either by the hospital where the death occurred, by the amphur, or by the widow. It does not go any further!. The Embassy provide no assistance to the widow, other than send a letter of condolence.

However, the widow is invariably entitled to bereavement benefits, with a minimum current payment of £2000, and possibly more if she has young children in secondary education or is over 45.

The widow will commit fraud by failing to notify the death to the DWP, and continuing to collect the state pension, but then she could not claim bereavement benefits.

Furthermore, it the deceased has been drawing state pension for a few years the DWP will periodically (probably every 2 years) send a letter for his signature , to be witnessed by a lawyer or suitable responsible person, stating that he is still living.

Play it straight -the chances are that the widow will benefit more.

In the past 3 years I have assisted 14 Thai widows to obtain bereavement benefits. In 10 cases the DWP were slightly late in being advised of the death (not deliberately) and reclaimed the state pension that was overpaid. In 3 of those cases it was written off as the deceased left no money, and the pension helped with funeral costs.

[kian246]

Bad for your karma in this life to make preparations for somebody else to benefit when you die. You should do all you can so others benefit from you staying alive. Will make a difference once you need a lot of care.

[sometime]

A government crackdown on state pensions awarded to the non-working spouses of British expats has left stay-at-home mothers concerned.

One woman who left Britain with her husband and had children abroad complained that she – and others in her position – will be unfairly penalised.

Under current rules, the wife or husband of a British expat can receive a state pension even if they have never set foot in the UK. The benefit is known as the married person’s allowance, and is given to a spouse based on their partner’s National Insurance contributions.

The perk allowed British expats to marry overseas and secure a pension for their wife or husband even if that person has never worked in the UK or paid National Insurance.

But as more expats take advantage of the rule, including those marrying Thai brides, the government decided the system is unfair to British taxpayers and is scrapping it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/expat-money/10059487/Expat-pension-crackdown-prompts-concern-from-stay-at-home-mothers.html

[RubbaJohnny]

Good link here

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284901/Information_Relating_to_Deaths_in_Thailand_Jan_2014_-_lastest_edition.pdf

[tso310]

My wife and i both lived in the UK for over 5 years and she has an NI number ,also she usede to get child allowance ,we were also married in the uk and i have full ni payments ,does that entitle her to a pension? sorry about the underlining ,it just does it ,dont know why.

Yes, and infact my wife has received notification of when her pension will start and about her NI contibutions. The NI number is the all important asset for anything to do with state payments. Although I should add that we are UK resident atm.

Edited February 15, 2015 by tso310

[welshboy454]

There have been a number of changes to the Pension and Bereavement rules since this thread was started.

Currently -and until April 2016, bereavement benefits include a £2000 lump sum + a weekly payment for 1 year to a widow over 45 with no eligible children, or a widowed parents allowance where there is a child in secondary education, under 20 years of age. There is no entitlement to a state pension for the widow.

From 6th April 2016, the bereavement benefits are being revamped, Basically a widow will be entitled to one of 2 payments. 1) approx £5000 lump sum if no eligible children and 2) approx £10,000 lump sum if there are eligible children. The lump sum may be paid in 2 parts. Again no entitlement to state pension.

The main problem with all these benefits and widows obtaining their just dues from their late husband's estate, savings, pensions, premium bonds etc is that most widows do not know how to go about claiming, and in many cases are unaware that they are entitled to anything.

If anyone wants any help on the above matters, advice on who can take care of the widows when the time comes, please PM me for full information.

Just asking if there has been any change in the rules.as this link https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-allowance/what-youll-get seems to suggest a weekly payment based on age - I cannot see any small print stating a cap other than for 52 weeks. Another question- to get paid requires an NI number to be issued -does that mean automatic credit for national insurance contributions (think state pension) ?

Edited April 30, 2015 by welshboy454

[MAJIC]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

Are the UK Government honest people? Will they be proud of themselves? Don't they commit fraud with people on State pensions by not giving them their annual increases? Have they not been plundering and robbing other countries for centuries? How do you think the Queen is the richest woman in the world? Where do you think most of the Queens riches came from? Do you know that the UK ruled over two thirds of the world only 100 years ago? So who is the real thieves?

A couple of your ozzy mates got their pensions from the UK,for 12 years working in the UK,not enough of course,and how about you guys plundering and robbing,I think the Aboriginies would have a word or two about that! but worse! If you feel so peeved about the Queen you must be in the minority, the Queen is only the Head of State,and Australian people doesn't seem to be in a rush to get her to stand down,and let's not get involved in land grabs of others!or worse, Many of our Forefather did wrong,and so did yours.

Edited May 5, 2015 by MAJIC

[keithathome]

I am almost sure that she will get nothing as a foreign wife. Indeed, a mate of mine in Thailand is close to passing, lives riggght out in the boonies on the Burmese border and when he goes they have no intention of informing the authorities so the pension keeps getting paid into his account and she keeps the ATM.

Good planning skills though.

Yea! nice honest people,commit Fraud,rob another Country,that owes them nothing. I'm sure they will be proud of themselves.

I dont believe there is a provision to be 'proud' when one lives in abstract poverty; though I could be wrong.

Sorry but I'm a bit of a stickler for the English language as she is spoken(or written) ABJECT is what you wanted to say. ABSTRACT completely changes what you wanted to say. (I think) Sorry if I am wrong.XXXX

Edited May 6, 2015 by keithathome

[samsensam]

Thats good that she gets a pension! Lets hope its still around in 30 years when i need it.

if you're from the uk you're out of luck. the state pension pot will have run out long before then. uk residents are strongly advised not to rely on the state pension and make their own pension arrangements.

[evadgib]

<deleted-dead horse!>

Edited May 6, 2015 by evadgib

[prakhonchai nick]

The changes mentioned in earlier posts to the Bereavement Benefits, will, it now appears, not be in force until April 2017.