Uk State Pension For Wife (Non Uk National)

[Expatwannabee]

Hi, I'm hoping some existing pensioners with non UK wives can help with this (though the rules may recently have changed). I have read in the past on Thai visa of men in receipt of their state pension getting an NI number for their Thai wives and then claiming the wife's pension (approx GBP50 per week) based on the husbands NI contribution record ( all this while resident in Thailand). However, when I tried to confirm this in England, I was told that it is possible but that the wife had to qualify for eligibility by having lived in the UK for a minimum of 5 years. Does anyone have recent experience which either confirms or contradicts this please.

[meatboy]

my wife worked and paid ni.stamps for 20yrs.she is entitled to state pension when she is 66yrs.old she has had a pension forcast back in 2009 but there is nothing in the info.she got regarding what you expect your wf.might get,more than likely it thai talk.

[Expatwannabee]

Wouldnt you think it better not to expect others to fund your wifes life if she has not paid into the system.

. As I understand it, if a man works and pays NI for 30years he is entitled to a state pension (currently GBP107 I think). If a woman does the same she is also entitled to the same. If however she has never worked she is entitled to a wifes pension of GBP50 based on her husbands NI contributions. My question was about the situation when the wife is a non UK citizen. Whilst I can see your point I did not choose to join this system. It is compulsory. Also I did not establish the rules. However, having paid my dues I have every intention of claiming whatever I am entitled to, regardless of whether I need it or not, an extra 50 quid a week is always nice.

[endure]

The OP is asking whether his wife is entitled to a UK pension. If you don't know the answer to this question then don't post.

[kennedy]

The 5yr. rule applies to US social security survivor benefits.

[Hedghog]

Contact DWP Uk.they should be able to advise.

[beano2274]

The 5yr. rule applies to US social security survivor benefits.

This is about a UK Pension not a US thing.....

[kennedy]

The 5yr. rule applies to US social security survivor benefits.

This is about a UK Pension not a US thing.....

I know. I thought that the OP was getting opinions from someone getting the two mixed up Get it?

[beano2274]

The 5yr. rule applies to US social security survivor benefits.

This is about a UK Pension not a US thing.....

I know. I thought that the OP was getting opinions from someone getting the two mixed up Get it?

the last line of the original thread does mention UK and 5 years. Maybe the rules are the same maybe not for both countries

[meatboy]

if the op has been married before to a uk citizen she is entitled to claim useing her former husbands contributions if she hasnt paid enough stamps.

[JAS21]

The OP is asking whether his wife is entitled to a UK pension. If you don't know the answer to this question then don't post.

This may help .... http://www.britishpensions.org.au/pension-guidelines.htm#No7

[Eff1n2ret]

The "married man's pension", officially known as the Adult Dependency Allowance, no longer exists. It was phased out for all new claims in April 2010.

I have insufficient knowledge or experience to advise on the entitlements of a Thai non-resident non-contributing widow of a UK husband.

[prodriver]

If you have paid into the system and receive a full UK State pension, your wife who has never worked or lived in the UK will still be entitled to a UK state pension of sorts based on your contributions when she reaches the pensionable age for women.

I have filled in the application form for my wife as much as possible for her to apply when she reaches the age of 66. I will surely not be alive by the time she gets to 66 so she will already have been alloted a NI number from when she applies for the bereavement payment of £2,000 after my death.

[rgs2001uk]

If you have paid into the system and receive a full UK State pension, your wife who has never worked or lived in the UK will still be entitled to a UK state pension of sorts based on your contributions when she reaches the pensionable age for women.

I have filled in the application form for my wife as much as possible for her to apply when she reaches the age of 66. I will surely not be alive by the time she gets to 66 so she will already have been alloted a NI number from when she applies for the bereavement payment of £2,000 after my death.

when she applies for the bereavement payment of £2,000 after my death.

I dont know what a bereavement payment is, however right in front of me I have a letter from Newcastle, that states,

"We cannot help you with funeral expenses. This is because Death Grant was abolished on the 6 April 1987"

I have recently helped a Thai widow apply for a pension based on her husbands contibutions, I have spoken to Newcastle on at least 3 ocassions.

To cut a long story short, this womam is 60 years old, she will get a pension for 1 year, then when she reaches 65 she will have to apply again.

There is no need for a NI number.

The documents the woman had to send were, her birth certificate, ID card, her marriage certificate, her husbands details, a death certificate and finally bank details of where she wanted the money paying, with a choice of every 4 weeks or every 13 weeks.

Over on another thread there was a dicussion about girls speaking English, I find it unbelievable a man can be married to a Thai that speaks NO English and the husband spoke NO Thai.

Thanks, I am now left to clear up the mess you left behind.

This woman was at her wits end, didnt know where or who to turn to, certainly had no money to pay for translations never mind photocopies.

Take this as a reminder, get you together and pray your wife doesnt have to endure what this poor woman had to endure.

[lungbing]

It is not a pension that the lady is receiving, but a Bereavement Allowance.

This is taxable, but as she also has a full year's tax allowance she shouldn't pay any tax on it.

The amount paid depends on how old she is and ranges from about 30 quid to 100 quid a week.

It is paid weekly for one year.

This is assuming the widow is 45 years of age or older when her husband dies, and she is not

yet old enough to claim a UK pension in her own right, which she will be able to do if her

late husband paid enough NI contributions and she hasn't remarried.

Again assuming she is over 45 but under 65 (or whatever the current female pension age is)

she should be eligible for the Bereavement Payment which is a tax-free lump sum of up

to 2000 pounds depending again on her late husband's NI contributions.

I believe my wife will be eligible to claim a single person's pension when she reaches the correct age

which is 67 for her. This is based on my NI contributions over the years. And she will also

be eligible for the Bereavement Allowance and Bereavement Payments as above if the sysytem hasn't

changed by then. There is a discussion paper out which moots combining these two payments,

but even then the qualification is based solely on the late husband's NI contributions, not on where

she lives nor her ability to speak English.

When such an allowance is paid I suspect the widow is automatically allocated an NI number.

I have partially completed a BB1 form (Bereavement Benefits) and a BR1 form (Pension claim form)

for my wife. She only needs check the form is current, to fill in the date I died, sign and date it and send it off!

[twinpin]

Wow Lungbing. You have already filled in the forms for your wife. good thinking Batman

I never thought of that one. But it makes sense I will do the same ASAP.

When I peg it I have a couple of friends that would help her. but who is to say that they will be around.

i have told her if she has a problem go to Citizens Advice They will assist you

She is 45 in june so I will try to live till then, And a bit longer would be nice

[lungbing]

I've told her to download the latest forms (she can do that OK) and copy across the answers I've already filled in. I've use a highlighter pen to mark the questions I don't know the answers to, eg when I died, and the date she's applying. It will make it much easier for her because I know where I worked and lived over the years and other daft things they ask. But when I showed her the booklet I prepared with details of addresses, UK Embassy requirements, Immigration requirements etc she got all upset and wouldn't carry on looking at the booklet. But she'll be grateful eventually. I told her not to remarry because she would then not be eligible for a UK pension and she laughed and said there was no chance of her remarrying after me. I'm not sure how to take that!

[Expatwannabee]

The OP is asking whether his wife is entitled to a UK pension. If you don't know the answer to this question then don't post.

This may help .... http://www.britishpe...delines.htm#No7

Thank you JAS21 for that link. It is very informative and just what I was hoping to get.

[Expatwannabee]

if the op has been married before to a uk citizen she is entitled to claim useing her former husbands contributions if she hasnt paid enough stamps.

Thanks for your post. As you can imagine I'm not really interested on behalf of my ex-wife but I'm sure she would be interested to know this and with the NI contributions of her 2nd husband (now also ex) i'm sure she will be due a better pension than she currently expects. However at age 59 she is not there yet and with the current changes I'm not sure when she will be.Still if this helps her at all I'm grateful.

[Expatwannabee]

Contact DWP Uk.they should be able to advise.

Thanks Hedghog I will do this . It is good advice but for some reason (just me being silly really) I wanted to have some input first to justify doing so. I suppose I don't find officialdom as approachable as a forum like this.

[Expatwannabee]

Thanks to all who have taken the trouble to reply. I appreciate your help. I think I now have what I needed so if the topic can be closed that's fine.

[clifric]

Further on tnis topic; the bereavement grant still does exist at £2,000 lump sum for the widow abd then a bereavement benefit of up to the full weekly pension of £107 is paid for one year following the death. This weekly amount is reduced by (I think) 7% for each year she is under the age of (again I think!) 55.

Like a previous correspondent I too have already submitted marriage certificate and ID card copies to DWP as I do get the Adult Dependency Allowance of £50 pw for my Thai wife and, yes, it stops in 2020. I also have left a partially completed claim form with my son in UK. I also applied for and received a NI number fo my wife when we got married 4 years ago.

I should point out that UK Gov is discussing changes to the Bereavement Benefits (you can download the bereavement benefi response to consultation document from the DWP website). There is a proposal that the grant might be iincreased to £2,500 and the weekly benefit reduced accordingly. So I might have to get a new form completed soon!!

If you are concerned about your wife having problems such as described by rgs2001uk above, then there is a solution. Join the Royal British Legion in Thailand (Google it and find the link). There is an Officer who deals with any problems such as repatriating sick members etc and they also assist widows of members in obtaining their due benefits.

[Tafia]

This was posted by Chiang Mai in the UK Penison Section Today, answers a few questions!

There was a discussion some time ago about whether or not the Thai wives of UK pensioners would be entitled to recieve the pension payments in the event of the UK pensioners death. At the time of the debate I undertook to write to the pensions office to find ou what the official line is on this subject, regrettably I am now unable to now find that discussion/thread so I'll post my results here.

The pensions office replied:

"Thank you for your e-mail dated 10 December 2012 asking for details of UK

B

ereavement Benefit that your wife would be entit

led to claim in the event of your death. I can advise that if your wife is under the age of 45 she will only be entitled to a

B

ereavem

en

t

Payment.

If she is

over

the age of 45

she will also be entitled to a weekly benefit for 52 weeks. We are unable to advise how much the weekly benefit would be as this is only calculated

a

t

the time of death.

This is based on current legislation

and is subject to change in the future.

I hope this answers your query.

Yours sincerely

"

Whilst the above refers to my email of 10 Dec this was preceeded by a series of letters backwards and forwards thus the original question was asked quite some time ago!

Edited December 19, 2012 by Tafia