British Friend Dead Here In Thailand Leaving Family Questions

[silentnine]

Hi all

A friend of mine has passed away at the young age of 60 here in thailand.

He has left behind his wife and a son of 4 years.

He never registered the marriage or birth at the british embassy.

From my understanding the embassy have shown no interest and just gave his wife a printed out paper with contact details for the pension service.

Creates a few questions.

How now could his son get a UK birth certificate and passport.

Is there any purpose or point in also trying to register the marriage also at the embassy. And if so how to do with him having passed away.

Does his wife have any recourse to UK public funding for either bereavment expenses or any possible widows pension

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[TommoPhysicist]

She would have entitlement to the 1 year bereavement allowance.

Translation of the Thai Marriage certificate plus copy of the original are the required documents.

http://www.advicegui...vement_benefits

Should also ask about 'widows payment' and 'widows pension'

Edited January 17, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[silentnine]

Thanks for the quick reply as were sitting with his wife now so helps..

what is and how much is the 1 year bereavement fund? Also to whom does she apply (just saw the link you posted to CAB.. )

If im reading right she can try and claim a one off payment of 2000pounds.. but has to be paid into a uk bank which i suspect she does not have. The payment for a year says she as the widow needs to be over 45 . Shes 43 i think ..

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited January 17, 2013 by silentnine

[TommoPhysicist]

Thanks for the quick reply as were sitting with his wife now so helps..

what is and how much is the 1 year bereavement fund? Also to whom does she apply

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Follow the link, Department of works and pensions in the UK.

Claim everything, let them sort out what she gets.

bereavement benefit which is payable for one year only at a rate determined by wife age age when husband die. From 29.30 a week at 45 years up to a maximum 97.65 at 55.It is also linked to husband having paid enough insurance contributions .On top of this wife will be entitled to a one off bereavement payment of 2,000 pounds .

Edited January 17, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[beano2274]

Does not matter about registering birth or marriage at Embassy, if he married here at the Amphur it is legal and binding.

https://www.gov.uk/b...owance/overview

You may be able to get Bereavement Allowance if all of the following apply:

• you were aged 45 or over when your husband, wife or civil partner died
  
• you’re under State Pension age
  
• your late husband, wife or civil partner paid National Insurance Contributions (NICs), or they died as a result of an industrial accident or disease
  
• you’re not bringing up children
  
• you haven’t remarried or reformed a civil partnership
  
• you aren’t living with another person as if you are married to them or as if you have formed a civil partnership
  
• you’re not in prison
  

If you were over State Pension age when you were widowed or became a surviving civil partner you may get extra State Pension. This is based on the NICs of your late:

• husband
  
• wife
  
• civil partner
  

If you’re widowed or became a surviving civil partner below State Pension age and you have a dependent child you can claim Widowed Parent’s Allowance. You can’t get Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Allowance at the same time.

Edited January 17, 2013 by beano2274

[beano2274]

If your husband, wife or civil partner has died you may be able to get Bereavement Payment: a one-off, tax-free, lump-sum payment of £2,000.

from the gov website

[bkk_mike]

For the kid, he'll need his father's long-form Birth Certificate to show the father was born in the UK.

With that, his own Birth Certificate and the parent's wedding certificate (maybe not essential but still helpful) he should be able to apply for a UK passport (If there's no intention to travel for a while, it might actually be worth doing the birth registration instead.)

[JohnC]

Widow can also claim a uk state pension when she reaches pension age (67) based on his contributions, but that may change as it is all under review yet again.

[JohnC]

I should also have mentioned, worth checking if he had any private/company pensions as there may be a widows pension with them as well. People sometimes forget with the passing of time that they paid into a private pension when they were younger also he might have had life insurance through an endowment.

[prakhonchai nick]

Have sent silentnine a message.

Posts above are only the tip of the iceberg!

The widow may well become a rich lady.