UK company pension payment to my Thai spouse upon my death

[lungbing]

Good they replied and confirmed the rules. Was there any mention of an NI number for her?

[Jip99]

Good they replied and confirmed the rules. Was there any mention of an NI number for her?

The Bereavement Payment will probably be received before any advice of NI number.

In fact I received a payment today for a widow and the NI number is quoted as the reference on the £2,000 BACS payment. No letters have yet been received !

[Jip99]

That is a depressingly lazy response if I may say so. You have simply posted a CAB summary of the 12 months rule - regulation 7 from the 2011 Regulations (quoted in full in my last post). There is no mention of a requirement for six months residency. I cannot debate this further as I have better things to do with my time, but there is enough information in the thread to help any readers needing answers. The key point is that no returning expat should mistakenly believe that they need to spend 6 months in the UK before they are eligible for NHS treatment; their eligibility will depend on establishing intention to return permanently or that they fall under one of the exemptions. Similarly the OP of this thread should not take as gospel your suggestion that his widow would not be entitled to a UK personal tax allowance on pension income originating within the UK, though there are some exclusions and the rules may change in the future.

Despite your bluster, rhetoric and long windiness, my questions posed in post 25 still stand.

Visiting expats returning to the UK for NHS treatment will not be eligible for free treatment until a minimum amount of time has been spent in country, do you disagree? A simple yes or no without the hot air, will suffice.

You can probably imagine what question two will be!

I disagree.

I am confident that if I roll up at A & E (or I am duly referred to a hospital by the doctor's practice where I am retained) I will receive the attention/treatment that is required.

[chiang mai]

That is a depressingly lazy response if I may say so. You have simply posted a CAB summary of the 12 months rule - regulation 7 from the 2011 Regulations (quoted in full in my last post). There is no mention of a requirement for six months residency. I cannot debate this further as I have better things to do with my time, but there is enough information in the thread to help any readers needing answers. The key point is that no returning expat should mistakenly believe that they need to spend 6 months in the UK before they are eligible for NHS treatment; their eligibility will depend on establishing intention to return permanently or that they fall under one of the exemptions. Similarly the OP of this thread should not take as gospel your suggestion that his widow would not be entitled to a UK personal tax allowance on pension income originating within the UK, though there are some exclusions and the rules may change in the future.

Despite your bluster, rhetoric and long windiness, my questions posed in post 25 still stand.

Visiting expats returning to the UK for NHS treatment will not be eligible for free treatment until a minimum amount of time has been spent in country, do you disagree? A simple yes or no without the hot air, will suffice.

You can probably imagine what question two will be!

I disagree.

I am confident that if I roll up at A & E (or I am duly referred to a hospital by the doctor's practice where I am retained) I will receive the attention/treatment that is required.

You confuse three things,

A&E must treat every emergency free of charge, regardless of their status or residency, further care beyond that becomes an issue and if ineligible, you must pay for that treatment..

Technically, doctors surgeries should manage the residency laws but most do not at this stage, I have come across one surgery in Devon who challenged my right to free treatment. My doctor of ten years ago in Chipping Norton still is willing to treat me free of charge and we even talk about the times since we last met, this is mostly because we are friends and used to socialize. But, if further care were required, ditto the above.

If your doctor (GP) understands you to be UK resident, what you describe above is entirely viable, but, if not, you must pay.

[bob009]

Certainly. As your widow she will need to aspply for the UK bereavement payment and bereavement allowance. The bereavement payment is a one-off, tax-free payment of about 2,000GBP and is payable no matter what her nationality or age at the time of your death. The bereavement allowance is paid on a sliding scale depending on her age at the time of your death. She must be at least 45 years old to be able to claim, and the older she is the more she gets but she cannot claim if she is of pensionable age when you die. An NI number will be allocated to her as part of this because the bereavement allowance is taxable.

Both the bereavement allowance and bereavement payment are claimed on the same form known as a BB1.

May I gently suggest you download the BB1 form, and fill in as much as possible, which is most of it except your date of death! You will need things like certified copies of wedding certificates and probably her birth certificate and your death certificate. Get them now, (except the death certificate) as they'll keep and it will make things easier for your future widow. The government will probably re-issue the BB1 form over the years but most of the answers can be copied across from the one you're going to fill in.

If you really want to help her at this stressful time, make a list of your personal details, age, your NI number, date and place of birth etc , a list of email addresses and/or phone numbers she should contact, bank details, your pension provider details (she might be entitled to a smaller widow's pension) in fact near enough your life's history. You know everything now, but you won't be there to answer her questions. Perhaps put in all in a folder, go through it with her and keep it up to date.

And believe it or not immigration will want a copy of your passport to cancel your visa, and will want your departure card too. You don't want to be on overstay!

Great advise. I have compiled a to list for my wife in the event of my death along with several letters to immigration,my company pension ,state pension and a letter to the British Embassy in BKK with the appropriate forms to cancel my passport. I contacted the Pension service in the UK to enquire if any documents needed to be translated, their answer was no as they can do all that. The only thing they did say was to make sure that the death certificate was from the correct office as the doctors one is not valid. I was told by the pension service that my wife could claim bereavement currently £2000 + one years state pension payments subject to change.

I think the most important thing is that there should be as little delay as possible in informing the authorities of a death as any overpayment will be clawed back.

[MAZ3]

The 45 age limit does not apply to the one off payment of up to £2,000,I applied on behalf on my friends Widow (Power of Attorney)and she has just received the full amount of £2,000. She is 30 and my friend was 64,so he was not drawing a state pension. She is not entitled to any other benefit or pension,only if she was over 45 or had children.

Edited October 30, 2014 by MAZ3

[Jip99]

Certainly. As your widow she will need to aspply for the UK bereavement payment and bereavement allowance. The bereavement payment is a one-off, tax-free payment of about 2,000GBP and is payable no matter what her nationality or age at the time of your death. The bereavement allowance is paid on a sliding scale depending on her age at the time of your death. She must be at least 45 years old to be able to claim, and the older she is the more she gets but she cannot claim if she is of pensionable age when you die. An NI number will be allocated to her as part of this because the bereavement allowance is taxable.

Both the bereavement allowance and bereavement payment are claimed on the same form known as a BB1.

May I gently suggest you download the BB1 form, and fill in as much as possible, which is most of it except your date of death! You will need things like certified copies of wedding certificates and probably her birth certificate and your death certificate. Get them now, (except the death certificate) as they'll keep and it will make things easier for your future widow. The government will probably re-issue the BB1 form over the years but most of the answers can be copied across from the one you're going to fill in.

If you really want to help her at this stressful time, make a list of your personal details, age, your NI number, date and place of birth etc , a list of email addresses and/or phone numbers she should contact, bank details, your pension provider details (she might be entitled to a smaller widow's pension) in fact near enough your life's history. You know everything now, but you won't be there to answer her questions. Perhaps put in all in a folder, go through it with her and keep it up to date.

And believe it or not immigration will want a copy of your passport to cancel your visa, and will want your departure card too. You don't want to be on overstay!

Great advise. I have compiled a to list for my wife in the event of my death along with several letters to immigration,my company pension ,state pension and a letter to the British Embassy in BKK with the appropriate forms to cancel my passport. I contacted the Pension service in the UK to enquire if any documents needed to be translated, their answer was no as they can do all that. The only thing they did say was to make sure that the death certificate was from the correct office as the doctors one is not valid. I was told by the pension service that my wife could claim bereavement currently £2000 + one years state pension payments subject to change.

I think the most important thing is that there should be as little delay as possible in informing the authorities of a death as any overpayment will be clawed back.

I don't believe that this is correct. - there is no entitlement to state pension, only Bereavement Allowance if a widow is over 45 (+ the BP of £2,000).

As you say, it is subject to change and hopefully you will go on beyond April 2016 when there will be one fixed payment - likely to be up to £5,000 if there are no school-age children.

[MAZ3]

Certainly. As your widow she will need to aspply for the UK bereavement payment and bereavement allowance. The bereavement payment is a one-off, tax-free payment of about 2,000GBP and is payable no matter what her nationality or age at the time of your death. The bereavement allowance is paid on a sliding scale depending on her age at the time of your death. She must be at least 45 years old to be able to claim, and the older she is the more she gets but she cannot claim if she is of pensionable age when you die. An NI number will be allocated to her as part of this because the bereavement allowance is taxable.

Both the bereavement allowance and bereavement payment are claimed on the same form known as a BB1.

May I gently suggest you download the BB1 form, and fill in as much as possible, which is most of it except your date of death! You will need things like certified copies of wedding certificates and probably her birth certificate and your death certificate. Get them now, (except the death certificate) as they'll keep and it will make things easier for your future widow. The government will probably re-issue the BB1 form over the years but most of the answers can be copied across from the one you're going to fill in.

If you really want to help her at this stressful time, make a list of your personal details, age, your NI number, date and place of birth etc , a list of email addresses and/or phone numbers she should contact, bank details, your pension provider details (she might be entitled to a smaller widow's pension) in fact near enough your life's history. You know everything now, but you won't be there to answer her questions. Perhaps put in all in a folder, go through it with her and keep it up to date.

And believe it or not immigration will want a copy of your passport to cancel your visa, and will want your departure card too. You don't want to be on overstay!

Great advise. I have compiled a to list for my wife in the event of my death along with several letters to immigration,my company pension ,state pension and a letter to the British Embassy in BKK with the appropriate forms to cancel my passport. I contacted the Pension service in the UK to enquire if any documents needed to be translated, their answer was no as they can do all that. The only thing they did say was to make sure that the death certificate was from the correct office as the doctors one is not valid. I was told by the pension service that my wife could claim bereavement currently £2000 + one years state pension payments subject to change.

I think the most important thing is that there should be as little delay as possible in informing the authorities of a death as any overpayment will be clawed back.

I don't believe that this is correct. - there is no entitlement to state pension, only Bereavement Allowance if a widow is over 45 (+ the BP of £2,000).

As you say, it is subject to change and hopefully you will go on beyond April 2016 when there will be one fixed payment - likely to be up to £5,000 if there are no school-age children.

Sorry Jip,the age limit for the lump sum Bereavement payment is not 45.

Please see my previous post,or are you talking about the widows pension?

Regards Maz

Edited October 30, 2014 by MAZ3

[lungbing]

There are two, entirely separate payments here, although both are claimed on the same form (form BB1) at the same time after the death of the UK person.

One is Bereavement payment, a one-off payment of 2,000 GBP, assuming full NI payments over the life of the deceased. This one is paid no matter what age the widow. Essentially it's to bury the deceased.

The other is the bereavement allowance and this one is paid on a sliding scale and is paid only if the widow is 45 years of age or older at the time her husband dies. This is taxable and paid for one year only. But of course if there is no other UK income then the tax allowance of the widow will cover it and no tax will be payable. I think, think, that if there are children in full-time education then this allowance is higher.

There are proposals that both these payments, the one-off and the year's payment are to be paid together as a one-off lump sum. But that's still a proposal.

That's how I understand it. Please download form BB1 and read up for yourself if you have any queries.

[bob009]

She would have to get a N.I. number issued so as she could get the tax free allowance giving her a tax code. Then your company would be able to deduct any tax if needed and pay the outstanding to her. Some companies dont pay into a foriegn bank, you would have to check that.The reduction in the pension is quite normal for companies it just depends on their rules.

[MAZ3]

Good they replied and confirmed the rules. Was there any mention of an NI number for her?

The Lady from the NI,said she would be issued with a NI,if and when she received any payment.

Sorry,I've not seen the letter to check,if she has a NI number.