Will The Wife Get Any Thing...?

[walking wallet]

If you are a Man and drawing a UK state Pension ( over 65 years of age ) and Married

to a Thai lady, and you both live in Thailand , what would happen if the man dies ..? Would

The Thai wife be entitled to any thing relating to the pension..?

Thanks ......... WW

[TBWG]

If you are a Man and drawing a UK state Pension ( over 65 years of age ) and Married

to a Thai lady, and you both live in Thailand , what would happen if the man dies ..? Would

The Thai wife be entitled to any thing relating to the pension..?

Thanks ......... WW

Hi WW

I recently put this question to the Pensions Service (part of Work & Pensions) and as normal for Govt depts got a very evasive answer.

It all depends on how long you have worked and contributed for, but I was left with the distinct impression that if your wife has never worked or contributed in her own right, well don't hold you breath.

The one piece of concrete info I did get was that for a wife to get a pension in her own right she would have to work for a minimum of 11 years in the UK. Even then it would then not automatically be the maximum allowance.

Suspect not the answer you are looking for but best I can do.

TBWG

[lannarebirth]

I'm not from the UK, but your wife not being able to recieve benefits after your death doesn't sound right to me. I did a quick Google and there's lots of information out there on this topic of "UK husband deceased pension benefit". Anyway, it seems they changed the laws there in 2001 and benefits are situational. Here's a possibly helpful link:

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/atoz/a.../retirement.asp see "bereavement"

Edited August 25, 2006 by lannarebirth

[Neeranam]

From what I heard - no.

I think for some pensions(but maybe private) it depends when you got married - before or after 60.

[mr_hippo]

About 3 years ago, I received a letter from the pensions people in Newcastle stating that I had not made enough NI contributions for tax year 2000/2001 and could I send them a cheque for £xxx. I replied that I was living in Thailand and I had no intention of returning to the UK to live. They then told me that if I had made enough contributions (11 years or more) then I could have my pension paid into a UK bank, a Thai bank or a cheque sent to my Thai address. I was also told that I would get a married man's pension even though my wife has not made any contributions and that on my death she would receive a widows pension.

I filled in the pension forecast form and was told that I would get about 40,000 Baht per month, calculated on the then rates - will be more when I get to 65.

So in answer to your question - she won't get a pension in her own right but will get a widow's pension.

[macb]

Well I did 30yrs as a copper in the UK:

And after postal consultation with my Police Pension dept ans supplying various documents

1. My birth certificate

2 Copy wifes passport and mine also her ID card Family book for our house.

3 Copy my divorce nisi from UK marriage

4 Original wedding Cert Thai......with trnslation.

She is now added on the data base.

As for UK stat pension for which I got another 7 yrs to wait I am sure thai wives if you got correct documentation will be entitled to a widows pension.

I used to work for the Job Centre as security officer but we also had the pension dept under our roof I have contacts I will make some enquiries.

macb

[walking wallet]

Thanks macb, I would think that there's many guy's already receiving a UK state pension and live here in Thailand with there Thai wife, So I would think some one know's the exact up to date info ...

what would happen if the man dies ..? Would

The Thai wife be entitled to any thing relating to the pension..?

can any one confirm the up to date facts about this subject, it would be most welcome by I am sure many people.

I have looked at the UK Pension Service web site , and I am still confused ..?

Thanks WW

[geoffphuket]

If you are a Man and drawing a UK state Pension ( over 65 years of age ) and Married

to a Thai lady, and you both live in Thailand , what would happen if the man dies ..? Would

The Thai wife be entitled to any thing relating to the pension..?

Thanks ......... WW

This link seems to answer the question pretty well - There's no mention (and why should there be?) of the nationality of your spouse.

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/serps/who-m3.asp

A very interesting question by the OP....anyone with experience?

Sorry...edit for stupid question. You'd have to be dead to have experience eh

Edited August 26, 2006 by geoffphuket

[mr_hippo]

If you are a Man and drawing a UK state Pension ( over 65 years of age ) and Married

to a Thai lady, and you both live in Thailand , what would happen if the man dies ..? Would

The Thai wife be entitled to any thing relating to the pension..?

Thanks ......... WW

This link seems to answer the question pretty well - There's no mention (and why should there be?) of the nationality of your spouse.

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/serps/who-m3.asp

A very interesting question by the OP....anyone with experience?

What happens when the man dies? Please re-read my earlier posting.

[geoffphuket]

If you are a Man and drawing a UK state Pension ( over 65 years of age ) and Married

to a Thai lady, and you both live in Thailand , what would happen if the man dies ..? Would

The Thai wife be entitled to any thing relating to the pension..?

Thanks ......... WW

This link seems to answer the question pretty well - There's no mention (and why should there be?) of the nationality of your spouse.

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/serps/who-m3.asp

A very interesting question by the OP....anyone with experience?

What happens when the man dies? Please re-read my earlier posting.

Quote from the link - Men or civil partners born on or after 5 October 1945 may now be able to pass on a maximum of 50% of their SERPS pension to their wife or civil partner.

[walking wallet]

Thanks .. again Guy's for the replys..

Ive read the web site info, and your comments , but what I would really like is to hear from some body who is at this very time receiving His state pension , Lives in thailand with his Thai wife and can confirm

what he has been told ( after drawing his pension after the age of 65 ) by the UK pension Service ..? . just reading the web site info it seem's only to outlines what may be in the future , when the partner advises the Pension Service that you have passed away .

Thanks ........WW

[geoffphuket]

Thanks .. again Guy's for the replys..

Ive read the web site info, and your comments , but what I would really like is to hear from some body who is at this very time receiving His state pension , Lives in thailand with his Thai wife and can confirm

what he has been told ( after drawing his pension after the age of 65 ) by the UK pension Service ..? . just reading the web site info it seem's only to outlines what may be in the future , when the partner advises the Pension Service that you have passed away .

Thanks ........WW

I doubt we'll get any precise information...The web site is full of Quote "maybe able to" statements. The link I gave however, seemed to give a fairly straight answer.

Geoffphuket

[edd]

If a man is 65 and has an old age pension and he dies providing that his legal wife is over 45 then she will get a widows pension (approx. £45/week)

When she is 65 she can get a full single persons pension on the back of her late husband’s contributions if he paid enough contributions, 40 years.

[walking wallet]

Hi edd, Thanks for the information , have I read this right...?

If the guy is 65 years old and living with his Thai wife in Thailand and drawing his state UK pension in Thailand

should he pass away , and his Thai wife , who has never contributer in any form to the UK state Pension

system, never set foot on UK soil, and does not have a British Passport , should she say be 46 when he passed away

then she will receive UK a widows pension (approx. £45/week)

If the guy had paid into the pension system for the required 40 years , So Then after 19 more years the Thai wife , still living in Thailand will be entitled to

a full UK single persons pension

Thanks WW

[geoffphuket]

I'd like to know if anyone knows a Thai widow that has actually received the late husbands pension....that would be proof without doubt that it's possible and not just theory

Anyone?

[walking wallet]

Hi geoffphuket ..

shall we have a bet how many replys we get on that one..?

There must be amoung all the retired Guy's here with a Thai

wife , some one who can confirm once and for all its not just

smoke and mirrors....

WW

[TBWG]

Hi geoffphuket ..

shall we have a bet how many replys we get on that one..?

There must be amoung all the retired Guy's here with a Thai

wife , some one who can confirm once and for all its not just

smoke and mirrors....

WW

Hi WW

As I mentioned in my earlier posting I put this very question to the pensions dept and recieved a very vague answer because I am still quite some way away from collecting a state pension.

However, as you are currently recieving a state pension they should be able to give you a categoric answer.

Suggest you contact

RPFT (Correspondence)

The Pension service

Tyneview Park

Whitley Road

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

NE98 1BA

RPTF = Reirement Pension Forecast team.

Unfortunately they do not give a website address but fax no is 0191 2187006.

If you can supply your NI number, date of birth plus wifes details they should be able to give you an answer one way or the other.

TBWG

[ronw]

If you have made enough contributions,then, as said in earlier posts, your widow is ENTITLED to a widows pension, and , subsequently, to a retirement pension.If you have paid the money, then you deserve the benefits.

However,the future funding for pensions is posing BIG problems for any UK govt.

Be prepared for very evasive and unhelpful replies to any questions put to the Pensions Service.

When I first tried to claim, I was told that my wife needed a Nat Ins number..and was referred to a website....which told me that NI numbers were only issued in person, which necessitated taking my wife to the UK.

This information was not exactly incorrect, but was certainly incomplete..as it IS possible to get a NI No without going to the UK.

I had this info. via a post on TV...[many thanks] and am now persuing my claim.....but it is a long slow process.....

[Neeranam]

Surely whether you got married in the UK or in Thailand matters??

Is it right if a pensioner knowing he has only a few years to live comes to Thailand for his remaining days, marries an 18 yo, dies and she get his pension for another 80 years??

They must have many many clauses stopping this - there's no way they're going to hand out let's see - 100 poundsX 52 X 80= nearly 0.5 million pounds or 35 milion baht without a fight.

My grandmother 96, has been claiming two of my grandfathers for 48 years, but she is British!

Wouldn't all them young Thai women be after the old guys

Edited August 28, 2006 by Neeranam

[markuk]

Wouldn't all them young Thai women be after the old guys

isnt this the case? they are not interested in us young guys as there will be no UK state pension left by the time we retire!!

[marshbags]

Surely whether you got married in the UK or in Thailand matters??

Is it right if a pensioner knowing he has only a few years to live comes to Thailand for his remaining days, marries an 18 yo, dies and she get his pension for another 80 years??

They must have many many clauses stopping this - there's no way they're going to hand out let's see - 100 poundsX 52 X 80= nearly 0.5 million pounds or 35 milion baht without a fight.

My grandmother 96, has been claiming two of my grandfathers for 48 years, but she is British!

Wouldn't all them young Thai women be after the old guys

As already stated the widow has to be over 45 years of age.

It,s not a get out clause when they say maybe or if ect., but just pointing out that things can and do change on qualifiying for any related benefits due to law updates ect.

Generally these changes take place over a period of time and have a start from date included with ample warning.

So long as you are legally married, your widow is entitled to certain benefits , claiming off any

qualifiying dues already paid in by you.

That,s what i was told when applying for a pension forecast 3 months ago.

Obviously for a wife to get an O.A.P. she must at the present time be over 60.

If not then the widows pension kicks in providing you have the necessary paid in credits.

marshbags

P.S.

So long as you marry in Thailand at the Gov. Amphur ( not a religious ceremony ) it is a legal marriage not a religious one, it is also legally recognised in the U.K.

Before marrying in Thailand you have to have certain documentation from the British Embassy to qualify legally.

Edited August 28, 2006 by marshbags

[COBBER]

An English neighbour died about 2 years ago and his Thai wife received a pension for only 1 year after his death. Sory I dont know what type of pension it was.

From what Brits have told me, with the normal Govt. pension it depends on who you nominate when you are still working and how long you continue to work and make contributions as to what benefit your widow will receive.

If you are retired and then marry they are not entitled to a full pension. Otherwise you could marry an 18 yo on your deathbed and she could recieve benefits for another 60 or 70 years.

Edited August 28, 2006 by COBBER

[walking wallet]

Thanks Guy's ... still a bit confused...

ronw ...can you tell me please where to look of the info you managed to get from a TV Poster about (.... it IS possible to get a NI No without going to the UK. ) as this info would be great to have may be for the future..?

Thanks ......WW

[Pattaya_Fox]

An English neighbour died about 2 years ago and his Thai wife received a pension for only 1 year after his death. Sory I dont know what type of pension it was.

This was probably the Bereavement Allowance which is paid for one year after her husband died. The amount payable is dependant on the amount of National Insurance Contributions paid by the husband or treated `as paid`.

There is also a One Off Bereavement Payment paid in lieu of the above Allowance which should be claimed by the wife as soon as possible after his death.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Surely whether you got married in the UK or in Thailand matters??

Is it right if a pensioner knowing he has only a few years to live comes to Thailand for his remaining days, marries an 18 yo, dies and she get his pension for another 80 years??

They must have many many clauses stopping this - there's no way they're going to hand out let's see - 100 poundsX 52 X 80= nearly 0.5 million pounds or 35 milion baht without a fight.

My grandmother 96, has been claiming two of my grandfathers for 48 years, but she is British!

Wouldn't all them young Thai women be after the old guys

As far as I am aware A UK Widows Pension is only available to a widow whose husband died before 9/4/2001.

[geoffphuket]

As far as I am aware A UK Widows Pension is only available to a widow whose husband died before 9/4/2001.

Just curious as to where you got that info? The water seems to be getting murkier

[Pattaya_Fox]

As far as I am aware A UK Widows Pension is only available to a widow whose husband died before 9/4/2001.

Just curious as to where you got that info? The water seems to be getting murkier

www.direct.gov.uk This is the official UK government site.

[geoffphuket]

As far as I am aware A UK Widows Pension is only available to a widow whose husband died before 9/4/2001.

Just curious as to where you got that info? The water seems to be getting murkier

www.direct.gov.uk This is the official UK government site.

So what you're saying, is that if the husband died after 9/4/2001, the wife gets nothing. This can't be right can it? I think you must have misread something.

[Pattaya_Fox]

As far as I am aware A UK Widows Pension is only available to a widow whose husband died before 9/4/2001.

Just curious as to where you got that info? The water seems to be getting murkier

www.direct.gov.uk This is the official UK government site.

So what you're saying, is that if the husband died after 9/4/2001, the wife gets nothing. This can't be right can it? I think you must have misread something.

If you Take The Trouble to read the website with regard to widows pensions the information is there. I have only repeated what is written there. I have not misread anything. If you don`t think that it is correct then I would suggest that you contact the relevant government department.

[geoffphuket]

Quote from the link - Men or civil partners born on or after 5 October 1945 may now be able to pass on a maximum of 50% of their SERPS pension to their wife or civil partner.