UK state pension qualifications

[richardathuahin]

Three simple questions concerning entitlements when getting one's state pension.

1) If one live in Thailand with a Thai wife and family and you are eligable to draw your full pension are you entitled to additional funds to support your Thai wife and family?

2) What is required in terms of proof if you are entitled to additional funds?

3) What (if any) are the pitfalls?

Thank you for all sensible answers

[Ricardo]

One pitfall is that for UK-pensioners living in Thailand, and many other countries too, your pension is 'frozen' at the level payable when you left the UK.

[nzexpat]

Full detail on claiming a UK state pension from abroad can be found by opening the link.

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad/how-to-claim

I have no idea what you mean (or expect) by "additional funds to support your Thai wife and family?" .

My guess is that you will be "entitled" to nothing other than the state pension which will be paid (and frozen) at whatever rate your contribution record will permit.

Edited March 19, 2015 by nzexpat

[i claudius]

They stopped paying the "wife"allowance years ago 5 to be precise ,I made it by a few months. But it's only paid for 10 years then they take it away, they need the money to give to immigrants and lazy <DELETED> that don't want to work

[colinneil]

If you have a UK state pension, and married to a Thai lady ,you get a single persons pension.

I know because i am married to aThai lady.

Sent marraige certificate etc , but it made no difference. I got single pension.

[lungbing]

Full detail on claiming a UK state pension from abroad can be found by opening the link.

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad/how-to-claim

I have no idea what you mean (or expect) by "additional funds to support your Thai wife and family?" .

My guess is that you will be "entitled" to nothing other than the state pension which will be paid (and frozen) at whatever rate your contribution record will permit.

Until you die that is, then your widow might get an allowance for a short time, but not a continuance of your state pension.

[i claudius]

If you have a UK state pension, and married to a Thai lady ,you get a single persons pension.

I know because i am married to aThai lady.

Sent marraige certificate etc , but it made no difference. I got single pension.

as I said it stopped 5 years ago

[Jip99]

Full detail on claiming a UK state pension from abroad can be found by opening the link.

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad/how-to-claim

I have no idea what you mean (or expect) by "additional funds to support your Thai wife and family?" .

My guess is that you will be "entitled" to nothing other than the state pension which will be paid (and frozen) at whatever rate your contribution record will permit.

Until you die that is, then your widow might get an allowance for a short time, but not a continuance of your state pension.

There are no additional allowances since the Married Woman's Allowance was scrapped a few years back. You are not entitled to receive any benefit whilst in Thailand ie Chlid Tax Credits etc.

In fact now, marriage (a legal Thai marriage) is an irrelevance to anyone claiming a pension - your entitlement is simply based on your NI contributions.

Marriage is most certainly relevant when you die as a widow (and a widow only) is eligible for various bereavement benefits. Subject to you having made at least one NIC your widow can claim GBP 2,000 as a bereavement payment. That is a given. If over 45 she can claim Bereavement Allowance - the actual amount payable depends on the level of your NIC's. The 'jackpot' is if your Thai wife has a young child (doesn't have to be yours) - she could receive a Widowed Parents Allowance of up to GBP 111.20 per week based on maximum NIC's.

These are all due to change into a 'flat rate' (Bereavement Support Payment) of circa GBP 5,000 if just married and circa GBP 10,000 if married with children. I don't believe those numbers have been finalised yet.

More info here:-

https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/bereavement

Edited March 19, 2015 by Jip99

[Eff1n2ret]

The OP might like to know that his entitlement to this particular benefit would be no different if he were living in the UK. It is shown on my state pension summary as "Adult dependency allowance", and like Claudius I also qualified and applied a few months before it was abolished in April 2010. Payment will cease in 2020, if I live that long.