Changes to UK State Pension

[GuestHouse]

Those not yet in receipt of their UK pension might be aware that the pension is soon to be replaced by a flat rate £151+ per week.

I, like many others, was under the impression that this was coming into force after April, that all UK pensions would be raised to £151+ per week - This is not the case, as is explained in the following radio discussion.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06mczxq

In effect you will accrue rights to a £151 per week pension if you are contributing to NI after April 2016.

The above program is worth listening to as it explains some of the detail.

GH

[Ricardo]

Interesting, and certainly confirms what we've been discovering over the past several months, and discussed in the main UK-pensions thread, that all that previous talk of a flat-rat in the region of GBP 151 was misleading and wrong and raised false-hopes.

[evadgib]

[i claudius]

And people still hope that one day the British govt will give early rises to us here in Thailand , well we can dream , in the meantime i think most just treat the govt the way they treat us ,with contempt and dont tell them they live here.

[jacky54]

I discovered I was only opted out for less than ten years, but that means a loss of 30 quid a week, they can't explain how that works out in detail. Anyone who tells them they live here is a fool, if an honest one.

[denby45]

I discovered I was only opted out for less than ten years, but that means a loss of 30 quid a week, they can't explain how that works out in detail. Anyone who tells them they live here is a fool, if an honest one.

Yes that's rather criminal if you work out percentages based on the maximum deduction of 35 quid.

Den

[nong38]

Could not have put it better myself, thats George Osborne on the right, the one on the left is Dave Cameroon, not sure who the other two are.

[Jip99]

I should have posted this here rather than the main Pensions thread. My DWP letter:-

[Jip99]

I should have posted this here rather than the main Pensions thread. My DWP letter. I lost £66 a week for being contracted out or £48k if I live to 80 :-

Edited November 19, 2015 by Jip99

[elliss]

I discovered I was only opted out for less than ten years, but that means a loss of 30 quid a week, they can't explain how that works out in detail. Anyone who tells them they live here is a fool, if an honest one.

Wishful thinking , big brother, has the knowledge , of our whereabouts.

ATM , withdrawals , cell phones calls , E mails.,, immigration checks , etc..

Only a matter of time.

Edited November 19, 2015 by elliss

[oncearugge]

I discovered I was only opted out for less than ten years, but that means a loss of 30 quid a week, they can't explain how that works out in detail. Anyone who tells them they live here is a fool, if an honest one.

Wishful thinking , big brother, has the knowledge , of our whereabouts.

ATM , withdrawals , cell phones calls , E mails.,, immigration checks , etc..

Only a matter of time.

And those found to have made dishonest statements will have to pay back any monies fraudulently claimed and face the possibility of criminal prosecution.

[fcgprg]

A Local government pension is also contracted out so it looks to me like for each year contributing to a LGP you will lose 4.32gbp from your state pension each week. Have i read this right or am i wrong ?.

[Expattaff1308]

I should have posted this here rather than the main Pensions thread. My DWP letter. I lost £66 a week for being contracted out or £48k if I live to 80 :-

OAP1.jpg

OAP2.jpg

Received my estimate last week. (Not due to receive until 2018 so there may be some increases but...

Same starting point £151.25 less contracted out deduction £83.45; 40 qualifying years... so...Mine was estimated at £120.20 a week.

[i claudius]

I discovered I was only opted out for less than ten years, but that means a loss of 30 quid a week, they can't explain how that works out in detail. Anyone who tells them they live here is a fool, if an honest one.

Wishful thinking , big brother, has the knowledge , of our whereabouts.

ATM , withdrawals , cell phones calls , E mails.,, immigration checks , etc..

Only a matter of time.

I met someone who was caught , not by any of the above but an ex told on him , he had been here 9 years ,after a year of bargaining the amount he pays back means he will have to live to about 120 to pay it back .

[KittenKong]

I dont think that the government ever said that existing pensioners would get the new rate when it starts. As far as I know it was always intended for those retiring after its introduction.

[Ricardo]

I dont think that the government ever said that existing pensioners would get the new rate when it starts. As far as I know it was always intended for those retiring after its introduction.

Agreed, but the point is surely that the vast majority of those retiring after it starts, will also now not be getting the 'promised' flat-rate pension, thanks to the now-revealed/publicised small-print ?

[nong38]

I dont think that the government ever said that existing pensioners would get the new rate when it starts. As far as I know it was always intended for those retiring after its introduction.

Agreed, but the point is surely that the vast majority of those retiring after it starts, will also now not be getting the 'promised' flat-rate pension, thanks to the now-revealed/publicised small-print ?

Smacks of the "frozen increases for expat pensioners" who never were made aware of the position until they moved. Bit like playing football and only finding about the offside rule after you thought you had scored!

[kannot]

although not in the Uk I still let them take NI contributions direct from my bank, Ive paid in about 36 years worth so far

[KittenKong]

I dont think that the government ever said that existing pensioners would get the new rate when it starts. As far as I know it was always intended for those retiring after its introduction.

Agreed, but the point is surely that the vast majority of those retiring after it starts, will also now not be getting the 'promised' flat-rate pension, thanks to the now-revealed/publicised small-print ?

I dont know. I will be getting it (if I live that long) as I never opted out. In fact I paid my NI stamp by direct debit for 35 years in spite of not having lived in the UK at all during that time.

The only thing that I got screwed on was the increase in pension age, but that was to be expected.

[KittenKong]

Smacks of the "frozen increases for expat pensioners" who never were made aware of the position until they moved. Bit like playing football and only finding about the offside rule after you thought you had scored!

The rules are there to be read by all. Up to the individual if they choose to do so or not.

This frozen pension business has been public knowledge for decades, so no real surprises there. (For what it's worth I also agree that it is an iniquitous practice.)

[i claudius]

Smacks of the "frozen increases for expat pensioners" who never were made aware of the position until they moved. Bit like playing football and only finding about the offside rule after you thought you had scored!

The rules are there to be read by all. Up to the individual if they choose to do so or not.

This frozen pension business has been public knowledge for decades, so no real surprises there. (For what it's worth I also agree that it is an iniquitous practice.)

your right of course ,but how many thought they would one day live abroad and how many have read all the rules and regs that the govt put out? in fact not long ago it was reported that ex pats who had paid into the health system would be allowed to use it free , look how thats turned out , complete u turn .

[Ricardo]

I dont think that the government ever said that existing pensioners would get the new rate when it starts. As far as I know it was always intended for those retiring after its introduction.

Agreed, but the point is surely that the vast majority of those retiring after it starts, will also now not be getting the 'promised' flat-rate pension, thanks to the now-revealed/publicised small-print ?

I dont know. I will be getting it (if I live that long) as I never opted out. In fact I paid my NI stamp by direct debit for 35 years in spite of not having lived in the UK at all during that time.

The only thing that I got screwed on was the increase in pension age, but that was to be expected.

Good for you ! You're clearly one of the 10%-20% who will get the new flat-rate.

But the vast majority of people, who had been assured that the new flat-rate was going to start before they reached their delayed retirement-dates, won't now be getting it after all. So all of IDS's (for example) past assurances, about there being a new flat-rate system, turn out to be untrue because he never mentioned the caveats.

A cynic might think it significant, that it was before the recent election when everyone would get the flat-rate,whereas now they've been elected, the story has changed to the reality that the majority won't be getting it after all.

Edited December 6, 2015 by Ricardo

[billd766]

I dont think that the government ever said that existing pensioners would get the new rate when it starts. As far as I know it was always intended for those retiring after its introduction.

Agreed, but the point is surely that the vast majority of those retiring after it starts, will also now not be getting the 'promised' flat-rate pension, thanks to the now-revealed/publicised small-print ?

I dont know. I will be getting it (if I live that long) as I never opted out. In fact I paid my NI stamp by direct debit for 35 years in spite of not having lived in the UK at all during that time.

The only thing that I got screwed on was the increase in pension age, but that was to be expected.

Good for you ! You're clearly one of the 10%-20% who will get the new flat-rate.

But the vast majority of us, who had been assured that the new flat-rate was going to start before we reach our delayed retirement-dates, won't now be getting it after all. So all of IDS's (for example) past assurances, about there being a new flat-rate, turn out to be untrue because he never mentioned the caveats..

What did you expect from him?

He is a professional politician. What ever he says is always the truth, unless of course his fingers are crossed. he is breathing or his lips are moving. In any of those cases don't trust a word he says.

To add insult to injury, HIS parliamentary pension is far larger than most pensioners, AND he will get a state pension as well.

Beware!!

Politicians speak with a forked tongue.

[Jip99]

I discovered I was only opted out for less than ten years, but that means a loss of 30 quid a week, they can't explain how that works out in detail. Anyone who tells them they live here is a fool, if an honest one.

Wishful thinking , big brother, has the knowledge , of our whereabouts.

ATM , withdrawals , cell phones calls , E mails.,, immigration checks , etc..

Only a matter of time.

You must have trouble sleeping at night worrying about all those things.

If you think that the authorities are joined up you are deluded and they have bigger fish to fry than a few thousand expats who omitted to advise their departure from the UK.

Sure, do something blatant that alerts them and you will have to deal with the consequences. Please see post fron iClaudius.

A friend was 'found out' by virtue of not responding to a life certificate request that had been sent to his son's address. The son had moved and the new address not advised to DWP. His OAP was temporarily frozen. After 5 years of annual increases he decided to 'come clean' and said that he had now decided to move to Thailand. His payments were immediately reinstated and he was advised that he would no longer get the annual uplift. DWP seemed to be content that another one had been brought into the system.