UK Residents in Thailand - The harsh truth about the NHS service

[Konini]

It's quite amazing that this thread has attracted 174 posts and 5,850 views in only two days. I wish I could get that number of views on my blog....

It clearly demonstrates the depth of feeling that Brits living in LOS have for the olde country.... most of it very bad - which I guess makes sense or they wouldn't be living out here.

I feel quite ambivalent about the situation. I spent many years overseas when I was younger, including 8 years in Thailand before returning to the UK and staying there for 17 years. When I left Thailand, they all told me I'd be back within a year, but after a sticky start, I settled down very well and made my fortune. I only left again after retirement and after divorce. I enjoyed my 17 years in England - it is a beautiful country with a great culture and great people - if you know where to go and who to meet.

I've been going back every year for the past five years, and stay with various members of my family who are scattered around the country and I have a wonderful time, as does my Thai wife. We always get out and about and there is so much to do and see. If you look at all the pics I post on my blog you will see what I mean.

I understand and reluctantly accept the situation with non-residents not being given pension increases and having our rights to free NHI treatment being severely curtailed. I think its sad, but there's nothing I can do about it and I'll just play the system as best as I can. I don't bear any bitterness or resentment - there's no point - It'll just eat you up. Trust me, it's never going to improve - it can only get worse. That's the way the world is these days.

My purpose in starting this thread was to draw attention to those of you who were totally oblivious of recent changes and who thought that if they get ill, they can just jump on a plane to London and all will be well. There is no better illustration than an actual event - as per the poor lady with the £5K bill.

If I have informed a single person who was previously unaware of all this, then my job is done.

Take care everyone, and keep well.

Mobi

Well said, and your blog is very good; the reviews are particularly good. Looking forward to reading one of your books sometime in the near future.

[thonglorjimmy]

It's quite amazing that this thread has attracted 174 posts and 5,850 views in only two days. I wish I could get that number of views on my blog....

It clearly demonstrates the depth of feeling that Brits living in LOS have for the olde country.... most of it very bad - which I guess makes sense or they wouldn't be living out here.

Considering this is the third recent thread on this subject, that pretty good going.

I still meet people who are not aware of this issue though.

[charliewolf]

She left the UK and should have taken out insurance.

Like an insurance policy. you could pay in for 20 years and then forget to cover the 21st year and you have no cover if taken ill.

It's the free for all to abuse the system that has caused this problem.

Simples!

[charliewolf]

could be worse. you could live and pay tax in Wonderful Thailand for 50 years and still have no cover when ill.

Be carful what you wish for!

[uptheos]

Been back a short while and have no complaints.

Updated pension from the day I stepped onto British soil

Free bus pass, free Euro Health Card, renewed my driving licence, free eye test

Free Medicines, lots of them and all name brands no generics

Already referred to 3 different disciplines at my local hospital for various things

Not one question from anyone about my status here and neither should there be!!

The only thing that's hard to take here is the bloody weather, can't wait to get back to the sunshine and warmth in due course.

[chiang mai]

Been back a short while and have no complaints.

Updated pension from the day I stepped onto British soil

Free bus pass, free Euro Health Card, renewed my driving licence, free eye test

Free Medicines, lots of them and all name brands no generics

Already referred to 3 different disciplines at my local hospital for various things

Not one question from anyone about my status here and neither should there be!!

The only thing that's hard to take here is the bloody weather, can't wait to get back to the sunshine and warmth in due course.

Are you registered as non-resident for tax or any other purpose or do you use a relatives address?

[uptheos]

Been back a short while and have no complaints.

Updated pension from the day I stepped onto British soil

Free bus pass, free Euro Health Card, renewed my driving licence, free eye test

Free Medicines, lots of them and all name brands no generics

Already referred to 3 different disciplines at my local hospital for various things

Not one question from anyone about my status here and neither should there be!!

The only thing that's hard to take here is the bloody weather, can't wait to get back to the sunshine and warmth in due course.

Are you registered as non-resident for tax or any other purpose or do you use a relatives address?

It's cold here

[chiang mai]

Been back a short while and have no complaints.

Updated pension from the day I stepped onto British soil

Free bus pass, free Euro Health Card, renewed my driving licence, free eye test

Free Medicines, lots of them and all name brands no generics

Already referred to 3 different disciplines at my local hospital for various things

Not one question from anyone about my status here and neither should there be!!

The only thing that's hard to take here is the bloody weather, can't wait to get back to the sunshine and warmth in due course.

Are you registered as non-resident for tax or any other purpose or do you use a relatives address?

It's cold here

I think whatever individuals want to do on the issue of residency is entirely personal and up to them, but I do think it's highly inappropriate for individuals who fake their UK residency to constantly claim there isn't a problem for those expats who are genuinely expatriated. All that does is instil uncertainty into peoples minds and makes those who are unaffected by the changes but don't know any better, worry about things needlessly, you simply can't call these posts "scaremongering for whatever reason", any longer.

[Sooo Upto Me]

But hey if ur polish, Indian, Syrian, Russian, Romanian, gypsie, u get it all free with a 3 bedroom hse in Hayes near Heathrow airport just f their convenience

Just saying. As I lived in London for las 30yrs. Now in Thailand

Rubbish! Just because it was in the Daily Mail doesn't mean it's true.

Who said anything bout it being in Daily Mail?? Hav u lived in UK? Or are u even British? So keep ur Rubbish to urself.

[Konini]

But hey if ur polish, Indian, Syrian, Russian, Romanian, gypsie, u get it all free with a 3 bedroom hse in Hayes near Heathrow airport just f their convenience

Just saying. As I lived in London for las 30yrs. Now in Thailand

Rubbish! Just because it was in the Daily Mail doesn't mean it's true.

Who said anything bout it being in Daily Mail?? Hav u lived in UK? Or are u even British? So keep ur Rubbish to urself.

It certainly doesn't happen in Doncaster or Teeside, even though the Daily Mail, Express and Sun have all reported that it does. In actual fact, the Polish who came to Doncaster in large numbers because of direct flights have largely gone home. Five years ago there were dozens of little and big Polish shops around, now there is one in the town centre which is half the size it used to be and an odd one in back streets just outside town. When they first started coming, my mam was a little concerned, but she told me this year that she's sad to see a lot of them go back, some she knows from local shops who's husbands were laid off or unable to find work and others she didn't know. None were in council housing and in her words not mine 'They were good workers. You'd see dozens of them out, walking up to the industrial site at 4.30 every morning, must get the bus home because you don't see them coming back. Nobody about that time of day now'. I have no idea where they came from but the industrial site is 2 miles from her place. She knows as well as I do that no benefits-pampered local is going to walk a minimum of 2 miles in the middle of the night to get to a job that usually pays little more than the government gives them for sitting at home. She also always, not just since they've been gone, told me that they were really nice polite people, always clean and tidy and always passing with a smile and saying hello, often offering to carry bags for older people when walking their way.

Gypsies have always been a thing in England, not sure about the rest of UK, neither the problems or numbers are much changed to what they used to be, Syrians have been farmed out in smallish numbers to regional towns and have been welcomed from my reading of local newspapers in Yorkshire and the whole of the north east. Romanians I know nothing about as there aren't a lot in the area's I know about so I can't say anything about them either way.

But of all the nationalities there, Indians? Really? There was a lot of migration up to the late 1970's, but since then ehtnic Indians are on a very limited number of visa's issued per year - issued visa's include people bringing over family members and wives. They have been since I left school in the early 1980's. I know a lot of people from the Indian subcontinent (Note: They are not all Indian) but I don't know one who is on benefits. Really. I went to school with a girl who was in a 2 up 2 down with brothers and sisters, gran and grandad and an aunt and uncle and their 4 kids, staying until they could afford their own rent then some random uncle was coming over and going to stay with them until he got sorted out. They would rather do that than try for council housing, I don't know of any Brits who would be housed so compactly. And how many English people own corner shops? Pretty much none, because who wants to work from 6am to 11pm 7 days a week for not very much profit? Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi people have had the corner shop market tied up since I was at school too, and they seem to own most of the the smaller supermarkets that are open for very long hours. They are known wherever they go in the world to be industrious and hard working, and families go all chip in to buy that first business. I honestly haven't heard of any anti-Indian sentiment in England for 30 years or more.

I'm sorry if this this doesn't describe you, but your original post sounds like the rantings of a racist. Why would Hayes being near Heathrow be of any consequence? Most of the new migrants to any country in the world go where the work is, not where the airport bus drops them off.

I'm not sorry if anyone reading this disagree with my views, I won't apologise for them. I can't read things like this without responding, because if nobody responds to this kind of thing becomes normal, and I don't want to go back to a world where this kind of thing is normal.

[flossie35]

Well said Konini! If Soo upto Me doesn't get his rubbish from the Daily Mail I suppose he just makes it up.

[Jip99]

Well said Konini! If Soo upto Me doesn't get his rubbish from the Daily Mail I suppose he just makes it up.

............ unlike the Daily Mail..................

[mizztraveller]

But hey if ur polish, Indian, Syrian, Russian, Romanian, gypsie, u get it all free with a 3 bedroom hse in Hayes near Heathrow airport just f their convenience

Just saying. As I lived in London for las 30yrs. Now in Thailand

Rubbish! Just because it was in the Daily Mail doesn't mean it's true.

Who said anything bout it being in Daily Mail?? Hav u lived in UK? Or are u even British? So keep ur Rubbish to urself.

It certainly doesn't happen in Doncaster or Teeside, even though the Daily Mail, Express and Sun have all reported that it does. In actual fact, the Polish who came to Doncaster in large numbers because of direct flights have largely gone home. Five years ago there were dozens of little and big Polish shops around, now there is one in the town centre which is half the size it used to be and an odd one in back streets just outside town. When they first started coming, my mam was a little concerned, but she told me this year that she's sad to see a lot of them go back, some she knows from local shops who's husbands were laid off or unable to find work and others she didn't know. None were in council housing and in her words not mine 'They were good workers. You'd see dozens of them out, walking up to the industrial site at 4.30 every morning, must get the bus home because you don't see them coming back. Nobody about that time of day now'. I have no idea where they came from but the industrial site is 2 miles from her place. She knows as well as I do that no benefits-pampered local is going to walk a minimum of 2 miles in the middle of the night to get to a job that usually pays little more than the government gives them for sitting at home. She also always, not just since they've been gone, told me that they were really nice polite people, always clean and tidy and always passing with a smile and saying hello, often offering to carry bags for older people when walking their way.

Gypsies have always been a thing in England, not sure about the rest of UK, neither the problems or numbers are much changed to what they used to be, Syrians have been farmed out in smallish numbers to regional towns and have been welcomed from my reading of local newspapers in Yorkshire and the whole of the north east. Romanians I know nothing about as there aren't a lot in the area's I know about so I can't say anything about them either way.

But of all the nationalities there, Indians? Really? There was a lot of migration up to the late 1970's, but since then ehtnic Indians are on a very limited number of visa's issued per year - issued visa's include people bringing over family members and wives. They have been since I left school in the early 1980's. I know a lot of people from the Indian subcontinent (Note: They are not all Indian) but I don't know one who is on benefits. Really. I went to school with a girl who was in a 2 up 2 down with brothers and sisters, gran and grandad and an aunt and uncle and their 4 kids, staying until they could afford their own rent then some random uncle was coming over and going to stay with them until he got sorted out. They would rather do that than try for council housing, I don't know of any Brits who would be housed so compactly. And how many English people own corner shops? Pretty much none, because who wants to work from 6am to 11pm 7 days a week for not very much profit? Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi people have had the corner shop market tied up since I was at school too, and they seem to own most of the the smaller supermarkets that are open for very long hours. They are known wherever they go in the world to be industrious and hard working, and families go all chip in to buy that first business. I honestly haven't heard of any anti-Indian sentiment in England for 30 years or more.

I'm sorry if this this doesn't describe you, but your original post sounds like the rantings of a racist. Why would Hayes being near Heathrow be of any consequence? Most of the new migrants to any country in the world go where the work is, not where the airport bus drops them off.

I'm not sorry if anyone reading this disagree with my views, I won't apologise for them. I can't read things like this without responding, because if nobody responds to this kind of thing becomes normal, and I don't want to go back to a world where this kind of thing is normal.

Well said Kononi.

[Jip99]

Been back a short while and have no complaints.

Updated pension from the day I stepped onto British soil

Free bus pass, free Euro Health Card, renewed my driving licence, free eye test

Free Medicines, lots of them and all name brands no generics

Already referred to 3 different disciplines at my local hospital for various things

Not one question from anyone about my status here and neither should there be!!

The only thing that's hard to take here is the bloody weather, can't wait to get back to the sunshine and warmth in due course.

Are you registered as non-resident for tax or any other purpose or do you use a relatives address?

It's cold here

I think whatever individuals want to do on the issue of residency is entirely personal and up to them, but I do think it's highly inappropriate for individuals who fake their UK residency to constantly claim there isn't a problem for those expats who are genuinely expatriated. All that does is instil uncertainty into peoples minds and makes those who are unaffected by the changes but don't know any better, worry about things needlessly, you simply can't call these posts "scaremongering for whatever reason", any longer.

I read something today (in a totally different context) about risk versus uncertainty.

It seems to me that Uptheos has evaluated the risks and planned for the uncertainties. It s no guarantee of success but it seems better than simply wading into a sea of uncertainty.

[nontabury]

Lucky for me I've never been outside the EU.

Wonder how they found out she had been living in the USA?

They probably knew her personally as she had been a nurse there for fifty years....

Anyway, as I said, the acid test these days is whether you are registered with a UK GP? It is very easy to check.

I've been registered with my GP for more years I care to recall.

Whenever I used to pop home, I'd go in there with a backache or something.

"Haven't seen you for a few years"

"No, I exercise, eat healthy and try to avoid doctors"

"Take these Ibuprofen and see how it goes"

"OK doc, thanks a lot, hope I don't see you for another three years"

If you can take a trip home you are resident from day one and if you're a pensioner notify the DWP that you're back and your pension will be upgraded for the time you're there. Whether you tell them you're leaving is up to you.

If you've got an address, relative, friend go and sign up in a GP surgery and get a NHS number if you don't have one.

If you go to hospital, no-one is going to ask to see your passport or they'd have to ask everyone.

Not quite right.I returned to the UK earlier this year for a holiday, rang up the DWP and told them I was back for a holiday and would they increase my pension. The lady said "NO" I would have to inform them when I left the UK and then they would credit me for the days I remained in the UK.

[chiang mai]

+1, Nicely done Konini.

[Mobi]

I agree with you Kononi.

The reason why there are so many ethnic Indians living in the Hounslow/ Heathrow area is because in the old days - I'm talking decades back - they did indeed used to get off the planes and obtain the assistance of the local social services in that area of London. I recall that the local councils complained because they had an unfair burden of housing and looking after all these immigrants.

But those days have long gone, but maybe some contributors to this forum have been away so long they don't realise that things have changed.

These days, the third generation Indians are so well educated and integrated into British society that they have no interest in working in their family's corner stores or working as cooks and waiters in their restaurants. This has created a shortage of Indian cooks and it may presage the decline of Indian restaurants on our high streets as the government will not give visas for cooks to come over from India to work.

And not even a long-term unemployed Anglos Saxon Brit would consider working in an Indian restaurant or training as an Indian food chef.

The world is forever changing... fascinating.

[nontabury]

Covered a million times if you keep a uk address Wetherby or not you pay tax or national insurance you will get free treatment I know I have done this fairly recently. All this scare mungering

Why bring Wetherby into it, why not Tadcaster as well?

Maybe he does't like the smell of the brewery's.

[nontabury]

i cannot understand the logic of this,i paid uk taxes for 50 years and still do on my 4 pensions accrued during my time in the uk, what is the difference of me living in thailand or in the uk, if i was living in the uk, nothing at all would be any different as far as i am aware, in fact you can say i have saved then money as i have gone to the local hospital a few times and paid my way here in Bangkok

It's nothing to do with logic. All to do with the fact you're an easy target and probably do not vote.

[Konini]

I agree with you Kononi.

The reason why there are so many ethnic Indians living in the Hounslow/ Heathrow area is because in the old days - I'm talking decades back - they did indeed used to get off the planes and obtain the assistance of the local social services in that area of London. I recall that the local councils complained because they had an unfair burden of housing and looking after all these immigrants.

But those days have long gone, but maybe some contributors to this forum have been away so long they don't realise that things have changed.

These days, the third generation Indians are so well educated and integrated into British society that they have no interest in working in their family's corner stores or working as cooks and waiters in their restaurants. This has created a shortage of Indian cooks and it may presage the decline of Indian restaurants on our high streets as the government will not give visas for cooks to come over from India to work.

And not even a long-term unemployed Anglos Saxon Brit would consider working in an Indian restaurant or training as an Indian food chef.

The world is forever changing... fascinating.

I didn't realise the Indian migrants were big users of the social services in London - the ones that made their way north weren't as far as I know, I don't know any who lived on council estates (I'm not ashamed that I did, although I'm ashamed of what that estate has become, not migrants, 3rd generation teenage mothers).

I know the children have no interest in the family business, but also I know enough about how proud and boastful the parents mothers are that for a child to be working in a shop or restaurant unless part time while they are at uni or medical school to know that it would be a massive social embarrassment from which they would fear that they would never recover. And in my experience, many of them didn't have to work in the family business, the parents preferred them to spend the time studying rather than working, and they did.

It's sad, but a true fact that the majority of white, privileged Brits wouldn't work in an Indian or any other kind of restaurant. No social life if you have to work nights. What? I have to work a couple of afternoons too? This is where the government should be cracking down and saving money. I'm not saying stop benefits, they are there for a reason, but for fit and healthy people in many cities, there should be no unemployment. Walking around the towns, there were no shortage of signs in windows, adverts for bus drivers with full training if you have a full clean licence, and all of the supermarkets were hiring. Even the jobs that weren't full time would be better than the dole as you still get tax credits and rent paid etc if not enough.

The acceptance of this is going to bring down the whole system, NHS included. I fear for my brother and sister's retirement plans, but not as much as I fear for the future of their children and grandchildren.

[uptheos]

Lucky for me I've never been outside the EU.

Wonder how they found out she had been living in the USA?

They probably knew her personally as she had been a nurse there for fifty years....

Anyway, as I said, the acid test these days is whether you are registered with a UK GP? It is very easy to check.

I've been registered with my GP for more years I care to recall.

Whenever I used to pop home, I'd go in there with a backache or something.

"Haven't seen you for a few years"

"No, I exercise, eat healthy and try to avoid doctors"

"Take these Ibuprofen and see how it goes"

"OK doc, thanks a lot, hope I don't see you for another three years"

If you can take a trip home you are resident from day one and if you're a pensioner notify the DWP that you're back and your pension will be upgraded for the time you're there. Whether you tell them you're leaving is up to you.

If you've got an address, relative, friend go and sign up in a GP surgery and get a NHS number if you don't have one.

If you go to hospital, no-one is going to ask to see your passport or they'd have to ask everyone.

Not quite right.I returned to the UK earlier this year for a holiday, rang up the DWP and told them I was back for a holiday and would they increase my pension. The lady said "NO" I would have to inform them when I left the UK and then they would credit me for the days I remained in the UK.

Your mistake was telling them you were back for a holiday, you just need to tell them you're back and that's all you know and from personal experience I can only say, I'm right.

[evadgib]

Uptheos should have stayed on the POTY shortlist.

He'd have won by a mile

Edited December 21, 2015 by evadgib

[Jaggg88]

Lucky for me I've never been outside the EU.

Wonder how they found out she had been living in the USA?

The government were discussing allowing expats access to NHS if they had paid a minimum of 35 years NI contributions but that seems to have been shelved for now.

However, even expats have a right to free NHS treatment if they decide to return and LIVE in the UK. They don't need a UK address or GP registration you simply have to say " I used to live in USA/Spain/Thailand but I live here now so get on with the free treatment I'm entitled to as a UK citizen!" As a free person you are able to leave the UK when your treatment is complete and live where ever you like.

I currently live in the UK with my Thai wife and she has never worked or paid any NI contributions but she has full free access to the NHS so the invoice given to this lady is an insult to all hard working tax paying citizens of the UK.

[chiang mai]

Lucky for me I've never been outside the EU.

Wonder how they found out she had been living in the USA?

The government were discussing allowing expats access to NHS if they had paid a minimum of 35 years NI contributions but that seems to have been shelved for now.

However, even expats have a right to free NHS treatment if they decide to return and LIVE in the UK. They don't need a UK address or GP registration you simply have to say " I used to live in USA/Spain/Thailand but I live here now so get on with the free treatment I'm entitled to as a UK citizen!" As a free person you are able to leave the UK when your treatment is complete and live where ever you like.

I currently live in the UK with my Thai wife and she has never worked or paid any NI contributions but she has full free access to the NHS so the invoice given to this lady is an insult to all hard working tax paying citizens of the UK.

It was ten years and not 35 but the idea got dropped somewhere along the line, after the elections.

And yes, a British subject does have the right to immediate and free NHS care upon return, providing they can prove they have returned to live on a permanent and settled basis, proving that however may prove beyond the capability of most people.

[nontabury]

And yes, a British subject does have the right to immediate and free NHS care upon return, providing they can prove they have returned to live on a permanent and settled basis, proving that however may prove beyond the capability of most people.

I don't see the problem with that.Simple tell them you've returned permanently,if they then ask for proof you've sold your house in Thailand,tell them you din't own a house(true), say you rented by the month. You've cancelled your Thai bank a/c and re-opened one in the UK. So what other proof can they expect you to show?

Edited December 22, 2015 by theoldgit
Unnecessarily long quotes removed