Pension Question - Uk National

[dressedingreen]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether my Thai wife would continue to get my pension after I pop my clogs? Married here this year. Registered in Thailand but not yet in UK. I'm 54.

thanks

DIG

[Jockstar]

Registered in Thailand but not yet in UK

I think here lies your answer!

[Mahout Angrit]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether my Thai wife would continue to get my pension after I pop my clogs? Married here this year. Registered in Thailand but not yet in UK. I'm 54.

thanks

DIG

Provided you have contributed your 44 years contributions, your wife is permanant resident in UK and continues to live in UK after you have gone she will get the full amount of what she is entitled to (which will be less than you get as a couple) If thats not enough to live on she will also get additional benefits to top it up to what the government of the day considers is the minimum amount you need to live on (depending on her means)

The UK authorities (immigration and all, as you have probably already found out) accept a valid marriage certificate from any country as proof you are married. There is no need to register your marriage again in the UK. Anyway these days nobody cares whether you are married, (many couples in todays UK never get married) if she is a recognised live in partner she will still get all the benefits she is entitled to.

Edited December 5, 2006 by Mahout Angrit

[A. BOOZER]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether my Thai wife would continue to get my pension after I pop my clogs? Married here this year. Registered in Thailand but not yet in UK. I'm 54.

thanks

DIG

Provided you have contributed your 44 years contributions, your wife is permanant resident in UK and continues to live in UK after you have gone she will get what she is entitled to (which will be less than you get as a couple)

This question is also of interest to me, having recently made the move to Thailand. My Thai wife has a National Insurance Number back in the U.K. and it was my understanding that if I depart this world before her, she would still be entitled to a pension. I look forward to other members input on the subject, hopefully with some concrete information.

[paulsmithson]

there is a site called "this is money" which has loads of information regarding pensions and a link to the UK pensions web site.

It is worth noting that the contributory years needed for a full pension will shortly be reduced from 44 to 30 years.

The Thai wife of a British National is indeed entitled to a pension in her own right. My own wife has been resident in the uK for 19 years and has a pension forecast from the ministry which she will be entitled to draw when she reaches retirement age.

The government web site is easy to navigate, the people there can be spoken to and are very helpful.

[Mahout Angrit]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether my Thai wife would continue to get my pension after I pop my clogs? Married here this year. Registered in Thailand but not yet in UK. I'm 54.

thanks

DIG

Provided you have contributed your 44 years contributions, your wife is permanant resident in UK and continues to live in UK after you have gone she will get what she is entitled to (which will be less than you get as a couple)

This question is also of interest to me, having recently made the move to Thailand. My Thai wife has a National Insurance Number back in the U.K. and it was my understanding that if I depart this world before her, she would still be entitled to a pension. I look forward to other members input on the subject, hopefully with some concrete information.

The answer above was to the quetion where the husband contributed and not the wife. If the wife has contributed she is entitled to a pension in her own right too. To get a FULL pension a man must have made 44 years contributions and a Woman 39 years (I think !!). If you will have contributed less then you will get the relative percentage (22 years contibutions will give a man half the pension). If you are living abroad you can make voluntary contributions, you can also top up arrears you may have missed up to a maximum of 5 years.

This also depends on wifes age as retirement age for women is going up to 65.

Also as a previous poster has mentioned it has been mentioned that the qualifying period for a full pension may be reduced.

If you want to know what you are likely to get at pensionable age based on your contributions and projected contributions you can request a "Pension Forecast"

for both you and your wife.

Concrete information is available on the DHSS web site which you might like to trawl for your answers.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/penret/

Pensions are payable overseas but any cost of living rise granted after you become pensionable age will not be added to those who have chosen to live in Thailand.( see thread currently running in the Visas for other countries forum)

Edited December 5, 2006 by Mahout Angrit

[A. BOOZER]

Pensions are payable overseas but any cost of living granted after you become pensionable age will not be added to those who have chosen to live overseas.

Wow! This is a bigger can of worms than I thought. My understanding was that a U.K. citizen pension who moves abroad (permanently) was frozen at the rate payable in the year that he left the U.K. Have I got the wrong end of the stick?

[Mahout Angrit]

Wow! This is a bigger can of worms than I thought. My understanding was that a U.K. citizen pension who moves abroad (permanently) was frozen at the rate payable in the year that he left the U.K. Have I got the wrong end of the stick?

Yes that may be the case, sorry the assumption was made that you would reach retirement age while overseas. Check out the DHSS site, it's all there.

[wontok]

I am planning to live with my family in Thailand after my retirement. I expect a UK State Pension at that time. I understand that if we were in the UK my wife, would be able to get some age pension after my death, based on my contributions, once she reaches pensionable age. But if she is in Thailand, has not lived in the UK and has no UK NI number, does anyone know if can she also get this pension? This is of course a major factor in planning for my wife an children after I am gone.

Thanks for any advice.

[ThaiPauly]

I too would be interested to hear the answer to Wontok's query.

I am entitled to a state pension..although not for another 12 years, odes this mean that if I pre-decease my Wife..who has never lived in the UK,my pension from HM Government dies with me?

[Rinrada]

If you both come back to Blighty and your wife gets her ILR visa (minimun) then she is legally entitled to be here so if you peg out then she gets it....

Better also if she goes for the red book and to be even more sure/secure ...make a WILL..... it clarifys everything and you can.... R.....but not for a long long long time ...OK

[paulsmithson]

I am aged 60 and my wife has lived with me in the Uk for the last 20 years.I intend to retire to Thailand next year and claim my state pension via the Bangkok embassy when i reach the age of 65.

Should the proposed pensions reforms be approved then i will quaify for a full pension. The pensions service have given a forecast for my wife who remains a Thai national. She is too proud of her country to even consider adopting British nationality.

Wil she qualify for a widdows pension when I die in Thailand?

[marshbags]

Doesn,t the widows pension come into play if you are fully paid up, should there be no qualification for an O.A.P.

This comes off your own contributions and is payable against them so long as you are legally married.

I was informed that my wife would qualify even if she is residing in another country, providing all the criteria / documentation is in order.

marshbags

Edited December 6, 2006 by marshbags

[marshbags]

I am an OAP claiming my pension and have no address in UK. I have claimed a care allowance to go with my OApension for my wife here in Thailand -- She had to have UK National Insurance number which we obtained without her going to England

WHen I die -- unless I am 91 and she sixty HaHa

She will get 2000pounds bereavement Benefit if she has a National insurance number

If she is over 45 she will be able to claim Bereavement Benefit but the Widows Pension has been abolished

So Unless I live a very long time all the money I paid in goes to the Government

This is the information I recieved from the Pensions Service

If she was living in UK then she would be able to claim other allowances.

When did they abolish the widows pension please R4199246 ? (I take your word for it by the way.)

It must have happened recently as i got my info less than 6 months ago

Usually when things like this are ceased, they replace / cover it with something else.

The N.Insurance info sounds interesting also.

Any further details on how to apply.

Thanks in advance

marshbags

Edited December 6, 2006 by marshbags

[marshbags]

Attn Marshbags

As a legaly married man in Thailand drawing OApension I applied for an Increase of benefit for spouse and Children for customers living outside the United Kindom -- the form they sent me was POD 368 10/03.It took 14 months and I could not get an increase for my wife's children Eventually I got 43.40 pounds --Adult Dependency Increase per week Money added on for your spouse or the person who looks after your children --again this was through the Pension Service.

Thanks for the information R4199246

I can check it out when i get back to the U.K. along ( later ) with any new benefits that may be available in / after the next budget.

I,ll post any leads i get of course.

marshbags

[dressedingreen]

Just wanted to say a big 'thanks' to everyone who replied to this thread. It's been a great help. I'll be checking out the leads I've got here, and will post anything of interest. My wife has never been to the UK, but it seems like a good idea to see if we can get her a NI number.

DIG