peterpop

I have been living in Thailand for 9 years married to a Thai Lady. Life is good. The recent devaluation of the British Pound has however put a strain on my finances. My UK Pension is frozen at 2008 level. I want to return to the UK for the 6 months required to upgrade my pension and then return to Thailand. Has anyone done this. Are there hidden traps. Is proof of living for 6 months in UK a problem. Can I leave UK for a visit to Europe during the 6 months or will this cause problems etc etc
Any advice gratefully received. Thank you.

Editha

If I were you I'd get advice from the International Pension Centre.

peterpop

I spoke to the International Pension Service back in July. The Adviser that I spoke to told me my pension would be upgraded after 6 months PERMANENTLY. I was delighted to hear this but suspicious because this was the first time that I had heard of this ''Good News''. I have just finished a long conversation with the IPS that included finally a conversation with a Manager. He told me that the previous advice was incorrect. THERE IS NO FIXED PERIOD. I had to show conclusively by way of property [owned or rented] for my use, utility bills, personal possessions, and local commitments etc etc that my return was permanent and that this would be assessed by a panel higher than IPS. If that panel were not convinced that I had returned ''permanently'' then should I return to Thailand my pension would revert to the 2008 level it is now frozen at. Not the news I wanted to hear. Back to square 1.

Editha

Bad luck.

scot47

I was involved in the campaign started by pensioners resident mainly in South Africa to "unfreeze" pensions. We raised a legal action against HMG and took it all the way. We failed. The Yanks are right "You can't fight City Hall."

mikelincs

The freezing or not isn't totally to do with the UK government the other country has to make reciprocal arrangements, so it's as much down to the SA government as well, similarly move to Canada pension frozen, move to the US pension NOT frozen, reciprocal agreement in place with US but not Canada

scot47

So why are German pensions paid in full regardless of what country the recipient is in ?
This is a political question and a reflection of the attitude of the Mandarins in Whitehall and the Muppets in Westminster.

We spend our money on aircraft carriers with no aircraft and aggressive foreign wars. i would sooner fund decent pensions.

BritInParis

Probably because German social welfare contributions are astronomical in comparison to NI contributions. You pay for what you get.

scot47

Paying tax is our subscription to membership of a civilised society

Incidentally Germany manages to get by in the modern world without Trident.

BritInParis

That depends on how much you trust the government to spend your money.

Of course, because it gets to sit under the nuclear umbrella provided by the US taxpayer. The cost of the Trident replacement programme over the next 30 to 40 years is a rounding error when compared to the cost of UK state pensions over the same period.

christmasoompa

Holy thread resurrection Batman.....this one is nearly a year old!

scot47

The old ones are the best - just like jokes ! By the way Brit - I notice that Berlrlin manages too without any aircraft carriers. But then their imperial delusions were ended in 1945. London;s imperial illusions should have ended in February 1942 but lived on

Never mind REJOICE - we will soon have BLUE PASSPORTS !

BritInParis

Very true. We were after all awfully inconsiderate to our Teutonic cousins by being so bloody minded. I would go one further to say chucking in the towel in May 1940 would have been so much easier all round and all that money we wasted on Spitfires and tanks could have gone on some really super pensions for everyone! Du hast den Nagel auf den Kopf getroffen - zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen, ja?

Editha

While on the topic -- I'm unclear whether it has yet been decided whether the UK state pension increases will continue for pensioners living in the EU. This is of great significance to a French friend of mine who has lived in the UK for more then 40 years, but wants to retire in Normandy, where she can care for her father.

BritInParis

Yes, that was apparently agreed in the third round of negotiations in August.