aud123

Hi

Can any one give me some advice?
My mom who was born in the UK wants to return to live. She left when she was a child and has never worked in the UK therfore has never contributed to NI.She is now turning 60, would she be eligible for a pension or would she need to contribute something towards NI( for a certain time) before claiming a pension.Would she recieve health benefits straight away.

Thanks in advance
Aud123

Bob

Have a british passport, moving over won't be a problem, and as a resident, would be allowed NHS services straight away, even though getting a GP might not be easy these days.
Can't help about the pension...but it's pretty crap anyway...

callé

Hi. I think according to previous responses on this forum she would be eligible for health benefits surely. As far as pension, did she take citizenship from where she has lived and worked all these years? Because I'm not sure about the UK side (someone else will have to answer that for you) but she should at least be able to claim pension that she has paid in already. For example, I am returning after working many years in the US. With getting citizenship before I leave I will be able to still collect social security from the US when I retire. Where is your mother now?

NC Penguin

I may be mistaken but if your Mum has never made any NI contributions in the UK, it's highly unlikely that she'd be entitled to any UK government pension. However please check the official UK government website for the definitive answer.

You don't mention where your Mum is living now. She may be entitled to a pension in the country where she is currently residing and may be able to collect pension from that country even if she lives in the UK. Again, check the government website for that country for more information.





NC Penguin

aud123

Thanks for replies.Mom resides in South Africa but bringing that over from SA with exchange rate will be worth nothing!

callé

Same with my US funds.

ags

My parents moved back to the Uk from SA, after having been abroad for 35 yrs, They did not qualify for the full pension as they had only contributed to National insurance for the years before the emigrated, so it does depend on the contributions. However they did get some financial help and got a top up such as Income support or the like. However the health care shouldn't be a problem but the NHS hasn't done much for my folks, don't expect the same level of care as in SA, it is free however to pensioners.

JAJ

For pension, it will likely depend on what social security agreement exists between her country of residence and the UK. There is always income support if she would otherwise be destitute.

Look at the thread 'Useful UK Links' for resources. You should look at the DWP government website.

She should think carefully about moving. What kind of financial base or support network will she have in the UK compared to where she is?

Separately - have you got British citizenship yourself, as your UK born mother may make you eligible.

Jeremy

Jammy_Dodgers

I do not think it is fair for the rest of the UK to subsidise people who have spent most of there lives outside of the UK, and have contributed nothing.

Coming "home" just to enjoy free pension and health is not fair on people in the UK who are paying big deductions to cover this.

JAJ

Fair or not it's in line with the way most developed countries work - if you're a citizen you have the right to come back any time you like.

And if you check the rules, you'll find that while the NHS does not care about prior residence in the UK, this is an important factor for pensions and university tuition fees.

Jeremy

Jammy_Dodgers

Fair point.
It is just my view that it is not fair on the masses who do pay, I sure that if my situation changed and i was forced to go home with nothing then i would be grateful for the services.
The point i wished to raise is that there are many people who leave the UK, work tax free and enjoy the expat lifetyle, then return to Mother england for the hand-outs,
Sorry...rant over.sorry if i have offended anyone..tis purely my view

aud123

Thanks for replies.Mom is alone in SA, one daughter in the UK and one in Australia so if I was to settle here would make sense for her to be with us.Am in process of obtaining UK Citizenship through her being born here.Got quite abit of information last time from you JAJ thanks..

dewdrop

Hello!
Glad you posted I have the same questions about my mum and her pension,if anyone from Canada has done the same? Mum will be 57, close to retirement age and had lived in the UK for 25 years, worked about 4 years in the UK, till I was born. Now we are wanting to move back (should have along time ago), that's here nor there. We all live in Ontario, Canada, since 1972 so if anyone knows if she qualifies for anything. Any info is greatly appreciated. Either Canadian pension qualifications in the UK or UK pensions. Would she qualify for both?? or is that not heard of?? How do I find her NHS #, do they have plastic health cards like in Canada?, Having problems finding the right site?
Thanks Deana

dunroving

There was a thread on this a while back. Got some people going.

First of all, remember that not everyone overseas is raking it in tax- and rent-free, and living the life of Reilly. Some expats are earning less than they would in the UK, and pay local and national-level income tax. They're working in other countries because they believe in serving humanity and they can make a much bigger difference working in some third-world country than in the UK (for example).

Also, I think that you have to accept some idea of reciprocity between countries. We live in a global community. Certain jobs by their very nature require a person to work overseas. This works both ways - some Australians, Americans, what have you, work in the UK just as some Brits work in Australia, US, etc. Roughly speaking, the idea of reciprocity is that if you are paying towards pensions, medical care, etc., in your country of employment (say, the US in my case), you are "making up for" some US citizen who is working in the UK, paying towards UK pensions, medical care, etc. So when I go back I'll have paid a heck of a lot of money into US Social Security. The UK will give me credit for those same years as if I was paying UK NI contributions. I think that's fair enough, personally (and not just because it happens to be in my best interests).

Don

The OP's mum would be entitled to pension + benefits that work out at about GBP 100 a week as a minimum, regardless of NI contributions. Yes, I know her pension might be zero so that would mean ALL the balance is made up with other benefits.

HOWEVER - assets are taken into account and I believe that admitting cash assets of more than GBP 12000 means she wouldn't get anything much.