Editha

As is becoming traditional on this forum, I request that formula provides some evidence that there are plans to abolish pension credit, and a link to the 'research' that shows it is open to abuse.

Editha

Formula, I don't claim any benefits. Nor am I ever likely to, since I have a fairly high income and level of savings. However, I do believe in the welfare state, and I like to be helpful.

You, on the other hand, seem to get a kick out of imagining the safety net of welfare being dismantled, and your fantasies go well beyond Conservative party policy, even assuming that the Tories get to carry out their entire programme, given that they have just had to backtrack on disability benefits.

SNIP

For the benefit of the OP. The advice I've given is 100% accurate (though I could have been clearer on the residence qualifications for attendance allowance). Formula has confused two separate benefits -- pension credit and pension savings credit. Only pension savings credit is being cut back. I did not mention pension savings credit in my original post, but because of your age you would still be entitled to make a claim. Details are on this link.

Novocastrian

Edited to add: On "entitlement": it's just a stylistic preference. One needs to fit certain criteria to receive almost every form of benefit; I prefer the word "qualify".

magnification

The Welfare State is necessary in the modern world. It's just that many governments are not in touch with reality and have not paid sufficient attention to it.

BritInParis

Treatment at A&E and GP surgeries remains free to all including visitors not that it's relevant to this thread as the OP is returning to live permanently in the UK.

sueffun

Firstly thank you for your question, it's exactly the information I am looking for as well.
We are also considering returning to the UK from S. Africa but only once my husband has retired in a year or two (he has EU passport). I am also a full British citizen and I came to S. Africa in 1980. Unfortunately I haven't paid voluntary contributions either as I wasn't aware that you could do this at the time of leaving the UK. I am very interested in how you qualify for a social pension every month, I was told this wasn't possible if you haven't contributed since you left the UK.
I turned 60 last year, so I would really appreciate your imput as to how I can get a social pension like you have and where to apply.Thank you

Editha

Your first step should be to check on your state pension entitlement (follow the link). Although you left the UK in your early twenties, it is likely you made some National Insurance contributions before then, and since you have a few years left before you reach the state retirement age of 66, you have time to make more contributions to increase your pension.

Most other benefits are means-tested and your husband's income would be taken into account. I note from your previous posts that he is a surgeon, so I doubt whether his pension income is low enough to entitle the two of you to means tested benefits. But, if I'm wrong, read my advice to silver49 above, and have a look at one of the benefit calculators available on the internet. The one on the Age UK site is easy to use.

Non means tested benefits include NHS care, and when you reach 66 you'll get free bus travel.

sueffun

Thank you so much for your quick reply. You are very knowledgeable and I appreciate the help.
Yes my husband is a Surgeon but as the OP stated the exchange rate is really bad £1-R22 and dropping daily, so when any income from a pension or otherwise is converted it's not a lot.
I just wanted to know how the OP manages to get a pension from the UK if they haven't been contributing at all and which route I should take if I wanted to have one. The exchange rate would then work in my favour and then when we move back it would increase. Thank you for the link but it doesn't seem to get me onto the site at all.

spouse of scouse

Hi. If you've not long turned 60 then I'm guessing you were born around 1955/56, which means you fall under the new pension rules. Try this link to those rules, including eligibility https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/overview

Editha

The link works for me, so I'm not sure how it isn't working for you.

The url is:https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension. Type it in the address line if necessary.

The OP and spouse have already claimed their state pensions, so my guess is that they made enough contributions before they emigrated, to get a partial pension when they retired.

I'm not knowledgeable on voluntary NI contributions. Hopefully someone will be along to give you more detailed advice. But, I do know you can pay back payments of 6 years. Since you have another five years to go to retirement age, that makes eleven years that you could accumulate before retirement, added to any you paid before you left the UK.

A full pension now requires 35 years contributions, but you might get as much as 50% of that.

This is the gov.uk page on voluntary NI contributions: https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-nationa...ions/deadlines
However, the new pension rules, and the transitional arrangements do complicate things.

sueffun

I did eventually get the link to work. I was looking through everything and it is quite complicated, it would be nice just to be able to give your NI number, they look up how much you had contributed and then tell you how much you need to contribute to qualify now.
With the exchange rate it may not even be worth doing the voluntary contributions, especially as I can't even find out how much I would have to pay in for NIC3. Thanks again.

Editha

You can't work it out from just looking at the website. You do need to apply for a pension forecast. It doesn't cost anything to do so, and then you will have the information you need to make a decision.

sueffun

I will do that and work out if it's worth it.