chc4me

Great article in the Telegraph! A group trying to overturn the treatment of Frozen pensions for expats (State pension). I'm interested to know if there are any expats in NZ living on a 'Frozen' pension?

Article at this link.

Stormer999

Yup....they stopped my winter fuel allowance as well...

mikelincs

I suspect this has a lot to do with intergovermental decisions of pension rights and increases being agreed between the UK and NZ, and not just an arbitrary decision by the UK

BEVS

It is an old decision to freeze all uk state pensions for those living in commonwealth countries. Those living in EU countries still get the cost of living rises.

It's not a matter for amusement unless ,of course, you are not on the receiving end .

Article

The country of residence has to pick up the shortfall .

Please do read some of the cases of forced abject poverty before making flippant remarks.

Thanks.

Stormer999

Any flippancy detected in my reply to the OP was not in the pen of the writer but the eye of the reader especially as I am on the "frozen" list.
HM Pension Service were only too quick to inform me that "When you leave the UK you will not get annual increases of United Kingdom (UK) State Pension, a bereavement benefit or Widows Benefit while you are living permanently in NEW ZEALAND.
This is because annual increases are not paid outside the UK unless you live in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or one of the countries with whom the UK has a Social Security agreement which allows the increases to be paid."
I was at the same time informed that I would no longer be entitled to receive a Christmas Bonus or Winter Fuel Allowance.

mikelincs

So it's because the UK and NZ government haven't made an agreement, but the US and UK ones have.. perhaps you should talk to your NZ MP.

Stormer999

I think all Governments work on the principal of "what can we get out of it"....

chc4me

Stormer999, you may or may not be aware that you can 'swap' your UK state pension for a NZ State Pension (called NZ Superannuation). Providing you are over age 65, and a permanent resident, it should be straight forward. The amount depends on your living situation with single or married rates ranging between $300 and $400 per week.

Might be worth checking with Work & Income (WINZ) about your entitlements in NZ.....

Stormer999

Many thanks for the info I will be here 2 years in March so will them be taking up my full permanent residency visa and will have a chat with WINZ

Mark Smith

FYI

BEVS

My apologies for misunderstandfing Stormer999. Your use of a laughing smilie in your post misled me to think you were making light of a rotten stinking situation for many .

Stormer999

That was my fault Bevs, right sentiments wrong Smilie....there isn,t one to portray my feelings about the letter informing me of my loss of heating allowance as it arrived in the NZ summer

These are the same people that tell me I can complete tax returns (HM) online by simply registering and I will be posted an activation code that has to be entered within 28 days. They then send the code by ship from Port Louis Mauritius that takes 32 days to arrive.......4 times

chc4me

Tax returns? If you are now living in New Zealand, you will need to complete a tax return in New Zealand.

New Zealand has the taxing rights to your worldwide income (to use IRDs own words). On leaving the UK you will become a non-tax resident and as NZ has a double tax agreement with the UK you will no longer pay tax in the UK, therefore you should notify the authorities by completing a specific form. There is also a form to give to banks and building societies in the UK to stop tax deductions from interest.

Another helpful site for expats moving or retiring abroad: https://www.gov.uk/moving-or-retiring-abroad

The really good news is that you may qualify for 4 years "Transitional Residency" status in NZ, and therefore pay no tax on foreign income. As always, do your own research but hopefully there is enough above to start you off.

Stormer999

I did fill in the form and send it off to NZ IRD but for some unknown reason they referred my case to AKL immigration office questioning my residency status and sent down another set of identification forms. This took nearly a year and UK nice tax peeps were demanding I fill in a self assessment declaration I did get straight eventually and do not pay tax at the mo

Stormer999

What interest