Auld Yin

It is my understanding that a residency period of 10 years is required to qualify for Canadian Old Age Security and there is not a contribution system in Canada.

teatime

Hi Auld Yin,

You are correct about the residency for OAS (Old Age Security) being 10 years but this is a supplement to CPP (Canada Pension Plan) - as I said if living outside of Canada I don't think you are able to contribute to your Canadian pension as UK citizens living outside of the UK can contribute to their state pension.

Easterndawn

Do you ever look at the pictures and wonder who the heck these people are, this happened to me as I was going through them a coupleof years ago, many of them had people in them that I could not remember knowing, so I just binned them, thought if I can't remember now at my age, I would never remember them later

Easterndawn

The contributional system is for CPP, for myself, I worked for over 30 years and those deductions were taken out of my pay cheque by the employer every payday. I can and will be collecting my CPP when I turn 60 instead of waiting until I am 65. It also depends on how much you made when you were working and the amount you contributed, so therefore those in higher paid jobs get more CPP when they apply. Old Age Pension is giving wither you worked or not and is not based on any contributions at all, but given to all people reaching the age of 65.

Easterndawn

Work is going fine, very tiring though, as don't have all my staff in place, only 4 people for cleaning 71 rooms on weekend and one of them is 70 years old.

Husband is doing good Saturday he slept most of the day and yesterday was feeling a bit better, he is at home as they sent him home on the same day. That was what was worrying me also, he would be by himself, but friends have been really good about making sure he is okay. Well better get ready for work, long hard day ahead, everyone take care.

aes1

[QUOTE=Lestagirl;8615429]A question about the pensions if you dont mind, so for me I started paying stamp at 17 and I worked in the UK for about 22 years, so can some one tell me does this mean I am only 8 years short of what is needed for a pension, sorry to be so vague, but I know so little about this, I am 58 now. Would like to work when i return, will do anything hahaha.
I do know pension age is now 63 for woman. QUOTE]

Re Pensions. I sent a letter requesting my NI # years ago, before I even thought of going back. I recommend that, it can save time. Then when I knew I probably would return, I applied for my pension forecast. I only worked 6 years in the UK before leaving, I got another 3 for being at University, and another 4 for being a stay-at-home mother before leaving the country. Total of 13. When I received the forecast, it outlined how I could pay in to increase my past contributions at the rate I would have paid, so I added another 7 to that, bringing me to 20/30. I will start getting that in January 2012, which is when I reach age 61. For women now, the time you start is dependent on what year you were born, so it is not necessarily age 63, it could be sooner, as in my case (born February 1951). For men of course, it still stands at 65. Having lived in the US, any pension from there does not get added to my UK one, but I can still claim it. Actually I will claim on my ex spouse as he earned much more than me in the US and we were married for longer than 10 years so I can get the spousal support from his. But that will be later, earliest being at age 62. He and I are the same age so that helps me. Of course I still have the opportunity to add to my UK pension to try and get nearer the full 30 years and I will look at that as soon as I can find a job in Malta!!

BTW a small update. I had a very busy weekend, Saturday I went to the Ghana (pronounced aan-na) fest (Maltese folk festival). One of the old instruments they play is like bagpipes but made from goats skin (with the legs still dangling from it - well, that's what it looked like!!). I also heard for the first time hip hop sang in Maltese!!! Then I got to see a typical Festa (held almost every weekend in summer at a different village to celebrate some saint), which ended after midnight with the biggest firework display I have ever seen (regular ones in the air plus mechanized catherine wheels in synchronization on long poles). All in all, too amazing to begin to describe! Yesterday I went to the annual Earth Garden festival (organic, new age, met a couple selling silver jewelry, based in Sidmouth, Devon!!) and returned to see a procession of priest, choir and congregation singing and celebrating another saint, walking up my street leading to the church. The two opposites of Malta!! This morning, at 7 am I did the French thing......walked up the street to buy a fresh baguette from the baker's and came back with it under my arm. No bicycle or beret though A quiet day, shops closed (except for morning bread and paper!), one of 9 National public holidays here (the government can't make up its mind!!). Rodney, the World Cup will be televised here all over Malta. Huge football fans (so many expats!!!).

Marmalade

Yes, this has happened to me too! Memory fading as I get older. On the upside I am starting to remember some people from my youth that I had forgottten about many moons ago. I am reconnecting with some of them, and it is a lot of fun.

ED - I am so glad that things are going well for you again. You are certainly an inspiration to me and many on here. Good luck with your new position, and I'm glad that your husband is doing well. You will be reunited before you know it

charleygirl

Thank you so much for the information, teatime, anna, so maybe things will be even better because I was born Nov 51 and I also was a stay home mum for 5 years, so I may have more contributions than I thought.
Hopefully it will not take too long for me to hear.
Thanks for the info about NH etc. but I will not be here when I am 61 hopefully not when I am 60, want to be out of here early next year.

Love you stories of malta Anna, Easterdawn, when I first came to this website you were planning you trip, so happy you made it and that things are looking up.......hope hubby joins you soon.

Marmalade

Okay, I have to ask, how do you go about getting a pension forecast? I only worked in Scotland for 3 years (I think it was 3), before moving here. I wonder if I can pay back into the system for some of the missing years? Can anyone give me a heads up on this? I am planning to move back this year, so will retire in Scotland. Would love to be able to pay in some more money to help me out in retirement. Any comments welcome

I should point out that I am 43, so have many years still to work (I'm a teacher).

charleygirl

Hi, I downloaded a form from the UK pensions website and sent it to Newcastle, does Scotland come under same pension scheme,
this link has lots of info too.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensions...ning/index.htm
Just going to look for the site i got the form from.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/index.htm
I also called first and he told me where to find the form
011-44-1912-037010
Centre for Non Residents Helpline. HM Revenue and Customs

jasper123

bowery the 5 years you worked in Canada as long as it was covered employment ie ----- that you had contributions to the Canada social security system taken out of your pay checks --- then yes that 5 years will be added to your 10 years of contributions under the NHI (stamp) giving you a total of 15 years towards the 30 years that you need to get your full British pension --- so you would get half of the full UK pension,

Now the 20 years that you have worked in Australia may be a different story altogether because for that length of employment in OZ you will probably be entitled to a full Australian state pension when you reach there age of retirement so I dont think that the UK will include your OZ years,

In my case I was only in OZ for 4 years in covered employment so those 4 years and the 3 years of covered employment in canada I have been told officially by the works & pensions office in Newcastle that those 7 years will be added to the 10 years of my employment in UK --- giving me a total of 17 years of stamp contributions,

So you see the years I worked in the two commonwealth countries are treated exactly the same as if I worked those years in the UK in regards to qualifying for the UK state pension,
Take care,
Rodney USA --- 65 today --- my Birthday June 7th 1945

Marmalade

Happy Birthday Rodney!

Easterndawn

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RODNEY

mikkijan

Hi, I found this forum a week ago and said Hello in the Intro section. I've been reading this thread most of all as it is the category I fit into.

I grew up in the Fylde area, Lancashire and hubby & I moved to Southern Ireland 28 years ago. We've been feeling increasingly unhappy here for a few years now, and are working towards going back to the UK. Not our home town though, as we have grown accustomed to a rural lifestyle. We love mid Wales and feel that it will be the place for us.

We've two daughters in their twenties, one recently moved to London, the other is nearby here.

I was feeling that we had a huge number of problems to overcome before being able to make a move, but having read many of your stories from the USA and Oz, I am now feeling grateful for my relative proximity to the UK, so thank you for that

Mikki

Wawa

Happy Birthday to you Rodney! Hope you have a wonderful day!

I have not worked in UK at all, (born in 1956 and left when I was 7) the only other commonwealth country I have worked in is Canada for 5 years. Presumably once I am in UK (early next year) and begin work, I can add those 5 years to my UK pension? Which would mean I could still claim the Old Age Pension from Canada?

Viv, 54, Toronto for the time being......