Do You Exist anymore?
 

After reading the CRB thread,Made me think, I wondered how many on here now don't exist in the UK, other than your pension or future pension that is.

I don't, but I wondered if there would be some advantages to try and exist there again and if any, how would you do it?

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

You mean try and fiddle some UK benefits whilst living like a Lord in Spain ? :sneaky:

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

Well no I was thinking of Ex pats going back after years away and perhaps wanting a bank account. loan mortgage or whatever, I am told even car Insurance check you out and may refuse to insure you, If we don't exist it could make life difficult.

Like I say I'm not sure but thought about that after reading the CRB thread, if you wanted a job like this in the UK after years away it could be difficult, loads of things come to mind and yes I suppose benefits would be a problem too.

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

My daughter left school, went to work in Barcelona for two years then returned to the UK. It was a nightmare trying to get her a bank account when she was back in the UK ( Glasgow). In the end she had to tell them that she had returned to living with me. I had to be guarantor for her rented flat, etc,as she had no credit history, because ( they said) she had been out of the country. It was all to do with prevention of money laundering according to them, even though she had none.
Pete

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

and I forgot to mention, the Lottery won't even pay you without you being on the electoral role or paying council tax or proof of residence. It's a UK only game, Same with the Euro Lotto they will only pay to a resident of the country they reside and purchased their ticket from.

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

So a British holidaymaker shouldn't buy a Euromillions ticket in Spain, and I shouldn't when I am in England? I didn't know that.

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

aparently I do exist there!!!

I was told I might get a widow's pension from the UK...........

apparently because we both had paid NI there previously I might get some financial help

tbh I was completely gobsmacked at the possibility.......... but every little helps as they say

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

Seems you would be ok after all

http://www.euro-millions-review.com/...illions-rules/


I know the Uk lotto will check for residency, (told me on the phone)

I personally don't take that chance (not that I will ever win), I buy from a Spanish online site and of course I have residency here so:fingerscrossed:.

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

From what I gather, (but I'm not sure) if you had not contributed for the last few years you would not be able to claim any benefits like ESA or JSA, however if you were totally skint and could prove you had set up home kind of thing you MIGHT get income support. if that is correct it would be a relief for many ex pats suffering badly from this recession and had to return through no fault of their own.

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

what I'm completely gobsmacked about is that I might get this, even though I live in Spain, & have done for getting on for 9 years

I made this very clear to them when I called - but apparently it's not what I'd think of as a 'benefit' - it's actually a pension

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

The widows pension is I think classed as a "right" so in the end in its own way it is similar to pension being paid to retirees and the winter fuel payment. Also as far as I am aware they used to give something towards the funeral too.

Rosemary

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

yes, if I qualify - if he paid enough NI before we left - then there's a one off payment (2000 GBP??) as well as the ongoing pension

I didn't know it even existed, let alone that it was transportable, until someone here told me they got it when their husband died - and they had been away from the UK even longer ago than I have & had paid hardly any NI in the UK - they hadn't lived there long as adults

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

Anyone know if it works the other way around - widowers pension?

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

I think so - I think the forms asked M/F so ................

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

Not sure but it should do if equal rights count for anything. However, if they use old outdated standards it may still be presumed that a widower of working age can find work (laughable I know). I believe the widows pension was set up originally because women in general were not wage earners so if their husband died they were left with no income.

When my friends husband died aged 29 she was astounded that she was provided with the widows pension because she worked full time as a staff nurse. It was only given to her for one year because they had no children but I understand that if they had children she would have got it until they left school.

Rosemary

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

Car Insurance is already a murky pool of dogs doings - even if you do exist on the Electoral Role, have a long standing bank account etc, if you havent had any insurance cover for 2-3 years or so they will knock you back to No Discount, even if you were a sales rep with company car for that period. You may be able to get a statement from the company ins.co. but some just forget you ever asked.

I took myself "off the grid" because I found it easier and cheaper to travel to work by bus every day for 3 years. When the office was closed and I moved to another office where I needed the car I had to start again on the NCD scale.

Moral of the story - keep paying for insurance even if you don't have a car :frown: you will save on the NCD :confused:

or just another racket in Rip Off Britain.

As to Lottery - many people are not on the Electoral Role, have their wife/partner pay utilities & council tax (ISTR a hangover from the Poll Tax days). Proving you are eligible for the ticket you have bought could be diffficult.

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

We always kept bank accounts in the UK. When we moved back and was ordering utilities we couldn't do it online because we hadn't had a Uk address for some time. So I called them and they said they would have to do a credit check, he came back and said ours was better than most peoples. never had any problem since except with the national lottery online site. Won't let me buy online just says to call them even though we are on the electoral role and have voted:huh:

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

Lynn this is called bereavement benefit not widows pension and is based on very strict criteria/rules. Assuming the widowed person is under pensionable age it is only paid for 52 weeks. It ends at pension age and AFAIK is not payable to under 45's at all unless they still have children and receive family allowance.

I am yet to meet anyone who tells the truth about what benefits they receive (or dont receive) as in the main they are exagerated by a factor of at least 5 by these people.

The best/latest advice/ criteria etc is on the HMRC web site for the doubting Thomases :)




Bereavement payment (lump sum) £2000.00

Widowed parent's allowance 105.95
Bereavement Allowance
standard rate 105.95
age-related age 54 98.53
53 91.12
52 83.70
51 76.28
50 68.87
49 61.45
48 54.03
47 46.62
46 39.20
45 31.79

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

yes, that's the one - couldn't remember exactly what it was called!

when I queried how come I might qualify the woman on the phone said it was more like a 'pension' than a 'benefit'

I'm well over 45, too - & have 2 school age kids :blink:

Re: Do You Exist anymore?
 

[QUOTE]Anyone knows what each benefit is, it's no secret, but whether or not you are entitled to them is a different thing. If you have lived abroad and say retired early and not made contributions since, there may be a clear way they can escape paying you. You will have to prove links to the UK, this may not be as easy as one would expect.....