UK Pensions

Coffee said:
Why not have some fun... :cool:

I understand you can revise your nominated spouse at anytime that you wish and as many times as you want prior to a final clog-popping. :p
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Not always. Depends on the employer paying the occupational pension. To prevent "death bed" marriages, some employers require a minimum of 6 or even 12 months marriage. Most but not all occupational pensions will pay the same pension as a widow's pension to a partner. Same rules generally apply, but problems sometimes ensue proving that the claimant really is/was a partner. A Will naming the partner (same address) helps as does a joint bank account and completion of a nomination form (not at the last minute)

Also many occupational widows pensions which usually pay 50% of late husband's pension reduce this where the widow is more than 10/12 years younger than her late husband. Generally 2.5% reduction for each year over 10/12.
 
Deerculler said:
Sorry Dave. You are correct.
I recently got that in writing from my pension super fund to confirm that wife or defacto was entitled to 50% after a certain period of time. A combination of the marriage and defacto counts as well.
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Watch out for any reduction due to age difference. The details will be included in the pension fund's rules
 
Ivor the Engine said:
en.econostrum.info

DWP Sets Date to Seize Funds Directly From Bank Accounts in Fraud Crackdown

The DWP has revealed exactly when it will gain new powers to pull cash straight from bank accounts.
en.econostrum.info en.econostrum.info
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Although this is posted in the UK pensions thread I believe that this is aimed at 'benefit' fraud (rather than specifically pensions).

I think we pensioners are a long way down the list and whilst state pensions are technically classed as a benefit, they are actually treated differently.


If I was living here, and I (accidently) forgot to advise DWP, I would not be losing sleep over this 'crackdown'.
 
WHilst I recognise that we UK State Pensioners in Thailand are a minority group in the eyes of DWP, I have been a tad surprised during recent conversations to see the proportion of those who freely admitted to defrauding the system by failing to declare that they live here and thus receiving the annual increases in their State Pension. Not only that, but it is the willful way that some of those feel it is their right to commit that fraud.

Now, SF members who may have read previous posts from me on the subject of pension increases (or freezes, to be accurate) will know how much I resent the freezing when some other countries UK expat populations (such as the Philippines and the USA for example) receive their increases. Some here feel that it is a waste of time and effort to protest against such discrimination, and while they have been proven correct thus far, failing to pursue the claim for equal rights will never correct the situation. Remind me about how long UK women fought for their right to vote, without giving up their battle...

If and when equality is achieved, those who are cheating the system by failing to declare their residency accurately will no longer be liable to future investigation - and potential penalties as lawbreakers. Action against them might be retrospective. It was not all that surprising to read this week that the number of UK whistleblowers has increased dramatically in the past year.
 
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merlin said:
WHilst I recognise that we UK State Pensioners in Thailand are a minority group in the eyes of DWP, I have been a tad surprised during recent conversations to see the proportion of those who freely admitted to defrauding the system by failing to declare that they live here and thus receiving the annual increases in their State Pension. Not only that, but it is the willful way that some of those feel it is their right to commit that fraud.

Now, SF members who may have read previous posts from me on the subject of pension increases (or freezes, to be accurate) will know how much I resent the freezing when some other countries UK expat populations (such as the Philippines and the USA for example) receive their increases. Some here feel that it is a waste of time and effort to protest against such discrimination, and while they have been proven correct thus far, failing to pursue the claim for equal rights will never correct the situation. Remind me about how long UK women fought for their right to vote, without giving up their battle...

If and when equality is achieved, those who are cheating the system by failing to declare their residency accurately will no longer be liable to future investigation - and potential penalties as lawbreakers. Action against them might be retrospective. It was not all that surprising to read this week that the number of UK whistleblowers has increased dramatically in the past year.
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All I have learnt from my life experiences is that cheats do indeed prosper and honesty is NOT the best policy.
Alas I am like you @merlin I am inflicted with a moral code. The older I get the more foolish I have made to feel for it.
Its sad but true.
 
merlin said:
WHilst I recognise that we UK State Pensioners in Thailand are a minority group in the eyes of DWP, I have been a tad surprised during recent conversations to see the proportion of those who freely admitted to defrauding the system by failing to declare that they live here and thus receiving the annual increases in their State Pension. Not only that, but it is the willful way that some of those feel it is their right to commit that fraud.

Now, SF members who may have read previous posts from me on the subject of pension increases (or freezes, to be accurate) will know how much I resent the freezing when some other countries UK expat populations (such as the Philippines and the USA for example) receive their increases. Some here feel that it is a waste of time and effort to protest against such discrimination, and while they have been proven correct thus far, failing to pursue the claim for equal rights will never correct the situation. Remind me about how long UK women fought for their right to vote, without giving up their battle...

If and when equality is achieved, those who are cheating the system by failing to declare their residency accurately will no longer be liable to future investigation - and potential penalties as lawbreakers. Action against them might be retrospective. It was not all that surprising to read this week that the number of UK whistleblowers has increased dramatically in the past year.
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Laudable ....but whatever you say @merlin you are pissing in the wind and 'equality' will NEVER be achieved. I firmly believe that, not even in the lifetime of our grandchildren......there is no political incentive to change and previous white knights fell off their chargers at the first fence. Even Nigel Farage has not yet responded to my questions on Reform's stance on this subject. Comparisons with suffrage are fallacious as votes for women affected half the adult population - we are a flee on an elephants arse by comparison.


I didn't tell DWP about my permanent residency in Thailand for 2 years and the only reason I 'came clean' was because the paltry annual increase was not worth the potential hassle in the unlikely event of 'getting caught'.

The 'fraud' aspect of state pensions is limited to a false declaration. Not one single case of 'benefit fraud' has been brought against anyone in relation to the state pension. It never will be. The limited resources of DWP etc are being better deployed on bigger fish rather than trying to catch out errant old timers in Thailand. A much better (and significantly bigger) target would be the fat cows riding up and down Benidorm promenade on their mobility scooters - not wishing to stereotype but I imagine that the majority are claiming benefits.


I am totally opposed to the unfairness of frozen pensions. I don't regard them as a benefit when I contributed NIC's for almost 40 years - knowing it was giving me a pension at the end.

Equally, I have little time for those whining about not getting the annual increase. We knew (or eventually discovered) that our pensions would be frozen. I am not at all surprised at the apparent inertia to this subject; so many people have witnessed the futility of previous efforts to restore parity, and they understand that futility will continue.
 
CO-CO said:
Laudable ....but whatever you say @merlin you are pissing in the wind and 'equality' will NEVER be achieved. I firmly believe that, not even in the lifetime of our grandchildren......there is no political incentive to change and previous white knights fell off their chargers at the first fence. Even Nigel Farage has not yet responded to my questions on Reform's stance on this subject. Comparisons with suffrage are fallacious as votes for women affected half the adult population - we are a flee on an elephants arse by comparison.


I didn't tell DWP about my permanent residency in Thailand for 2 years and the only reason I 'came clean' was because the paltry annual increase was not worth the potential hassle in the unlikely event of 'getting caught'.

The 'fraud' aspect of state pensions is limited to a false declaration. Not one single case of 'benefit fraud' has been brought against anyone in relation to the state pension. It never will be. The limited resources of DWP etc are being better deployed on bigger fish rather than trying to catch out errant old timers in Thailand. A much better (and significantly bigger) target would be the fat cows riding up and down Benidorm promenade on their mobility scooters - not wishing to stereotype but I imagine that the majority are claiming benefits.


I am totally opposed to the unfairness of frozen pensions. I don't regard them as a benefit when I contributed NIC's for almost 40 years - knowing it was giving me a pension at the end.

Equally, I have little time for those whining about not getting the annual increase. We knew (or eventually discovered) that our pensions would be frozen. I am not at all surprised at the apparent inertia to this subject; so many people have witnessed the futility of previous efforts to restore parity, and they understand that futility will continue.
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The opposite attitude to "pissing in the wind" as you put it is to do nothing and have zero chance of influencing enlightened people of our plight as the victims in this situation. I might agree with you that we are disadvantaged by our limited numbers - especially when repeated requests for petitioned support from our families and friends have fallen on mainly deaf ears. Similarly, when those amongst us who are equally disadvantaged give up the opportunity to make a difference by resigning the rest of us to be an even smaller minority of pensioners who continue to be deprived of our entitlement to equal rights from an arrangement that was put in place to provide some fairness to people who were led to believe that we would be rewarded for a lifetime's work and material contributions to that arrangement. Speaking for myself, I was at no time during my working life made aware that by seeking a better future in a warmer climate etc. That working life included a lengthy period as an IFA until retirement from providing advice to clients. AT no time did the UK government advise us that it didn't provide equality for those who had qualified for the advantages of the scheme, and I have no sympathy for those who are able to absorb the losses by virtue of their other retirement provisions, especially when there was little or no possibility of replacing those losses out of more limited incomes due to personal circumstances. We are all different as individuals, but lumped together in the amount the State alone provides us. Those who are not affected by incomes that effectively reduce in buying power each year by freezing and by inflation as well as by currrency fluctuations are very fortunate. The concept of a fair State Pension was to ensure that such people were still able to enjoy that period of their lives without the constant worry about running out of money before running out of life.

I take offence with the desciption of being one "whining about not getting the annual increase." If I am whining, it is at the inequality involved which affects the worse off to a significantly greater degree than those for whom the annual increases can truly be described as "paltry." We all become older, but not more resistant to the effect of this inequality. As an example, look at the situation of Ms. Anne Puckridge the 100 year old British pensioner living in Canada whose frozen pension at just £72.50 a week is expected by our generous pensions ministry to provide her with a "living income" for the rest of her life.

She was a part of the UK's second world war effort - and this is her recompense. Disgusting.
 
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