Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

General Udon Thani topics only!
User avatar
Hoopoe
udonmap.com
Posts: 810
Joined: January 31, 2015, 5:15 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by Hoopoe » October 3, 2018, 5:31 am

O.K So looks like SWFA........For My Mrs,Fu**ing Brilliant that.... [-X [-X U.K Gov.
[/quote]

I'm dealing with this now , for a friends wife , this law came in April 2017 , bereavement support it's now called , in Thailand you'll get fck all , BUT on the previous widows pension payment which they scrapped long ago, they started to pay on a monthly basis for 1 Year only , i'm now waiting to hear their final decision regarding this ,

i managed to get 5,000 bht each month ,
for a widow in 2012 ish ,( yep i know, but it's better than fck all as in these days , ) at the time she also got the 2,000 GBP bereavement allowance ,
In 2016 i helped out with another friend (failed again due to the penny pinching mother fckers ) they refused any payments ,due to them not being married, i pointed out they had been together for 22 years and had 2 daughters , 10 & 16 Years old ,so should common law wife not be applied to this ,( they replied that common law wife rights were scrapped a long time ago , NEWS TO ME , just look in the law courts on settlements , ) so i then pointed out that it should not alter the rights of the youngest child who at least should recieve her fathers payment of 1 year only each month , That also resulted in a big , SHE"S entitled to fck all , I have found that all these mother fckers , pensions etc ( even your private pensions , insurances etc ) all search out reasons not to pay as opposed to looking for reasons to pay , SO tighten ya belts and make sure any pensions /insurances etc are bullet proof and water tight ,



mally
udonmap.com
Posts: 366
Joined: February 1, 2007, 4:15 am
Location: UK / UT (as often as I can)

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by mally » October 3, 2018, 6:30 am

I'm more concerned about NHS! Because I'm not a "resident' I dont qualify for my eligible treatment.
I have never been out of a job in my life, always paid tax and National health contributions.
Now, They stop my NHS treatment! - Choi Choi read below, it may be a help to some UK expat -

There does seem to be a loop hole if you really need the NHS, by saying you are returning to live in the UK.
I've deleted a lot of the text, but left in the important bit that should get you treatment if it warrants the flight back to the UK. The important bit seems to be saying you're going to settle in the UK again. Goole the full document.


Published by Gov.UK
GOV.UK

How the NHS charges overseas visitors for NHS hospital care
Department
of Health &
Social Care
Guidance
How the NHS charges overseas visitors for NHS hospital care
Published 1 August 2018

In April 2015, changes were made to the way the NHS charges overseas visitors for NHS hospital care. These changes also affect some former residents of the UK. The changes were made so that the NHS does not lose out on income from migrants, visitors and former residents of the UK, who may be required to pay for their hospital treatment costs while in England.
Returning to the UK to settle
Citizens who return to the UK on a settled basis will be classed as ordinarily resident, and will be eligible for free NHS care immediately.
Further information for people visiting or moving to England is available on NHS Choices.

User avatar
747man
udonmap.com
Posts: 15135
Joined: March 25, 2007, 2:22 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by 747man » October 3, 2018, 10:33 am

former residents of the UK, who may be required to pay for their hospital treatment costs while in England.

But Mally,How would they KNOW That YOU/WE are an EXPAT ???

User avatar
AlexO
udonmap.com
Posts: 2505
Joined: June 8, 2015, 11:45 am
Location: Nong Lat Udon

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by AlexO » October 3, 2018, 10:49 am

747man wrote:
October 2, 2018, 5:45 pm
What I receive from barely covers my Monthly Dog food bill.......So Does Mine & I Ain't even got a Fu*kin Dog.....
Ha Ha
But seriously this needs to be addressed at the highest levels. For people who have paid in faithfully over their working life to be shafted by some jobsworth Civil Servant or Self Serving Politician just because we want to live somewhere else than the UK during our later years is to me criminal. To make it worse OAP's who live abroad now do not qualify for NHS treatment if they return but a Romanian who has contributed nothing to the UK can claim family allowance for his tribe of kids who do not reside in the UK. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

broon97
udonmap.com
Posts: 186
Joined: September 24, 2009, 1:03 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by broon97 » October 3, 2018, 10:58 am

Once again a thread is hijacked by other issues.
This thread was to let any UK pensioners add their voice to an organisation who are lobbying for Frozen state pensions to be unfrozen.
It's not about the NHS or Bereavement allowances and also not private pensions. Why not start a thread on these issues if you feel strongly about the issues.
The idea is to lobby UK Parliament to treat all pensioners as equals.

User avatar
AlexO
udonmap.com
Posts: 2505
Joined: June 8, 2015, 11:45 am
Location: Nong Lat Udon

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by AlexO » October 3, 2018, 12:48 pm

"The idea is to lobby UK Parliament to treat all pensioners as equals."
Would have thought NHS treatment and Bereavement Allowances for UK Pensioners would fall under the "all pensioners are equal" umbrella.

User avatar
AlexO
udonmap.com
Posts: 2505
Joined: June 8, 2015, 11:45 am
Location: Nong Lat Udon

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by AlexO » October 3, 2018, 12:52 pm

It will be interesting to see what the Government stance is on UK pensioners residing in EU countries will be after Brexit. After all they will just become like any other foreign country.

User avatar
AlexO
udonmap.com
Posts: 2505
Joined: June 8, 2015, 11:45 am
Location: Nong Lat Udon

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by AlexO » October 3, 2018, 1:10 pm

747man wrote:
October 3, 2018, 10:33 am
former residents of the UK, who may be required to pay for their hospital treatment costs while in England.

But Mally,How would they KNOW That YOU/WE are an EXPAT ???
They are doing checks on home addresses, if you have a GP etc. There is even talk about having to show current driving licence's, passports etc to prove how long you have been out the country. Thank goodness most NHS staff ignore some of the rules.

caducus
udonmap.com
Posts: 164
Joined: January 8, 2013, 1:11 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by caducus » October 3, 2018, 2:30 pm

Earlier this year. Sir Richard Branson made his opinion known on the injustice of 'frozen pensions'. But Jeremy Corbyn has been on the 'frozen pensioner' side for much longer than that. He was on the Social Security Committee which debated this issue back in 1997. He was a founder member of the All Party Group on Frozen British Pensions (“APFBP”) in 2014, and is also on record as saying, in March 2017, that,
“This is a chance to make an historic change to our pension system and end the arbitral discrimination against some pensioners living overseas.
It is contrary to natural justice for some pensioners living abroad to be left behind while others have their pensions increased in line with inflation.
The next Labour Government will treat all our pensioners equally, wherever they live, and ensure that overseas pensions are levelled up, not down, when Britain leaves the EU.”
Earlier this year, on 5th February, the Social Security Benefits Up-rating order was debated in the House of Commons. Both the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party raised the injustice of Frozen Pensions during the debate.
The only prominent member of the Conservative Party who supports a Frozen Pensions Thaw is a gentleman by the name of Sir Roger Gale, who has been MP FOR North Thanet since 1983 and is the current APFBP Chairman.

So we have the Leader of the Labour Party in favour of treating all our pensioners equally and ensuring that overseas pensions are levelled up, albeit not until Britain leaves the EU.
I do not wish to discuss the merits and demerits of Brexit, apart from making the observation that the current state of both the negotiations and the nation could be better.
Below is a table based on a YouGov survey that was conducted at the time of the most recent General Election. It shows two things, (i) the preference for Labour and Conservative according to age group, and (ii) the likelihood of bothering to go out and vote, also according to age-group.



Age group Cons (%) Labour (%) Voter (%) Non-voter (%)

18-19 19 66 57 43
20-24 22 62 59 41
25-29 23 63 64 36
30-39 29 55 61 39
40-49 39 44 66 34
50-59 47 37 71 29
60-69 50 27 77 23
70+ 69 19 84 16




We have no idea when the next General Election will take place. The present government could hope for sunnier times and struggle on for another four years before being forced to call an election.
What could happen is that the Labour Party will publish their Election Manifesto a little before the Conservatives follow suit. The Labour Manifesto will be leaked some time before the official publication date and the Conservative Party will adopt or adapt some of Labour’s policy ideas. This is not cynicism, and neither is it paranoia.
If you can recall Theresa May’s cough-ridden keynote speech to the Conservative Party Conference last year, you will probably only remember the coughing and the disintegration of part of the stage set. Were it not for the coughs and disintegration you might have noticed that Ms. May introduced a number of new policies that had been appropriated from Her Majesty’s Opposition, inter alia relaxation of student debt legislation, the building of ‘affordable homes’, control of energy prices, and an improvement of Mental Health provisions under the NHS. In the past week we have witnessed a Tory announcement of a crackdown on various ‘tax havens.
I am a sufficient optimist to believe the Labour Party manifesto will include a provision on the increase of the Frozen Pensions. “It stands to reason”, as my old mate Alf Garnett would have said. JC has already done a lot to politicise the younger generation, but one of the things that still stands between him and 10 Downing Street is the tendency of the older generation to vote in high numbers, but to vote Conservative.
We can assume that Theresa May (if she still exists) will also make noises about equitable treatment of all old age pensioners, wherever they choose to reside.
But let’s just go along with the Labour Party. If they announce the unfreezing of pensions and this pledge is then parroted by the Conservatives, and opinion polls seem to predict a Labour victory, what does an elderly conservative expatriate voter do?
Doe he or she think about principles, “My parents were conservatives and their parents before them, I’ve always voted them and I always will.” Or does he or she think about the dwindling amount of money in his or her pocket?
I am now going to forget about any political principles and declare that if you want your pension to increase you should vote Labour. Even if the Conservatives adopt the Labour policy, and pretend that it was theirs and theirs alone all along, and then get elected, there is no guarantee that they will not forget all about it as soon as the election is over.
If, on the other hand, the Labour Party are elected, thanks to the vote of many elderly people who had never even dreamed of voting Labour before in their lives, Labour would not dare to think of reneging on their promise to the older segment of the electorate.
Can you imagine it?
“Bloody Labour Party, full of bleeding-heart beatniks, nonsense babblers, and butch lesbians. Told me that they were going to increase my bloody pension, but now they reckon they don’t have enough money in the kitty. Wasted it all on woodwork classes for lady-boys and special underpasses for badgers, stoats, weasels, hedgehogs, frogs and toads. Think I’ll write to my MP – not that it will do much good.”
So whatever your political opinion – if you want your pension to increase you know what to do.

User avatar
747man
udonmap.com
Posts: 15135
Joined: March 25, 2007, 2:22 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by 747man » October 3, 2018, 5:36 pm

AlexO wrote:
October 3, 2018, 10:49 am
747man wrote:
October 2, 2018, 5:45 pm
What I receive from barely covers my Monthly Dog food bill.......So Does Mine & I Ain't even got a Fu*kin Dog.....
Ha Ha
But seriously this needs to be addressed at the highest levels. For people who have paid in faithfully over their working life to be shafted by some jobsworth Civil Servant or Self Serving Politician just because we want to live somewhere else than the UK during our later years is to me criminal. To make it worse OAP's who live abroad now do not qualify for NHS treatment if they return but a Romanian who has contributed nothing to the UK can claim family allowance for his tribe of kids who do not reside in the UK. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
Dads Army Frazier - doomed.png

mally
udonmap.com
Posts: 366
Joined: February 1, 2007, 4:15 am
Location: UK / UT (as often as I can)

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by mally » October 3, 2018, 6:39 pm

But Mally,How would they KNOW That YOU/WE are an EXPAT ???

As AlexO said, they are doing checks, my local hospital went through a question list when I last visited.
What I was advocating was, if you went back to UK for treatment, then immediately register with a GP saying you had returned PERMANANTLY, and then go to hospital. If you say you intend to be a UK resident again, then the ruling appears to qualify you for free treatment immediately.

yartims
udonmap.com
Posts: 923
Joined: July 23, 2018, 11:14 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by yartims » October 3, 2018, 11:27 pm

the reality is finding a GP that will take you as theyre all overloaded due to migrants and too few staff..then when you find a GP it will take about 2-3 weeks wait to see them ..then you will have to be referred by the GP to the hospital specialist on your problem ,more weeks of waits after CT body scans ..its no longer quick nowadays ..even guys with cancer have to wait too long for an appointment .some GPs have a closed book on new registrations .GP services are contracting all over the UK
the only good Tory is a lavatory

User avatar
GT93
udonmap.com
Posts: 7848
Joined: June 5, 2009, 9:37 am
Location: Auckland

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by GT93 » October 7, 2018, 7:36 am

I live in farangland. I expect my farangland government to give greater weight to taxpayers such as myself over countrymen living abroad and paying no or little tax in farangland. I'm happy to pay them generous pensions if that reduces our healthcare costs for the old dudes.
Lock 'em up - Eastman, Giuliani, Senator Graham, Meadows and Trump

User avatar
Bandung_Dero
udonmap.com
Posts: 3614
Joined: July 10, 2005, 8:53 am
Location: Ban Dung or Perth W.A.

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by Bandung_Dero » October 8, 2018, 3:30 am

GT93 wrote:
October 7, 2018, 7:36 am
I live in farangland. I expect my farangland government to give greater weight to taxpayers such as myself over countrymen living abroad and paying no or little tax in farangland. I'm happy to pay them generous pensions if that reduces our healthcare costs for the old dudes.
That is a poor post!

Your a younger NZ tax payer, I'm an older (self funded) Aussie but as near as I can figure UK guys are being ripped off:

Most of these 'older dudes' payed tax and some sort of pension credit scheme all their working lives so why should they be penalized through the retiring years just because they choose to live outside the UK? That in itself reduces the social costs through not having to supply them cheap housing, subsidized transport etc.
Sent from my 1977 Apple II using 2 Heinz bake bean cans and piano wire!

goodison
udonmap.com
Posts: 542
Joined: August 29, 2008, 3:57 pm
Location: udon Thani
Contact:

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by goodison » October 8, 2018, 6:01 am

Well said B D:"but as near as I can figure UK guys are being ripped off": this is the crux of this thread!

User avatar
pipoz4444
udonmap.com
Posts: 2038
Joined: April 8, 2011, 1:33 am
Location: All Over the Place

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by pipoz4444 » October 8, 2018, 11:47 am

goodison wrote:
October 8, 2018, 6:01 am
Well said B D:"but as near as I can figure UK guys are being ripped off": this is the crux of this thread!

Its true, those living on social welfare in the UK, get treated better that the Brits who have worked /retired and decided to move overseas to live out their lives. To freeze the pensions of those living overseas is unjust. [-X

I also understand (as per Choi Choi's & AlexO posts) that those Brits living overseas are denied health benefits/cover should they return to the UK for treatment. If true, then this too stinks. Surely as a British Citizen (by birth), you must retain the same or certain rights as those still domicile in the UK, (regardless of where you live) if you were to return to the UK even if it was only for a short period.

Can I ask, if a Brit is living overseas on a Frozen Pension amount and then decides to return to the UK say for one year, while he is in the UK will they unfreeze his old pension amount and then adjust it up to the level of those who are currently living on pensions back in the UK?

Still, at least the UK Pension System is Portable, i.e. it will be paid to a British Citizen overseas. Not like the Australian Pension system, which has further restrictions on it, such as apparent spending no more than 180 days overseas in any one year, before they just cut it off, all together. Makes one wonder why one ever paid any tax in Australia, as you get F.. All back from the Government in your later years

pipoz4444
That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

User avatar
747man
udonmap.com
Posts: 15135
Joined: March 25, 2007, 2:22 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by 747man » October 8, 2018, 12:02 pm

Pipoz4444 Asks....Can I ask, if a Brit is living overseas on a Frozen Pension amount and then decides to return to the UK say for one year, while he is in the UK will they unfreeze his old pension amount and then adjust it up to the level of those who are currently living on pensions back in the UK?

The Answer to that is NO They will NOT Un-Freeze you're Pension ( I've been informed when I started to receive mine ) & I Quote That this xxxx GBP Is you're State Pension for the REST of your LIFE No matter where in the World you may Reside....( Pensions Office,Newcastle )
But IF You return for say a Year,You will be able to apply for Certain OTHER Benefits from the Benefits Agency,& Should you require NHS Treatment You SHOULD Tell them them that you INTEND To Re-Settle in The U.K Permenantley ....IF You DON'T Then you will have to pay for ANY NHS Treatment....
So Therefore IMHO Having a British Passport means SWFA ................

User avatar
Old Grumpy
udonmap.com
Posts: 383
Joined: April 28, 2018, 10:36 am

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by Old Grumpy » October 8, 2018, 2:11 pm

pipoz4444 wrote:
October 8, 2018, 11:47 am
goodison wrote:
October 8, 2018, 6:01 am
Well said B D:"but as near as I can figure UK guys are being ripped off": this is the crux of this thread!

Its true, those living on social welfare in the UK, get treated better that the Brits who have worked /retired and decided to move overseas to live out their lives. To freeze the pensions of those living overseas is unjust. [-X

I also understand (as per Choi Choi's & AlexO posts) that those Brits living overseas are denied health benefits/cover should they return to the UK for treatment. If true, then this too stinks. Surely as a British Citizen (by birth), you must retain the same or certain rights as those still domicile in the UK, (regardless of where you live) if you were to return to the UK even if it was only for a short period.

Can I ask, if a Brit is living overseas on a Frozen Pension amount and then decides to return to the UK say for one year, while he is in the UK will they unfreeze his old pension amount and then adjust it up to the level of those who are currently living on pensions back in the UK?

Still, at least the UK Pension System is Portable, i.e. it will be paid to a British Citizen overseas. Not like the Australian Pension system, which has further restrictions on it, such as apparent spending no more than 180 days overseas in any one year, before they just cut it off, all together. Makes one wonder why one ever paid any tax in Australia, as you get F.. All back from the Government in your later years

pipoz4444
In practise if you return to the UK for any length of time over 14 days they will make your pension up to the current rate whilst you are there but when you leave it reverts to the original amount it was first frozen to again .
Age is a matter of mind.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
Mark Twain,

User avatar
Old Grumpy
udonmap.com
Posts: 383
Joined: April 28, 2018, 10:36 am

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by Old Grumpy » October 8, 2018, 3:20 pm

On a more general note, not spefically pensions, this link may be of interest to anyone thinking of going back to the UK.http://heathrowtravelcare.co.uk/what-we ... om-abroad/
Age is a matter of mind.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
Mark Twain,

User avatar
747man
udonmap.com
Posts: 15135
Joined: March 25, 2007, 2:22 pm

Re: Frozen Pensions for UK Pensioners

Post by 747man » October 8, 2018, 4:07 pm

Old Grumpy.............Where Did you get This From ??
In practise if you return to the UK for any length of time over 14 days they will make your pension up to the current rate whilst you are there but when you leave it reverts to the original amount it was first frozen to again .

I Returned in 2016 for 3 Months.....I Never got ANY Increase....

Post Reply

Return to “General Udon Thani Forum”