I have just come to Thailand with the intention of staying. I am on a non-immigrant 'O' multi-entry visa. After my next visa run to Cambodia I will be changing to a Retirement visa. Iam approaching my 56th birthday this month. With regard to UK State Pension, as I will not be claiming it until I am 65, do I need to inform Pensions Dept, that I no longer live in UK? I still have a UK contact address, and a UK bank account. Before I left UK I received a pensions forecast, but was asked did I plan to live abroad. I told them 'Not at this time." The main question is, can UK freeze a pension, that you will not start claiming for another 9 years?

Question 1: yes, question 2: no.

If you tell dwp that you are living abroad you will only get the basic pension no top ups or increase, not worth telling them till you are 65 as things might have changed by then, if your talking about your UK pension then no you cant freeze it.

Thanks David and Aree for your advice, but it does not relly answer my question, which I will attempt to clarify. I have left the UK in 2007, at the age of 55/56. Can the UK State Pension that I will receive in 2016 be frozen by DWP at the 2007 rate? Or will it be frosen at the 2016 rate when I begin drawing it. By frozen, I mean there will be no increase or add-ons after that date. David and Pranee

It will be frozen at the 2016 date, there is no need to inform them that you are out of the country till you start to make claim.

Tell me to but out if I am wrong - but won't they send him letters to tell him to "top up his stamps?" ( Like they did to the MRS for her First year of working in the UK)?

- Skippy

They proabably will yes, but he can set up a direct debit and make voluntary payments.

ddwjg, I would suggest that you check the current level of your contributions and seriously consider setting up a direct debit to continue making voluntary payments whilst you are abroad.

John, if you are reading this, am I correct in saying that if he has not paid sufficient contributions by his retirement date, he will not even be eligible for the basic state pension?

If I'm correct then normally this wouldn't be such a big problem because the person would then simply claim income support upon retirement. However, whilst you can have your pension paid when you are abroad, you cannot claim income support as far as I know.

In reply to Skippy and Flip, I did check my entitlement to Pension before leaving UK. I have 34 qualifying years paid, and would get approx. 67% of full pension. Ihave no intention of paying any more stamps. The cost of paying up all stamps is outweighed by how long I would have to live to receive back the extra I would have paid in. From a personal point of view, I do receive a small but nice company pension, and the Old Age Pension would just top it up. It's years away though.

I do have one more question though. Does anyone know if my Thai wife, Pranee would get a widow's pension, on my death?
She did work in the UK paying tax, and NI contributions, for all that time. Thanks Dave.

Have just read my own last posting. My wife was working in UK for 10 years. She may even be entitled to her own pension from UK. Dave.

Hi Dave, the rules on pensions is about to change, you will only need 30 years to qualify for a state pension, i think that comes in 2009, probable change again before you retire, yes your wife can claim for a pension on your death, lets hope thats a long way off.

So would you advise to keep a UK adress etc until 2009?

Skippy

I would advise keeping a UK address till he retires, he can always use a relative's address.

quote:

I would advise keeping a UK address till he retires, he can always use a relative's address.

yeah helps if you have to claim heating allowance

-Skippy