UK state pension

[Terry2905]

HI everyone.

 

I will be retiring (hopefully) to Thailand in December 2022.

 

I am a UK citizen, and my UK state pension will become due in May 2024.

 

But I have looked at the UK state pension claim form https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-claiming-a-state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad, and I can't answer all the questions! It is asking for my full life history!

 

I can't answer most of it!

 

I don't know/remember the exact address where I was born! I can't remember every address I ever had in the UK! I can't give employment details of every employment I ever had in the UK or abroad, with staff number!

 

I need help!

 

How did you fill out that form, to get your UK state pension paid to a Thai bank?

 

It is still a few years before I retire to Thailand, but I want answers?

 

The simple question is how to get your legal entitlement to your UK state pension, if you cannot give your full life history to the DWP!

 

I don't know my address in the UK where I was born! But that is a required field on the UK state pension application form! All my UK addresses where I have ever lived in, with dates? I don't know/can't remember!

 

Every employer I have ever had, with full address and employee number? I don't know!

 

Impossible to fill in that form!

 

Marriages and divorces, with original forms also?

 

But that is what the UK pension claim form asks for!

 

So how do I get my legal UK state pension, when I cannot give my full life history?

 

 

[Kinnock]

Is your address at time of birth on your Birth Certificate?

 

And if you miss a few UK addresses, will anyone know?  I must have moved home over 30 times due to my Forces childhood, University then moving for work, I only know about 4 of these addresses!

[emptypockets]

Ask yer Mum

[SheungWan]

You might be better off considering having your pension at least initially paid into a UK bank if that is an option. In fact there are a number of reasons why it might not be a good idea to have burned one's boats on retirement. On the other hand you might already be non-resident and have de-facto residency elsewhere. It won't be Thailand.

[RichardColeman]

And be wary of the government freezing your pension 

[davehowden]

Why do you want to tell them that you are retiring abroad, just makes things more difficult?

 

 

[UKresonant]

I would make a start by logging on to getting your State Pension Forecast. You can also download your full national insurance record. You will have to create a GOV.UK Verify account, if you don't have one already.

GOV.UK Verify

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introducing-govuk-verify/introducing-govuk-verify

 

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

 

A lot of the form may be verification of identity, the more evidence you can build up whilst connected in the U.K. the better, as Verify will validate you against you credit record and bank account information etc........

 

[Delight]

Suggest that you obtain your pension before moving to Thailand

The most important number is your National Insurance number.

From that they know all about you

The address that they refer to will be your current UK address

When I applied I did not send my Birth Certificate-maybe they did not ask

 

Note If  you move to Thailand on a permanaent basis you have to declare this

You will be classed as non resident UK

 

This means that your state pension will never increase.

If you use the NHS you have to pay.

You will no longer receive the heating allowance

If you chose not to decare this then all correspondence will go to your UK address.

I am paid direcly into my UK bank

 

I think even now I can ask them to pay into my Thai bank

Obviously if they pay into your Thai bank -they know that you are a UK non-resident.

As a non resident you cannot open new UK bank accounts . Declaring yourself a UK non resident is easy.

Reversing your status at some later point in the future -is not.

 

 

[Christophers200]

Contact the Dept. of Work and Pensions on +44 (0) 191 218 7777 and ask for advice - I suspect you have the wrong form.

[ba ba]

and not a very good exchange rate

[DickThrust]

I filled in the form as much as I knew regarding addresses etc and then in the "other information" box, I stated that I had forgotten some of my previous address information.

 

For birth certificates, marriage certificates, you can apply for copies - not too expensive and very efficient service.

 I submitted the form and my pension was confirmed within 10 days. Fantastic and efficient british bureaucracy at work!!

[baansgr]

4 hours ago, johnwf1963 said:

I would make a start by logging on to getting your State Pension Forecast. You can also download your full national insurance record. You will have to create a GOV.UK Verify account, if you don't have one already.

GOV.UK Verify

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introducing-govuk-verify/introducing-govuk-verify

 

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

 

A lot of the form may be verification of identity, the more evidence you can build up whilst connected in the U.K. the better, as Verify will validate you against you credit record and bank account information etc........

 

Found that impossible to do. Experian wasnt enough and couldnt give anything else except passport

[Kwasaki]

11 hours ago, Terry2905 said:

I can't answer most of it!

Just answer what you can.

I could remember everything they asked.

Have you any family that can help you with your bad memory.

The National Insurance number is the most important they can check employment contributions and then work out how much you get. 

[KittenKong]

On 2/13/2019 at 5:40 AM, Delight said:

As a non resident you cannot open new UK bank accounts .

Yes you can. Several banks will open accounts for non-residents, subject to normal KYC rules.

 

There is no blanket government prohibition on non-residents opening UK accounts. It is entirely up to the bank.

[LucysDad]

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

Yes you can. Several banks will open accounts for non-residents, subject to normal KYC rules.

 

There is no blanket government prohibition on non-residents opening UK accounts. It is entirely up to the bank.

 

 

Can you name them.

 

My last research evidenced that non-residents could not open an account with any of the mainstream banks. Transferwise Borderless account was the only provider I found that allowed an account to be opened with an overseas address.

[KittenKong]

Look at Investec and most of the Indian UK banks. There are several other niche banks that will do it also.

[fredob43]

25 minutes ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

Can you name them.

 

My last research evidenced that non-residents could not open an account with any of the mainstream banks. Transferwise Borderless account was the only provider I found that allowed an account to be opened with an overseas address.

Get yourself an off shore bank account. All the major UK banks have those. Simple to get just go into your UK bank and apply for one. My one is in Jersey. You can have your pension payments paid into that, then transfer whatever you want to your Thai bank. As and when you require same. Just a phone call internet will sort that. Cash will arrive in your Thai bank around 2 days later. Would suggest you don't have your monies paid directly into your Thai bank from the pension peeps as you will loose on the exchange rate. 

 

N/B check what banks charge for the sending monies. My banks at either end don't charge anything. Can make a big difference. 

[LucysDad]

7 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

Get yourself an off shore bank account. All the major UK banks have those. Simple to get just go into your UK bank and apply for one. My one is in Jersey. You can have your pension payments paid into that, then transfer whatever you want to your Thai bank. As and when you require same. Just a phone call internet will sort that. Cash will arrive in your Thai bank around 2 days later. Would suggest you don't have your monies paid directly into your Thai bank from the pension peeps as you will loose on the exchange rate. 

 

 

I wish your Executors well in dealing with Jersey...... nightmare Probate process.

 

I have 5 UK bank accounts and will likely retain all of them - Halifax has become a bit redundant.

 

When my time comes to claim my pension I will likely have it paid into a UK bank account along with other pension/dividends and transfer funds to Thailand, when I wish to do so, using Transferwise (or anything better at that time).

[fredob43]

2 minutes ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

I wish your Executors well in dealing with Jersey...... nightmare Probate process.

 

I have 5 UK bank accounts and will likely retain all of them - Halifax has become a bit redundant.

 

When my time comes to claim my pension I will likely have it paid into a UK bank account along with other pension/dividends and transfer funds to Thailand, when I wish to do so, using Transferwise (or anything better at that time).

I didn't say put all your monies in an off shore Bank. You only use it for your pension. You can still keep your UK banks as I do, for all your normal dealings. Not that I have any dealing in the UK now. Executors will not have a problem as when you are no More, the Pension stops anyway.

 

As you will see, I put in as an N/B on my last post if you choose the right banks you don't have to Pay to send monies here. I use Skype make a phone call they (Off shore are open 24/7 365) and it's off that day into my Thai account. Only reason it take 2 days to get into my Acc: is the time delay. How simple do you want it.

[LucysDad]

Just now, fredob43 said:

I didn't say put all your monies in an off shore Bank. You only use it for your pension. You can still keep your UK banks as I do, for all your normal dealings. Not that I have any dealing in the UK now. Executors will not have a problem as when you are no More, the Pension stops anyway.

 

As you will see, I put in as an N/B on my last post if you choose the right banks you don't have to Pay to send monies here. I use Skype make a phone call they (Off shore are open 24/7 365) and it's off that day into my Thai account. Only reason it take 2 days to get into my Acc: is the time delay. How simple do you want it.

 

My payments often arrive same day after a 30 second online transaction.

 

That's how easy I want it ????

 

I have no need for an offshore bank account and can see no benefits.

[fredob43]

1 minute ago, LucysDad said:

 

My payments often arrive same day after a 30 second online transaction.

 

That's how easy I want it ????

 

I have no need for an offshore bank account and can see no benefits.

Benefit 1 you don't have to pay any transfer costs. The reason it takes the 2 days that I stated is because of the time delay it will not go into my Thai account till the next day as they the Thai banks don't put things into my account till they start working next morning. Well my Thai bank doesn't anyway. As my payment go via head office in BKK. Not the end of the world for Free payments.

[LucysDad]

2 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

Benefit 1 you don't have to pay any transfer costs. The reason it takes the 2 days that I stated is because of the time delay it will not go into my Thai account till the next day as they the Thai banks don't put things into my account till they start working next morning. Well my Thai bank doesn't anyway. As my payment go via head office in BKK. Not the end of the world for Free payments.

 

 

Fred... transfer costs are not the most important factor. It has been proved that, invariably, the exchange rate is what makes all the difference. All the examples I have tested show the rate with TW to outweigh any 'free' transfers.

 

I used to work for a UK bank and benefit from free transfers - it is more cost-effective for me to use TW.

 

Another benefit that you have overlooked is the ability to FIX your exchange rate with (even at weekends) so it takes away the 'gamble' of what the rate will be when your Thai bank gets round to converting your Sterling.

[stanleycoin]

59 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

Get yourself an off shore bank account. All the major UK banks have those. Simple to get just go into your UK bank and apply for one. My one is in Jersey. You can have your pension payments paid into that, then transfer whatever you want to your Thai bank. As and when you require same. Just a phone call internet will sort that. Cash will arrive in your Thai bank around 2 days later. Would suggest you don't have your monies paid directly into your Thai bank from the pension peeps as you will loose on the exchange rate. 

 

N/B check what banks charge for the sending monies. My banks at either end don't charge anything. Can make a big difference. 

can you tell us what uk offshore bank,  does free transfers ?

or did i read that wrong ?

also what address are you using for the offshore account ?

uk or Thai. 
 

[fredob43]

1 minute ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

Fred... transfer costs are not the most important factor. It has been proved that, invariably, the exchange rate is what makes all the difference. All the examples I have tested show the rate with TW to outweigh any 'free' transfers.

 

I used to work for a UK bank and benefit from free transfers - it is more cost-effective for me to use TW.

 

Another benefit that you have overlooked is the ability to FIX your exchange rate with (even at weekends) so it takes away the 'gamble' of what the rate will be when your Thai bank gets round to converting your Sterling.

Agree with you. I just wait till the exchange rate is good (Not that it's good anymore) Make the call and I get that rate. You do have to keep a check on the hourly rate though. Last week it was a lot better than today. Because of Brexit rubbish. Cant see it getting any better in the coming weeks till that gets sorted. Could go down to around 36bt to the UK pound if that goes tit's up. I will then not send any monies over. I always keep lots of Thai BT in my Thai account have enough for the next 9 months at least. Keeping my fingers crossed it'll sort it's self out by the time I have to send more over.

[fredob43]

2 minutes ago, stanleycoin said:

can you tell us what uk offshore bank,  does free transfers ?

or did i read that wrong ?

also what address are you using for the offshore account ?

uk or Thai. 
 

I use my Thai address. I receive all my paperless acc: Via email and new ATM cards ETC by DHL sent here direct, Bank pays for DHL, nothing to do with the UK.

 

Banks I use are Lloyds off shore, I send monies in UK pounds. Kasikorn Thai. But I think most UK off shore banks do free transfers to Thailand now. But I could be wrong on that. You will have to check with the individual ones both UK and Thai you are using. I do know that some Thai banks still charge they might do a tad better exchange rate but that's wiped out by the charges they make.

[stanleycoin]

9 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

I use my Thai address. I receive all my paperless acc: Via email and new ATM cards ETC by DHL sent here direct, Bank pays for DHL, nothing to do with the UK.

 

Banks I use are Lloyds off shore, I send monies in UK pounds. Kasikorn Thai. But I think most UK off shore banks do free transfers to Thailand now. But I could be wrong on that. You will have to check with the individual ones both UK and Thai you are using. I do know that some Thai banks still charge they might do a tad better exchange rate but that's wiped out by the charges they make.

thank you.

i got the picture. 

[topt]

On 2/15/2019 at 11:43 AM, fredob43 said:

Banks I use are Lloyds off shore, I send monies in UK pounds. Kasikorn Thai.

Presumably you get charged a correspondant/intermediary bank fee in there?

[fredob43]

1 hour ago, topt said:

Presumably you get charged a correspondant/intermediary bank fee in there?

No charges at all. But I do get charges if I use an ATM card, not if I buy anything like Air tickets but if I take cash out. But I think the latter applies to most peeps.

[topt]

5 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

No charges at all. But I do get charges if I use an ATM card, not if I buy anything like Air tickets but if I take cash out. But I think the latter applies to most peeps.

Yes and thanks but I was only referring to the SWIFT transfer. I don't understand that, unless for £ they do not need to use an intermediary.

Worth remembering as I have a $US account with them but that incurs intermediary charges. 

[fredob43]

1 minute ago, topt said:

Yes and thanks but I was only referring to the SWIFT transfer. I don't understand that, unless for £ they do not need to use an intermediary.

Worth remembering as I have a $US account with them but that incurs intermediary charges. 

As I have said No charges at all. How it would work for a US account sorry cant help, as I don't have one. I do know that they use several different currencies. My account thank Buddha is in UK pounds.