Help for returning resident

beanjay1

Married or in partnership is the same thing! It is treated in exactly the same way. I understand the answer to my question OK. I can claim HB and CTB in my name and my partner will be included as a dependent therefore she is not making a claim, I am. If she has an income, that will be taken into consideration when making the calculation. Since this is the same for everyone, I wonder where the NRPF comes into the equation for HB and CTB?

Originally it was my belief that I had to claim as a single person, therefore would get a lower allowances, and that my partners earnings would still be taken into account thus lowering my benefits even further. In that case I would be better off if my partner did not work unless she had a substantial income.

The way I understand it now means she will work, thereby reducing my benefit but possibly not to the same extent.

I would just like to say that I absolutely dread coming back to live on welfare benefits – its a nightmare before we even get there -but I have no alternative.

beanjay

Conor_3

beanjay1 wrote: »

I would just like to say that I absolutely dread coming back to live on welfare benefits – its a nightmare before we even get there -but I have no alternative.

beanjay

The cynical part of me says that's exactly why you're coming back here. Live the life of Riley in a cheap country knowing full well that when you retire you can come back to good old Blighty and ponce off the State.

beanjay1

Thanks Connor, You obviously have not read all of this post. I have no wish to live in "good old Blighty as you call it. I grew up there and I know what good old Blighty is really like! Its full of "poncers" like you, all mouth and trousers.

beanjay

Conor_3

So if you've no wish to live here, why are you moving back? I have read all of your post. Please tell me what part of "I'm retired and moving back and want to sponge off benefits and the NHS now I'm old, medical insurance is expensive and I've not got a private pension (so would have nothing to live on where I am/was) even though I've paid sod all barring a token payment into the system" did I miss?

bestpud

beanjay1 wrote: »

Originally it was my belief that I had to claim as a single person, therefore would get a lower allowances, and that my partners earnings would still be taken into account thus lowering my benefits even further. In that case I would be better off if my partner did not work unless she had a substantial income.

The way I understand it now means she will work, thereby reducing my benefit but possibly not to the same extent.

I would just like to say that I absolutely dread coming back to live on welfare benefits – its a nightmare before we even get there -but I have no alternative.

beanjay

Ah, I see what you mean now!

Daft question maybe, but isn't it cheaper for you to stay abroad, where you have a good standard of living, and take out health insurance there than come back here for free health care, but a life on benefits?

Perhaps it's not that easy though?

Oldernotwiser

bestpud wrote: »

Ah, I see what you mean now!

Daft question maybe, but isn't it cheaper for you to stay abroad, where you have a good standard of living, and take out health insurance there than come back here for free health care, but a life on benefits?

Perhaps it's not that easy though?

You beat me to it! We're really sharing the hymn sheet today!

Oldernotwiser

OP, I would assume that if your partner is NRPF that you would be only eligible to claim LHA for 1 bedroom accommodation and if you want to rent anything larger you'll have to pay the difference out of your own funds.

Although Conor has been very blunt, you must admit that he has a point; you may be British but you haven't contributed to the system for many years.

krisskross

I presume your partner is not British. Does she need a visa? Will work be available here for her?

Why are you coming to the UK if you have a pension and a comfortable lifestyle?

beanjay1

OK. Twelve months has passed and we are settled in the UK now but I would like to clarify some points from previous posts.

I had no wish to return to the UK but was forced to do so by ridiculous government regulations. I lived and worked overseas all of my working life and because the UK government said I would always be eligible for full benefits if I continued to pay my NI contributions, I paid them for 50 years.

However, in 1989 the government decided to change the law so what I did not know was that NI contributions did not count as from that time and I had no longer had any health insurance even though I had paid for it in full.

A couple of years ago I started to develop cataracts that got rather bad. The NHS said that I would have to pay £2,500 per eye or return and live in England. As I did not have the £5,000 cash plus travel expenses available I had no alternative but to return.

Now to the stupid part:

Since returning to the UK with my partner I draw more than £10,000 a year in benefits to which I am legally entitled even though my partner has No Recourse to Public Funds.

Had the NHS allowed me to have the treatment that I had already paid for in NI contributions, without returning to live in the UK, they would have saved the British taxpayer £5,000 this year and more than £10,000 in every subsequent year.

When I asked the local MP for his comments on this he told me that there are many similar instances because, when formulating their regulations, no government department ever liases with any other department to see how their regulation changes affect them. In this case the NHS never considered the effect on the DWP of the changes they were making.

Since this saga began I have found out what I should have done and that is exactly what every other retired British person living overseas does. They simply remain registered with a local GP and give a relatives address in the UK as their own. That way no questions are ever asked when medical treatment is required. These retired people are not ripping anyone off, they have already paid their NI contributions up to their retirement date.

Hope this clarifies a few things.

beanjay

krisskross

I wonder why you don't return to wherever now you have had your treatment?

Are all the benefits you get, and it sounds very generous, means tested rather than paid for entitlements? For a country you didn't want to live in and were rather disparaging about it seems you are being treated very well.

Did your partner find work?