State pension abroad.

noh

alwill1510 wrote: »

Actually, it is The Philippines. Is there an exception there that is index linked?

I believe so. See:-
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/international/benefits/state-pension/state-pension-arrangements-in-social/

sleepless_saver

alwill1510 wrote: »

I am almost at state pension age and when I reach it I intend to live abroad in the far east. I am single and qualify for the single man's full state pension. Once I am over there I will be marrying a local woman, aged 52, not working. Will my state pension increase to that of a married couple?

My first thought was that she wouldn't be entitled to the 60% based on your pension for spouses who don't have contributions in their own right, but I can't find anything to say she would not be entitled. So why not phone the International Pension Centre on 0191 218 7777 and find out for sure (and let us know the answer please!)

jennifernil

Even if she is entitled to claim the 60%, she could not claim it until she reaches the state retirement age herself.

sleepless_saver

jennifernil wrote: »

Even if she is entitled to claim the 60%, she could not claim it until she reaches the state retirement age herself.

thanks, I forgot that she was well below state pension age.

Loughton_Monkey

sleepless_saver wrote: »

thanks, I forgot that she was well below state pension age.

And I know this only applies to spouses who 'don't have enough NI contributions to qualify for a pension in their own right'.

If someone has no NI contributions - to the point of never having lived here - then I cannot believe she would be eligible.

Just think about how many British Male pensioners have gone to live in the Far East. Don't you think that - regardless of what 'female company' they may wish to furnish themselves with - they would have thought of this already? Take their £5K pension from UK. Go through a form of marriage with a compliant widowed 'great aunt' of any young lady with whom you might wish to cohabit.

Brilliant! That's £1,000 for you, £1,000 for your young lady, and £1,000 for Great Aunt.

noh

As I understand it, to apply for a UK State Pension or any other benefit, you need a NI number.
Foreign nationals need to be eligible to work in the UK before being issued with a NI number.
There has to be an 'evidence of identity' interview supported with various ducuments before a NI number is issued.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/BeginnersGuideToTax/NationalInsurance/IntroductiontoNationalInsurance/DG_190057

So as I see it the spouse will not be eligible for a 60% pension based on the husbands NI record unless they have a NI number. That NI number is only issued to foreign nationals if they have been resident in the UK and eligible to work here.

alwill1510

Loughton_Monkey wrote: »

And I know this only applies to spouses who 'don't have enough NI contributions to qualify for a pension in their own right'.

If someone has no NI contributions - to the point of never having lived here - then I cannot believe she would be eligible.

Just think about how many British Male pensioners have gone to live in the Far East. Don't you think that - regardless of what 'female company' they may wish to furnish themselves with - they would have thought of this already? Take their £5K pension from UK. Go through a form of marriage with a compliant widowed 'great aunt' of any young lady with whom you might wish to cohabit.

Brilliant! That's £1,000 for you, £1,000 for your young lady, and £1,000 for Great Aunt.

These are different circumstances from my genuine intentions but I do see your point. I will ask the question of the international pensions department but I think I had better plan my budget around the single person's pension! Many thanks.

Whiteknight

rabbitmumu wrote: »

just confirmed with 2 pensioners who live abroad. they have their pension paid into their uk bank accounts - and their pension imcrease with rpi/ cpi.

I would hope that they have notified the Pension Service that they are not living in the UK. Unfortunately a lot of pensioners who live abroad keep an address in the UK (normally family) so that they can still get increases to pensions and other benefits that are paid to residents of the UK.

seven-day-weekend

Whiteknight wrote: »

I would hope that they have notified the Pension Service that they are not living in the UK. Unfortunately a lot of pensioners who live abroad keep an address in the UK (normally family) so that they can still get increases to pensions and other benefits that are paid to residents of the UK.

As I mentioned above, in all EU countries and some others the rise is paid.

Also some State benefits can be legitimately claimed if you live in the EU.

And many 'keep' an address. I have one. It is my marital home that my husband and I have owned since 1976.

We live half in the UK and half in Spain now, but from 2004-2009 we lived full-time in Spain and kept our house, several bank accounts, and a dentist in the UK and were registered to vote in the UK(proxy). All quite legal.