Frozen pension payments

[Rory]

Maybe this has been mentioned before but i was reading about people that move out of the UK and out of europe and live further afield.
More to the point the Philippines.
Once i move to the Philippines for good, the pension rate i get will be frozen at that rate and will not go up with the triple lock like it would if i lived in the UK.
For example if i get £221 a week then it will always be £221 because i have moved to the Philippines. There are a few of you guys out there now that might be in that senerio at the moment who could answer this question.
I can imagine there are ways round this if you have a postal address in the UK but just wondering if anyone has had theirs frozen.

[Dave_]

Your pension rate will not be frozen.

From the UK Government website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pensions-annual-increases-if-you-live-abroad/countries-where-we-pay-an-annual-increase-in-the-state-pension


If you live in one of the following countries and receive a UK State Pension, you will usually get an increase in your pension every year:

....
North Macedonia
the Philippines
Serbia
....


All the official information is on that page, perhaps other board members can advise on the practicalities.

[imagine]

Maybe this has been mentioned before but i was reading about people that move out of the UK and out of europe and live further afield.
More to the point the Philippines.
Once i move to the Philippines for good, the pension rate i get will be frozen at that rate and will not go up with the triple lock like it would if i lived in the UK.
For example if i get £221 a week then it will always be £221 because i have moved to the Philippines. There are a few of you guys out there now that might be in that senerio at the moment who could answer this question.
I can imagine there are ways round this if you have a postal address in the UK but just wondering if anyone has had theirs frozen.

Ignore that Rory, iv been here more than 10 yrs now, my pension first started during that time , i get all the increases as everyone else does Philippines is a participating country, the only annoying thing i find from time to time is my pension gets stopped due to my not receviing the proof of life certificate which never gets here iv decided i will just send from a blank emailed copy of the form yearly after getting it signed ect, it costs about 2,500 peso to send by LBC but figure to get round the hastle it will be worth it

[Dave_]

The UK frozen pension is an issue if you retire to many other countries such as Thailand or Australia, no problem with the Philippines.

Not quite certain what happens to your pension when you die, would a (non-UK-domiciled) wife be entitled to a UK pension?

[imagine]

The UK frozen pension is an issue if you retire to many other countries such as Thailand or Australia, no problem with the Philippines.

Not quite certain what happens to your pension when you die, would a (non-UK-domiciled) wife be entitled to a UK pension?

no it changed oer the years , the last i knew, she would get a small lump sum and a small percentage of payments for 12 moths and thats it, i was told on a xpat group that its changed again, it was said it is now zero they get nothing, but i have yet to research if that is trure or not

[Rory]

Thanks for the update and knowledge you guys have of the situation regarding pensions.
I was reading the other day about an 80 year old woman who has been living in Thailand and has been there for a long time and was only getting £300 a months as she was also on the old state pension scheme and it had been frozen at £300 since she arrived there.
If Philippines is not on the frozen list then that is great news. I know they keep moving the goalposts though. :doh
Still have a few years before i can draw my state pension. We are moving permanently to the Philippines in 2026 and living from my company pension only for a few years first.

[imagine]

only a couple years left to go, it will soon pass and before you know it you will be having more fun in the Philippines

[Rory]

On the same lines but a little off the main topic, if i am going to retire earlier than 67 which is my age i would get the UK state pension and i am living in the Philippines is it advisable to keep paying the minimum national Insurance contributions as i was reading that if i stop contributing this would effect any national health care i could be entitles to back home in the UK if i got sick and wanted to get health/operations cover back home?
I have more that enough full years of paying N.I. to get a full state pension now which is 35 years, so the question of the pension is not an issue, i would think. :cwm3:

[Rory]

only a couple years left to go, it will soon pass and before you know it you will be having more fun in the Philippines

Every year seems to pass too quickly, it only feels like a few years ago i left school back in the early 80's. I am not wishing my life away i just want the next two to go quickly and the years after that go slow. :icon_lol:

[fred]

I got a few years yet before I get the new state pension..A couple of things that might be worth noting..If you have them send your money here in the R.P then about every 2 years they will send you a letter with a proof of life form..If you do not recieve it or are late sending it back they will freeze your pension income! Just happened to one of our tenants and it took him 2 months to get sorted.. If however you retain a UK address and bank account then your money can be paid there in the UK and these proof of life letters will not be an issue. That's what I will be doing!

[fred]

Every year seems to pass too quickly, it only feels like a few years ago i left school back in the early 80's. I am not wishing my life away i just want the next two to go quickly and the years after that go slow. :icon_lol:

Over here time flies very fast..Can't believe we have been here 17 years already..Make every day count as who knows,reaching 67 is not a given!

[imagine]

Every year seems to pass too quickly, it only feels like a few years ago i left school back in the early 80's. I am not wishing my life away i just want the next two to go quickly and the years after that go slow. :icon_lol:

flies too darn fast school years went slowly summers lasted an eternety, the years to come seemed too ar away to think about, the working years started thats when it seemed to start speeding up, i found that for every 10 years the following 10 went faster and now here i am on my way to 71, all i can say is fill your life with fun do all you want to do and acheive most of all be happy with your life:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[imagine]

I got a few years yet before I get the new state pension..A couple of things that might be worth noting..If you have them send your money here in the R.P then about every 2 years they will send you a letter with a proof of life form..If you do not recieve it or are late sending it back they will freeze your pension income! Just happened to one of our tenants and it took him 2 months to get sorted.. If however you retain a UK address and bank account then your money can be paid there in the UK and these proof of life letters will not be an issue. That's what I will be doing!

just to let you know Fred and this is happening to many expats here,including myself, often the life certificate is 3 months late getting delivered if delivered at all, the most recent certificate arrived yesterday, originaly the first attempt by pensions was nov 2023, my pension was stopped april,2024 i was in hospital needing that money to pay my way out, i had to pay high interest for loans to get me out, total cost stands at almost 2 million and thats not including the interest for my loans, one thing to note it is not sent on a 2 year basis, it was only 1 year ago before that this happened before, the pensions office know there is a problem with the post and have extended the time allowed for returning the certificate , but they also know this still isnt enough, pensions wont deal with the certificate by electronic methods, and they only send by standard mail , but on their letters they tell you to send it back by registered mail or courier to ensure they get your certificate :Erm: crazy eh time they got into the updated electronic times, Heres what i decided to do and i did ask if it would be accepted when i spoke to them this time, i have an emailed copy that they sent me from last year, i i will print this out as i have done this time, i will do this once per year regardles of wether i get a new life certificate or not, get it signed and i shall post it to them using registered post phil post as its cheaper than couriers such as LBC , and approx 6 days , but no rush for how long it takes if done yearly Phil post is about 600 p,, LBC is about 2,500 usualy takes about 4 days this time it took 6 days , dont depend on them alone, if things are not improved when its your time for pension i would suggest doing what i suggest, pensions are great help over the phone, i use skype to call UK landline cheap and very clear,, for me i prefer to send my pension to my PHil bank , less hassle and the rate is good, i dont worry about fluctuation in rate, many leave it in uk until there a good exchange rate, i cant be bothered with that

[fred]

just to let you know Fred and this is happening to many expats here,including myself, often the life certificate is 3 months late getting delivered if delivered at all, the most recent certificate arrived yesterday, originaly the first attempt by pensions was nov 2023, my pension was stopped april,2024 i was in hospital needing that money to pay my way out, i had to pay high interest for loans to get me out, total cost stands at almost 2 million and thats not including the interest for my loans, one thing to note it is not sent on a 2 year basis, it was only 1 year ago before that this happened before, the pensions office know there is a problem with the post and have extended the time allowed for returning the certificate , but they also know this still isnt enough, pensions wont deal with the certificate by electronic methods, and they only send by standard mail , but on their letters they tell you to send it back by registered mail or courier to ensure they get your certificate :Erm: crazy eh time they got into the updated electronic times, Heres what i decided to do and i did ask if it would be accepted when i spoke to them this time, i have an emailed copy that they sent me from last year, i i will print this out as i have done this time, i will do this once per year regardles of wether i get a new life certificate or not, get it signed and i shall post it to them using registered post phil post as its cheaper than couriers such as LBC , and approx 6 days , but no rush for how long it takes if done yearly Phil post is about 600 p,, LBC is about 2,500 usualy takes about 4 days this time it took 6 days , dont depend on them alone, if things are not improved when its your time for pension i would suggest doing what i suggest, pensions are great help over the phone, i use skype to call UK landline cheap and very clear,, for me i prefer to send my pension to my PHil bank , less hassle and the rate is good, i dont worry about fluctuation in rate, many leave it in uk until there a good exchange rate, i cant be bothered with that

I understand your point about the post here..Any post we ever get here either ends up laying in the main post office branch or lost inside the Barangay hall..The Mrs reckons if we have our pensions paid into our UK accounts she can get it to us here very easily via Transfer wise probably to our Gcash accounts.. I'll have to wait a few years to see if that works out or not..I absolutely hate dealing with the UK government call centers full stop so I will avoid it at all costs if I can! Cheers and all the best.:smile:

[fred]

Your pension rate will not be frozen.

From the UK Government website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pensions-annual-increases-if-you-live-abroad/countries-where-we-pay-an-annual-increase-in-the-state-pension



All the official information is on that page, perhaps other board members can advise on the practicalities.

The UK signed a tax treaty and a dual tax agreement with the Philippines in 1974.. This is great news for Brit pensioners living in P.I if they have their pensions deposited here!

[imagine]

if you transer from your UK bank to a bank here, when i knew i was to come here i signed up with PNB europe UK, its istant transer from UK to here, i get sent from there any cash i need from UK , since getting my pension direct to here i didnt use PNB online for a while, i found they have updated it and it was quite easy now to change the debit card you wish to have them take your money from it is stored and you can delete it change it anytime you want, you can also change the receiver or have other receivers listed in the account, so much easier than the old one, anyway the rate is good iv never had any problems with it , came in handy this time i needed while in hospital and thats when i updated it, it is a rimitance bank only , originaly set up for the pinoys working abroad to send money home to family, whenever i call pensions call center they are the best call center of any i have ever dealt with, i get the feeling from any slight background noice that these are agents working from home

[Rory]

I am still a few years off state pension, maybe a few more then Fred but i would be inclined to go along the same route as Fred and just get it paid in to a UK bank account. I am sure one of my children will let me use there UK address as well.
That would be the plan but if things change and everything goes electronic then straight to phil account does sound easier once it is all set up.
I will see how Fred gets on first. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[imagine]

I am still a few years off state pension, maybe a few more then Fred but i would be inclined to go along the same route as Fred and just get it paid in to a UK bank account. I am sure one of my children will let me use there UK address as well.
That would be the plan but if things change and everything goes electronic then straight to phil account does sound easier once it is all set up.
I will see how Fred gets on first. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

i use my oldest daughters address , she also is my acting attorney, which has been very useful when i have needed her to attend my UK bank accounts, yes you hae plenty of time and there is always more than one option:xxgrinning--00xx3: