R. Scratcher

Hi Gannicus, Just wondering, did you get the bridging visa?

Hi Gannicus, Did you get the bridging visa?

If the law allows somebody who has entered Australia on a visitor visa to submit an onshore application for PR visa how can it be not "doing the right thing"?

As I've said in a previous post National Insurance contributions are just another aspect of general taxation. I really don't want to go further with this as my original point was about the justification, not that any government needs one, of taking taxes from someone but denying them pension increases. For me paying taxes and National Insurance is like insuring your house, car or life. You take out insurance hoping to never make a claim, well I certainly do. In my own case I left school aged fifteen. Left school on Friday and started work on the following Monday. Thank goodness I have never been unemployed, never been hospitalised and never had sickness benefit. No complaints from me as I believe in a welfare state and others have not had my good gortune. Incidentally I have claimed once in my life on my house insurance and once on car insurance but consider that my premiums were money well spent because some poor souls have had need to claim. I will just reiterate my two points. In my opinion, and my opinion only, to tax someone yet deny them pension increases is unfair. To give pension increases to people that live abroad in some countries but not others is also unfair.

I base my statement on basis that, in my opinion, I entered into a contract with the UK state. Actually we don't have a choice do we? That I pay that which is required of me and in return I/we receive the "benefits" in return. During my lifetime I've seen the benefits slowly whittled away while contributions only ever went up. I have no idea whether what I paid in covered what I'm getting out, all I know is that I paid all that was asked of me.

Marisawright, Be very careful or you'll become as cynical, bitter and twisted as me. I think I did pay for my pension, medical care etc with my National Insurance contributions. Actually National Insurance contributions are a big con. They don't go into any sort of pot or fund t o pay for welfare, health or pensions,they just get mixed with general taxation. It's a bit like the road tax you pay on your car which used to be called the "road fund licence". Many years ago it was actually used to fund road building and repairs but governments long ago decided to just chuck it in with the rest of the money that they waste.

I have just Googled it and according to ftadvisor.com and many others, the UK state pension is the lowest in the developed world. According to the statistics quoted the UK state pension in 2017 equated to 29% of average earnings while the average European Union countries countries state pensions equated to 70.9% of average earnings. Shameful for a country that boasts of being the fifth wealthiest economy in the world. If only working people's pensions were linked to politicians.

Hi Ausvisitor thanks for your reply. The ridiculous anomaly of UK pensions being frozen in some countries but not in others has been the case for over 70 years. A cross party group of MPs have been petitioning successive governments to correct the injustice, in fact the Labour party before the last election had said that they would, but I see little to no chance of the current government doing so. I have been advised by a migration agent that Australian tax is not levied whilst on a bridging visa. I have a private pension as well as the state pension so my income is above the threshold. I accept that taxes have to be paid but my point is that to pay taxes, and potential tax increases, but to be denied any pension increases whilst paying those taxes doesn't seem right.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my post. I must say that I'm shocked that one's pension is frozen from the day you get a bridging visa but they'll continue to take taxes from you without giving any animal increases. It just doesn't seem right to me. Though I suppose it shouldn't surprise me from a state/government that thought nursing staff employed by the NHS from abroad should have to pay to use the NHS themselves, though under pressure have dropped those plans, and have plans to charge hospital staff to park while at work. I could understand if they froze your pension on your getting PR, though why UK pensioners living in some countries get pension increases but others not is beyond me, but to tax without benefits is unbelievable. My pension was paid for with fifty years of National Insurance contributions. I suppose I'm a bit old to look for fairness from a government.

Thanks for the information ramot. I can absolutely understand that taxes have to be paid but it's hard to see the morality of taking taxes off you but denying you any increases. I bet they wouldn't exempt you from any increase in the rate of taxation though. In that case I'd rather pay my taxes to the country in which I was living, even though I wasn't a permanent resident. Not that we get a choice in these things.

Thank you for your prompt response Marisawright. May I ask what those tax and property purchase implications are? I know that a non resident has to pay a premium and extra stamp duty to purchase property in Australia but are there other things?

Hi, from reading posts regarding a subclass 864 aged parent visa applied for onshore I'm a little confused as to the UK state pension situation so perhaps someone could give me clarification. I understand that one is given a bridging visa while your application is processed and I understand that you can be on the bridging visa for around six years. I have been told that Australian taxes on pension income don't have to be paid until such time as PR is granted. Is that correct so far? I have read on this forum that the UK state pension is frozen immediately that you inform the UK authorities that you are no longer resident there. Does that mean that the UK government has the gall to tax your pension income for the six or so years whilst you are on a bridging visa yet deny you pension increased during those same years?