UK Frozen Aged Pension

[winter1]

This is important even if you are not a current Pensioner.

There is an UK House of Commons e-petition that needs a 100,000 signatures to get a chance of a debate in the UK House of Commons any British citizen can sign it.

The Idea is to redress the unfairness of having a pension frozen when you may have made full contributions for a number of years.

You do not need to have 30 years to get a part pension and it is still wothwhile despite some reduction in Australian Government benefits. some pensioners who arrived in OZ years ago are still only receiving pensions as low as 15 pounds a week as it has never been raised.

also if you retire to Oz from the UK as a self funded retiree you will get no Australian Benefits but your British pension is frozen.

Please sign the petition see link below.

 

If all the members here sign this petition it would go a long way to help.

 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16387

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2012 by winter1

[Guest The Ropey HOFF]

As long as we can afford to give India 2 billion dollars, when they spent a similar amount on arms, then that's ok to me, why should we give pensioners well deserved pensions linked to inflation, just cos they have emigrated? Yes I'm being sarcastic ...... It is sickening that this and the last government can waste billions on other countries, but can't give our pensioners who have grafted all their lives, an inflation linked pension, just because they have left the uk.

[yorkiegirl]

If you come to Australia from the UK, as long as you have been resident (in Australia) for 10 years then you will be eligible for an Australian aged pension, which is means tested.

Those going from Australia to the UK, are eligible for a big fat nothing from the Australian government regardless of how much tax you might have contributed over the years you lived here.

That doesn't seem right either.

[winter1]

If you come to Australia from the UK, as long as you have been resident (in Australia) for 10 years then you will be eligible for an Australian aged pension, which is means tested.

Those going from Australia to the UK, are eligible for a big fat nothing from the Australian government regardless of how much tax you might have contributed over the years you lived here.

That doesn't seem right either.

 

I am not sure that is totally correct, my uderstanding is that if you have already been given a pension after 10 years whilst living here it can continue and if you have lived and worked for 20 years you may be able to claim it overseas.

 

I may be wrong but it may be worth investigating.

 

try this link to start.

 

http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/seniors/payments/Pages/pension_changes-InternationalPensioners.aspx

[yorkiegirl]

Thanks winter1, I haven't seen that page before, we're not at pension age yet for a good few years, but it's something we have been looking into for the future.

The info I've seen gives the impression that you can get your Aus aged pension (if you're eligible) paid in a lot of places overseas, but not in the UK as the reciprocal agreement between the UK & Australia ended some years ago.

Will definitely look into it further just in case we need it when the time comes to retire. If they keep increasing retirement age though you wonder how many of us will get that far!

[winter1]

Come on Please sign the petition, this is important every former UK person who has paid National Insurance contributions is affected.

Even if you go on to earn an Australian Pension you will still be entitled to extra that you will actually receive.

Maybe not yet but in the future you may regret not signing this.

 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16387

[Lindor]

Just signed.

[winter1]

The latest article from the UK Daily Telegraph Please read and sign the petition.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/offshorefinance/9153849/Over-half-a-million-expats-denied-full-pension.html

 

https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16387

[barbaitch]

I've signed!

[flag of convenience]

My understanding was that Australia ceased the Social Security Agreement with United Kingdom somewhere around 1992. Since then they have signed or updated pension agreements with a number of countries.

For example one can get the Australian Pension paid out in Macedonia, Malta. Germany, Poland, Japan and a swag of other countries mostly in Europe.

I believe this is in response to the UK failure to ratify and pay British pensioners accordingly living in Australia.

 

More information on Australian Social Security Agreements Overseas....or something similar. Don't have the exact address but shouldn't be hard to find on the govt.com.au website. I looked at it somettime bach and it does go into some detail the agreements signed.

 

Rather sad flags from all over Europe above each nations information sheet with the UK being the big absentee.......

[winter1]

Hi flag of convenience,

I believe it ceased in 2000.

Frozen Pensions are not restricted by Social Security Arrangements as admitted by numbers of UK Ministers over the years.

for example Minister of State Nicholas Scott in 1988. please see the link below section 4.

 

http://www.britishpensions.org.au/legal_brief.htm

 

Many untruths have perpetuated over the years. However there is some light emerging and some in the UK parliament are realising that many people would;

1 Actually leave the UK to return to their country of origin.

2 Join their children who have emigrated.

 

This would at last estimates save the UK a vast amount in NHS and other social security costs.

The main argument from many expats is one of fairness having paid the same National Insurance contributions they now get a second class pension. Also see this link below with further information.

 

http://www.britishpensions.org.au/pension-guidelines.htm

 

So the more people who sign the petition the more liklehood of Parliament listening.

[Pegs]

Signed.

[Freesia]

signed!!!

[Dan Collins]

Winter1

 

Many thanks for adding the link. With just over 18,000, there's a way to go. I don't think the UK will want to be hit with an increased bill right at the moment, but who knows, maybe in a few years we might see some progress between the politicians.

[summerskybird]

I am thinking of joining my son and his family in Aus. Would I be able to live on my UK pension plus a small private pension?

[winter1]

I am thinking of joining my son and his family in Aus. Would I be able to live on my UK pension plus a small private pension?

 

That's a tough one I am not sure but I think you would have to be what is called a self funded retiree to get a visa. It also depends on where you lived here Sydney would be far more expensive than say a small country town in rural australia.

Also whether you have funds to buy a house or rent or if you were living with your son.

Remeber at present your UK aged pension would not receive any more annual cost of living rises and would be frozen at rate on the day you arrived here, hence the request to sign the UK epetition http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16387 to end the discrimination of over 500,000 pensioners in mainly Commonwealth countries who do not receive the uprating. If you live in the USA you get uprated but in Canada you don't.

Back to the question though some pension funds state a modest retirement for a single person would be available for $20,000 per year and a good retirement on $40,000 and higher levels for couples $30,000 to $50,000. Also remember you may have to fund your own medical bills etc.

 

There is a lot to think about but have a good search for the pros and cons and Good Luck.

[mumoffour]

Signed with fingers crossed.

[Verulam]

If you come to Australia from the UK, as long as you have been resident (in Australia) for 10 years then you will be eligible for an Australian aged pension, which is means tested.

Those going from Australia to the UK, are eligible for a big fat nothing from the Australian government regardless of how much tax you might have contributed over the years you lived here.

That doesn't seem right either.

 

Yes. Correct. Aussie hubby worked in Australia from leaving school until leaving Australia at 41, and paid into their pension scheme. He wont get anything from Australia except his Super, but he WILL qualify for a UK state pension when he retires.

[summerskybird]

Thanks Winter1. To get a visa as a parent I would have to pay the Aus gov $40,000 but I don't know if that entitles me to any concessions. I would be 62 when I arrived so get both my UK pensions but they would only give me around $20,000 per annum. I thought about maybe buying two small houses to live in one and rent out the other for extra income or rent myself and buy something bigger to rent out to someone else. I would live on the Queensland Sunshine coast.

[Guest Guest31881]

Hi Summerskybird.

 

We have a long standing thread running about parent visas, http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/77756-brand-new-pio-parents-visa-thread.html

 

if you take a look at that you may find the answers to all your questions, You can always post a question on that thread and hopefully someone who has gone through the same procedure will have some answers for you.

[winter1]

the e-petitions were offline over the weekend for maintenance but are now back on line.

[fizzybangs]

My husband (Australian age pensioner) will be paid when we go to UK. Me (disability pension) will not be paid after 6 weeks (2012 Budget). To claim the aged pension in Oz, I must be 'resident' in Australia at 65 (according to my birth date) AND must remain a resident for another 2 years before it becomes portable. If I go back to UK permanently now at 62 years of age I will get no Aussie age pension despite having worked here for 30 years. However, for any UK citizen who applies for Aussie Pension here (once a resident or citizen and of pension age and having fulfilled resident requirements) they are automatically asked to put in a claim for any UK age pension entitlements and the Aussie pension is reduced dollar for dollar depending on income test. Seems unfair that it does not work both ways.

[Perthbum]

No way will the uk goverment ever reverse this pension policy, the uk is skint and although it is not fair they will never do it!, they would ave to pay billions as claims would come in from people who have had their pension frozen for decades and want it back dated, waste of time even signing it.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Perthbum

[_shel]

True, its never going to happen, more so with this Government. They are cutting pensions, benefits and everything else for people who actually live and work here so they're going to do anything for those overseas who they do not believe they have a loyalty too.

[kimsdu]

No way will the uk goverment ever reverse this pension policy, the uk is skint and although it is not fair they will never do it!, they would ave to pay billions as claims would come in from people who have had their pension frozen for decades and want it back dated, waste of time even signing it.

 

Very true, My Gran has got £13.50 per week for the last 30 years !! Shes 94 if she recouped all thats been frozen she would be quite rich LOL !!