The link below may be of interest to some UK nationals here. BBC News - Overseas UK pensions 'blocked for spouses' Regards
Thanks for that link. There are many anomalies with the proposed changes to the UK pension system, and there will be winners and losers if the new system is adopted. However, one should remember that these changes, to be announced in the Queens Speech, are scheduled to take place in 2016. There is a general election in 2015 and it is increasing likely that the current government will get a very sound thrashing by the electorate, and it is more than likely that whoever gets into office will make a lot of adjustments. If the current proposals go ahead, the people that lose will be the ones who faithfully paid into the system. The people who gain will be the hordes of illegals and "asylum seekers" who came into the country in the back of a lorry. The idea of a flat rate pension for all, provided you have made the necessary contributions, is itself a good idea. But the system falls down for many reasons, not least of all that currently only 35 years contributions need to be made. Some of us contributed on the 44 year system, I contributed for 47 years. Therefore me, and many like me, made 12 years of extra contributions for nothing, and the money has evaporated. But I feel very strongly about the proposal to remove the married partners allowance simply because of where one chooses to live, and I will argue against it as passionately as I argued with others (successfully) the case for the Ghurka pensions. It seems that if these changes do go ahead, it will not affect those already claiming this allowance before 2016. So the way around it is, if you are entitled to it, claim it now, or at least before 2016, and it will continue to be paid after that date. If you already draw the UK pensions, are not married but thinking about it, do so within the next three years and you will be able to claim the allowance, and your wife will continue to get the allowance after your death and until hers.
There is already an angry reaction to these proposals in UK, so the backlash from people power might cause a re-think. The 410million pounds that they claim this costs, is just a drop in the ocean compared to the phoney expenses claimed by the "honourable" members of parliament. Of more concern to everyone, is the false claiming of child benefit by other EU members, particularly Poles, with no checks made on how many children they actually have. It also seems that various lawyers are preparing to make a legal challenge using the Human Rights Act and claiming discrimination. Although the proposal is included in the Queens Speech, it is unlikely to get an easy passage through Parliament, if indeed it ever gets that far.
Don't be a slave to your past - be the architect of your future. I love that quote!!! I am coming to Dumaguete in October and November to visit friends, and will hopefully be back in 2014. I am being more and more drawn to the idea of relocation. I want to follow the maxim above!!! Being 65, I can now move on. Looking forward to a new life!!
