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New Rules on UK Widows Pensions

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Willy The Londoner:
It would appear that new rules are going to be introduced in the UK from 2016 concerning widows pensions.
At the moment when a man marries then even if his wife has no pension rights herself and her husband dies, she is entitled to receive a State Pension from the date she becomes entitled to a pension, (currently 60 years of age but rising over the years).

This is what was announced last week in the Queens Speech.
'As part of this change, derived entitlement to the basic state pension - where someone receives a married person's pension or a widow's or widower's pension based not on their own working life but the National Insurance record of their spouse or civil partner - will also go.'

Therefore it definately affects couple like us who live outside of the UK. When I 'pop my clogs' my wife will not be able to claim any of my state pension even when she reaches the UK pension age for woman.  At first reading of the proposal it looked like that it only applies to those living outside the UK.  However on closer inspection of the proposal it is now proposed that the pension will not be paid in such circumstances whether the widow lives in the UK or outside. The proviso is that the women will have needed to have earned her own pension right so this will apply to any women that marry UK citizens.

For those back in the UK with their wife then I suggest that you look into this and if necessary make your own private arrangements whereby your wife will be supported after die.  I had already put that is place here with private pension packages etc taken out here in China. 

Willy

brett:
Yeah this is another part of be careful what you wish for. Daily Mail readers were outraged about paying pensions to foreigners or those who hadn't paid in, and of course the whole immigration thing. But the result is that if you want to marry a foreigner you'd better have a lot of cash or live permanently abroad. Older guys seeking Thai brides in particular have been hit with a lot of new issues to worry about.

Luckily I have a couple of private pensions, although by the time I find a wife I'll probably be drawing my pension anyway.

Robertt S:
Yes, immigration issues are popular voter bait here also. I personally feel that your spouse should be eligible to receive your pension in the event of your demise ( immigrant or native citizen ). Illegal immigration is a major factor in the equation that caused this ruling, immigrants ( legal and illegal ) are draining the coffers of social services. Here, the immigrants that do work here use all the tax breaks created by the Affirmative Action policy that greatly reduce taxes or completely defer taxes for minorities, immigrants, and women, they then send their earnings abroad for their retirement in their homeland. The perfect profile for a SBA loan here is to be a handicapped woman from Pakistan. Here we have the same problems as the UK and will be facing the same austerity measures the UK is implementing on foreign spouses soon or our taxes will continue rising to maintain the current level of social services offered! Of course, any measures taken at this time are just like pissing into the wind until our borders are actually secured to prevent additional burden to the system. Mexico's economy receives BILLIONS in funds sent home from illegal aliens to their families that live in Mexico, that is why we will never get the Mexican government to cooperate in securing our mutual border. At this time in the USA, a spouse is entitled to her husband's retirement pension after his death, even a divorced spouse can claim benefits from the Social Security Agency, if the marriage lasted 10 years or longer.

Willy The Londoner:

--- Quote from: brett on May 12, 2013, 07:10:39 am ---Yeah this is another part of be careful what you wish for. Daily Mail readers were outraged about paying pensions to foreigners or those who hadn't paid in, and of course the whole immigration thing. But the result is that if you want to marry a foreigner you'd better have a lot of cash or live permanently abroad. Older guys seeking Thai brides in particular have been hit with a lot of new issues to worry about.

Luckily I have a couple of private pensions, although by the time I find a wife I'll probably be drawing my pension anyway.

--- End quote ---
C'mon. What do you expect from the Daily Mail. The right ring newspaper to beat all right wing newspapers.  They were outraged that people put out of work by a right wing government were having the cheek to claim benefits whilst looking for work. What do you expect when the ordinary people are being shafted by a millionaire based government that cuts benefits and gives millionaires a cut in tax.

I had never planned for my wife to receive a State Pension. I had made provisions for her in other ways by taking out pensions for her here. What she does with all my money when I eventually give up life is up to her.  That's if she puts up with me that long.

You may have a private pension Brett but does it go to widow when you go. Not many do.  Plus you do not have to live outside the UK. Get her in on the basic two year visa and she can get a National Insurance and go to work this building up her own pension right after quite a few years.  Once she qualifies for even a small pension she can then leave the country and if its not to a EU Country she can take with her a frozen pension. If she lives in a EU country she will get the yearly increases.

That's why I suggested people in this position should prepare as soon as she arrives.

Willy

Pineau:
Willy,
When it s time for me to check out my wife will not even be close to the entitlement of receiving a portion of my SS benefits. I plan to provide for her after I am gone by other means. I have this new house which I hope will be paid for.  I have a rental property that will provide some monthly income for her or she can just sell it and throw a big party with the proceeds. At that time ( I hope a long time from now) she will have earned some SS benefits and when she is 65 she can draw her own pension like the rest of us.  I also never intended her to draw any government pension benefits other than those she has earned. 

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