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returning home to uk

(26 Posts)
Chloejo Wed 20-Nov-19 20:20:58

My cousin has worked in Tenerife for many years he now wants to come back to uk to retire here where he was born.Problem is he has not paid and national insurance stamps so wouldn't qualify for a state pension he is 65. Would there be any financial help for him when he reaches 66 state pension age ?

GagaJo Wed 20-Nov-19 20:33:18

This may sound VERY uncharitable. But WHY should he get help? He's paid into the Spanish system for years. It is the Spanish system he should get his pension from.

dragonfly46 Wed 20-Nov-19 22:20:50

The Spanish should pay his pension if he has paid in. We get pensions from the Netherlands because DH worked there.

Ellianne Wed 20-Nov-19 22:39:50

We receive pensions from France because we paid our (hefty) contributions while working there. Surely he will receive what he is due from Spain.

Callistemon Wed 20-Nov-19 22:53:31

I don't see why there should be any help.
Presumably he pays tax and Spanish NI if he has worked there for years so will be due his Spanish pension at some point.

He may need to take out health insurance too.

M0nica Wed 20-Nov-19 23:47:51

He may get some help at 80, but not before, unless he worked in the UK before he went to Tenerife and paid contributions to the UK scheme for a minimum of 10 years. But that would not qualify him for much.

Here is a link to how the Spanish pension system works www.bbva.es/eng/general/finanzas-vistazo/planes-de-pensiones/sistema-pensiones-espana/index.jsp

Tartlet Thu 21-Nov-19 00:03:56

Chliejo, your cousin might find this helpful but he really needs to get proper advice and information.

www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs25_returning_from_abroad_fcs.pdf

harrigran Thu 21-Nov-19 08:12:51

If you choose to live and work in another country then that is where your pension should come from.
My sister went to live in another European country 50 years ago but kept up her NI contributions in the UK until retirement just in case she wanted to return.
I do not agree with people returning to the UK and expecting to be looked after when they have not made provision themselves.

Urmstongran Thu 21-Nov-19 08:18:58

I know someone out here in Spain who ran her own little cafe bar for about 10y. She returned to the U.K. about 8y ago and as she was 60y (at the time) she applied for her state pension and received £97 p.w. A reduced amount but calculated on previous N.I. Contributions before coming out to Spain in 2004.

Not quite the same thing as OP as she had paid something in here. Perhaps there’s a sliding scale? Bet this man is entitled to a state pension (of sorts). Whether that is morally right I cannot comment!

Gaunt47 Thu 21-Nov-19 08:43:16

This same post appears in legal & money, thread title '66 and not paid any national insurance stamps'

Chucky Thu 21-Nov-19 08:53:04

So he lived in Tenerife and didn’t pay either tax or national insurance in the U.K.?

Now, when he decides to retire, he plans to return to the U.K. and wants to know what he is entitled to! Sorry, but morally I think people like this should get nothing and I really hope that nothing is what he is entitled to.

Why should people like myself, who have paid their dues in this country, support someone who has decided to live abroad most of their working life?

EllanVannin Thu 21-Nov-19 09:10:56

I believe that some sort of benefit is available until 2021. I know this applies to those who are in EU countries and return to the UK but not sure about Tenerife. It'll depend what the expectations are when returning ?

It's expected that a pension/savings would be in place for those returning from a non-EU country ? Then again, we've seen refugees with nothing so with that in mind it's a questionable subject towards those born here and decided to live abroad.
I don't know !

EllanVannin Thu 21-Nov-19 09:13:04

After 2021 and with Brexit in place it'll be a whole new ball-game in returning to the UK I imagine. Such fun !!

Callistemon Thu 21-Nov-19 10:30:50

I think that that was fair Urmstongran as she must have paid over the minimum number of full contributions required to receive a part pension.

Chloejo Thu 21-Nov-19 17:30:37

thanks for all your replies he has paid into Spanish pension but never continued to pay class 3 over here which he should have done own fault!! I did say ive got to wait until im 66 for my pension state having worked since 16 im now 63 and have lost my job and its hard to find another one

Ooeyisit Thu 21-Nov-19 17:34:55

He could make the payments up . I was late going back to work as I had a late child but I paid up all the payments I had missed so that I had the full pension . Could he not do this

Peonyrose Fri 22-Nov-19 08:24:45

Never paid anything into our system now wants uk taxpayers to fund him, it's a disgrace. Cannot belueve people are suggesting how he can go about it. Best he stays where he made his home. If you want to help anyone what about those that have worked here all their lives caring and now have little to live on.

Fennel Fri 22-Nov-19 11:46:38

Interesting question - we returned to the UK last year after 16 years in France.
But we had already retired and were receiving UK pensions when we left UK.. We were 2 of the lucky ones.
Plus we paid both UK and French income tax during all those years away. 2 lots of tax returns each year.
Our friends in France, similar ages, plan to stay there. They have a small french pension too.

morethan2 Fri 22-Nov-19 12:19:54

When I telephoned about claiming my pension I was asked if I’d ever worked in an EU country. I assumed that was because if I had it would have been possible to add any pension credits earned there could be added to my U.K pension. Not sure if thats correct but surly if this man had worked in Spain he must have been paying into their system?

Fennel Fri 22-Nov-19 12:30:19

morethan - as far as France is concerned, that wouldn't be possible. The pension systems are mostly different, so not transferrable. Not sure about other EU countries.
They were probably asking because that would have been another source of income for you. Or they wanted to check on how much you were earning there.

dragonfly46 Fri 22-Nov-19 12:36:30

We applied for our pension in this country as we were living here. We declared that we had lived and contributed in the Netherlands for 18 years. DWP contacted the Netherlands on our behalf and now we receive a portion from the British government and a portion from the Netherlands in euros.

oldgimmer1 Fri 22-Nov-19 12:54:24

Does he have a NI number?

If he goes online he can check his status and whether he can make any payments to fill up the gap.

Perhaps Tenerife has a reciprocal arrangement with the UK (like the Netherlands) for pensions.

Fennel Fri 22-Nov-19 14:57:57

re reciprocal agreements - again I could be wrong about what I wrote earlier about France.
We live and learn (I hope!)

Abuelana Fri 22-Nov-19 21:17:16

My husband has the most irritating habit of lathering freshly cooked meals in either chilli sauce / chilli sweet sauce or brown sauce / lee and perrins.
Will often add salt and pepper without tasting....
It makes me feel like not cooking. I love to add herbs and garlic to make different sauces...,
So is this normal or am I being unreasonable....

Chewbacca Fri 22-Nov-19 21:22:16

grin