Hope for Ex pat pensioners!

None taken , ANA

I think it's very unfair that those who emigrate to certain countries have their pensions frozen. Some people's pensions may be frozen for many years even though they may have worked in the UK all or most of their working lives and paid national insurance.

It's not just about the EU - British ex pats emigrating to certain countries outside of the EU also get index-linked pensions.

This is a serious matter for some people and I don't think sarcasm adds very much to the discussion.

Or flippancy.

Could someone please point out to me where, on this thread, are examples of patronism, sarcasm and flippancy? I didn't think that I was oblivious to this sort of thing, but I obviously am, as I couldn't see any of them.

What on earth did MargX say to start all this? She was just making a point and actually being an expat herself - living in the Eu she was just stating a point. This is a post about ex-pats' pensions and they are better off in the EU than in New Zealand for example.

Ana - I certainly don't approve only of those EU regulations that affect me personally. I am very interested in labour laws, for example even though I am retired.
The reason given for freezing expat pensions is that there is no knock-for-knock agreement with the excluded countries, but I doubt if there are enough immigrants from Canada or New Zealand to seriously damage the UK economy.

Greatnan It's a spurious and deeply unfair argument when applied to those of us who were already receiving a state pension before leaving the UK. I particularly resent this rule as, like many others including, I think, yourself, I still pay income tax in the UK.

I do indeed, absent, on both my Teacher's and Civil Service Pensions.

As a matter of interest, do those of you ex-pats who get UK pensions pay UK tax?

Jendurham - I answered that question on the post before yours! Yes, our UK government service pensions are taxed at source. State retirement pensions are taxed in the country of residence.

Perhaps it is not necessary to point out that as we are not resident we do not benefit from any services in the UK - just in case that is worrying anybody!

Sorry, Greatnan, the last one I saw was Ceesnan's when I switched on.
My computer had not refreshed. If it had, obviously I would not have asked.
You say state retirement pensions are taxed in the country of residence.
So what rate do you pay? Do you pay more or less than you would if you lived here?

My state retirement pension is below the tax threshold in France. I get an extra allowance because I was a single mother for five years after my divorce - even though the 'child' is now a grandmother! My UK personal allowance is set against my two UK government pensions.
However, although I pay no income tax in France, my global income is taken into account when deciding whether I am liable for the two property taxes. This is quite reasonable, as French people with a similar income to mine have to pay these taxes, and I do benefit from the local services.
Do you have a particular interest in the French taxation system, Jendurham? If so, you could google the official French government website.

My sister has lived in Germany for 46 years, she paid British contributions right up to retirement age and receives a pension. When it comes to assessing her German pension they deduct the value of the English pension so she is not one iota better off.

I have looked, and what I have worked out is that, if I am correct, I would not pay any income tax if I lived in France, but here I pay over £100 a month. So you could say you are better off in that way, even if your pensions do not get uprated.

Our pensions do get uprated if we live anywhere in the EU. The tax system for British expats in New Zealand is rather complicated, as there seems to be a special concession made and UK government service pensions can be taxed in NZ.
Are you thinking of emigrating, Jendurham?

Here are the tax rates for various incomes in France, depending on your

age and how many 'parts' you have - I have 1.5.

www.french-property.com/guides/france/finance-taxation/taxation/calculation-tax-liability/rates/

No, can't now. I rely too much on the NHS, or what's left of it.
Anyway, having had an aortic dissection in March, I would not dare fly, and I'm not allowed to carry an empty suitcase let alone a full one.
Even have to get someone else to take my bins out!
No, just curious, that's all.
We did sign up all the forms for emigrating to Australia when the kids were little. But my husband was type 1 diabetic, so could not just take the first job when we got off the boat. We got stuck on the "Let me know your sailing date and we'll let you know if we'll give you an interview" roundabout.
He had an interview for a job in the Seychelles, but was told no chance when they found out he was diabetic.
Anyway, all my family are here, despite the fact that one son has a Spanish wife and the other has a Danish partner.

If I live long enough to qualify for a NZ retirement pension (I think it is ten years of residency) my UK retirement pension would also be deducted from the NZ pension. Not unreasonable, I think.

My sister, who is a retired GP in New Zealand has a small state pension for the time she worked in UK before leaving the country, as well as a New Zealand pension. However, the value of her British pension is knocked off her NZ pension, so she says she would be no better off if her pension became incremental.

That makes me feel better , anno! As long as the UK rate of inflation doesn't soar before I qualify for a pension in NZ! Fortunately, my Teacher's and Civil Service pensions will still be uprated, unless they continue to be frozen.

I agree. I have put off claiming my pension for as long as possible to ensure that when I do claim it is at the highest rate, because that is where it will be stuck unless I move back to the UK.

As well as ex-pats in EU countries, those living in Barbados, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Guernsey, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey, Mauritius, Montenegro, Philippines, Serbia, Turkey, USA and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are entitled to the annual increase in state pension. Increases are also payable in Sark although there is no reciprocal arrangement.

'Harrrigan' I have never heard of a case like that of your sister. The amount of German pension (the years in work) and UK pension are put together and appear as a Euros. If she just paid a cheque every now and again to fill up her UK pension at the same time as working in Germany and paying into their pension scheme then that counts as if she was working in two countries simultaneously instead of like most of we expats that we work a period of years in the UK and then the rest in Germany.

It is not a bad idea to keep the UK pension in Sterling in a UK bank account. I know man who has pensions in Swiss Franks, US Dollars and Euros.That way you are not relying on some office worker to make a decision.

As to paying taxes according to EU law you only pay tax in one country so if you are paying taxes in France or Germany then you pay none in the UK. ( exempting road tax or council tax)
These tax aggreements exist between many countries, the USA for instance.

Actually not quite right MargaretX. Government and Local Government pensions are taxed in the UK. I pay tax on my occupational pension in the UK and on my state pension in France, where we are tax resident. Although income tax thresholds are lower in France, the National Insurance equivalent is far, far higher, so people who are working pay very large contributions.