A welcome windfall??

[Bayleaf]

Haha! That's a joke in itself! I managed to register through the Gateway procedure before they wierdly changed the rules. Now, despite Mr Bayleaf having a Gateway account, signing in, getting a special code by SMS, telling them again the NI number and various private details, THEN you get to a screen where you need to supply TWO IDs - British Passport, DVLA Driving Licence or Credit reference questions (For example, the year you took out a credit card or phone contract)

Ding dong - do not proceed! Can only tick one of those! So, back to the 'phoning queue!

Also, as so many of our generation were (badly) advised to opt out back in the 90's - we would have to shed out thousands now to get a full contribution - thousands we ain't got! Then, for that little extra a month, we'd have to wait another 9 years before they start paying back, then it would take another 5 or so years to feel like you've actually had that £20k or so back - that's if you're still alive!

Edit - if I had a spare £20k kicking around now, I wouldn't be giving it to the UK Govt!

[niemeyjt]

Opting out only seems to have affected the old state pension it seems - I was opted out into the BT scheme for 15 years and so I paid a reduced NI - but my quotation from them for the new state pension shows only 3 years missing from the full quota of years - so my contracted out years seem to have been counted as full years.

Depending on when you left the UK, and how many years you paid in before leaving, buying years before April plus paying class 3 from now to retirement could net some an almost full UK state pension (I am actually having exactly this discussion with an in-law). But everyone needs to do their own sums.

Edit - if I had a spare £20k kicking around now, I wouldn't be giving it to the UK Govt!

That's not nice. How else are they going to be able to pay for dodgy contracts awarded to their mates for defective PPE?

[Quiksilver]

Get a statement - you can do it online https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension
To pay, it is Class 3 National Insurance - https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-class- ... -insurance

Bless you! I've had the statement for some time...that was the easy bit What isn't easy is finding out which form to fill in (there's no mention of it in the copious notes) and getting them to confirm the exact amount required and how/who to pay it to. Still, no problem, I've got 4 months to spare

[niemeyjt]

My wish would be that extras such as the enlarged winter fuel payment this year was paid to those who need it, rather than an across the board payment. We received £500, which those who are doing OK don’t actually need, whereas for many others it could mean less fear of heating costs etc.

It seems Ms Reeves has granted your request.

[DaveW]

She got it in quick and rightly so.

[hughnique]

Just wait for the no yearly increase for ANY overseas resident scenario. As for WFP loads of affluent pensioners get it at the moment, so a good move.

[Quiksilver]

I wonder if they'll dare, now that said overseas residents have the right to vote in UK once again?

[Hotrodder]

I'm all in favour of the WFP being limited in some way to those who really do need it. It may be tricky to determine how rich some people are for the means testing but I have a feeling it could done easily if there was the will to do it. I suspect the payment often gets spent on the cost of keeping some peoples' pool maintained and heated.

[Blaze]

I suspect the payment often gets spent on the cost of keeping some peoples' pool maintained and heated.

Or fags and booze .....

[exile]

Just wait for the no yearly increase for ANY overseas resident scenario. As for WFP loads of affluent pensioners get it at the moment, so a good move.

IIRC we are protected until at least 2027 under the Brexit agreements.