Author: British Abroad

• Discretionary Increases For British Expats

  

  What are discretionary increases? Discretionary increases are extra rises to UK workplace pensions that the scheme may choose to pay, but does not have to. Most people assume their pension “goes up with inflation”. Sometimes it does, but in many defined benefit (DB) schemes, the law only forces increases on certain parts of the pension.…

• IHT on Personal Pensions

  

  Start planning. From April 2027, the UK government will include most defined contribution pensions and death benefits in Inheritance Tax (IHT) calculations. This is a major change that UK expats cannot afford to ignore. If you have UK pension pots, you need to take action now. Why This Matters: Pensions Are No Longer Safe from…

• How to Get Your Pensions Out Properly

  

  If you’re already overseas or planning your retirement abroad, sorting your UK pensions is one of the most important (and confusing) things you’ll ever do. And if you get it wrong? You could end up paying thousands in tax, missing out on growth, or locking into something that’s a dud for life. So here’s our…

• UK State Pension Advice For Expats Who Applied

  

  (Photo by www.rachelcookephoto.com) The UK government extended the window for topping up gaps in your NI record, so expats began seeking UK State Pension advice, and applying to boost their UK State Pension back to April 2006 – a full eighteen years’ worth of contributions rather than the usual six. To qualify, you needed to…

• How to Maximise Your UK State Pension for Expats

  

  A guide to boosting your UK State Pension, at the lowest cost Living abroad doesn’t affect your ability to maximise your State Pension. Yet millions of UK expats struggle to keep up with National Insurance (NI) contributions, or don’t even know they can – missing out on £150,000+ of stable, guaranteed income over retirement. A…

• Is Life in Thailand Better?

  

  …or should you return to the UK? How do UK expats compare Quality of Life and costs? Feeling like a damp sponge after a UK visit? You’re not alone. A recent community thread prompted a wave of responses from British expats explaining life in Thailand often seems brighter in Southeast Asia. We’ve distilled the main…

• UK Budget 2024 – What British Expats Need to Know

  

  Background The Chancellor’s Autumn UK Budget 2024 was announced under pressure. A new government attempting to slow the decline of trust among citizens, businesses and investors in the UK’s sluggish economy, and with added constraints from inflation, NHS spending, and rising public sector costs, the Labour government is trying to balance the books without raising…