Author Archives: Pension Check

Only Weeks Remaining For British Expat State Pension Top-Ups

The Pension Check estimates that British people overseas have only a few weeks remaining to fill in the gaps of their National Insurance contribution record by post, as the online service is in testing and still not available for some expats. The UK Government deadline to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for missing years between […]

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UK Defined Benefit Pension Freezes

Several large multinational corporations, including Hewlett Packard, American Express and Pfizer, are facing criticism for not increasing the pensions of UK employees who accrued benefits before 1997. Thousands of former employees are reliant on UK companies granting discretionary increases to keep pace with inflation. Some multinational companies have repeatedly chosen not to provide these discretionary increases, even […]

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Pension Awareness in the UK

Standard Life research reveals that 24% of people aged 55 and over have never checked their pension pots but, suggesting a positive trend towards proactive financial planning, over half of adults have checked in the last year. British expats have been spotted trying to locate old UK pension documents. A lack of awareness and understanding […]

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UK State Pension Deadline in 4 Months

The government scheme, allowing anyone who’s worked in the UK to purchase up to 18 missing NI qualifying years, will expire in April 2025. Buying back these years can help some people add up to £79,300 to their State Pension across their retirement. If you changed jobs, lived overseas, or were otherwise not contributing to […]

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Key Changes to UK Inheritance Tax Concerning SIPPs

From April 2027, significant changes to the UK Inheritance Tax (IHT) concerning SIPPs will come into effect, as announced by the Chancellor in the recent Autumn Budget. Most SIPP funds will be included in estate values, potentially leading to 40% IHT on estates exceeding £325,000, plus additional income tax if the deceased was over 75. […]

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Frozen Overseas Pensions: WW2 Veteran’s Plea

A 100-year-old World War II veteran, Anne Puckridge, living in Canada, is campaigning against the UK government’s policy of freezing the state pensions of British citizens living overseas. This policy affects over 453,000 pensioners, denying them annual increases applied to those in the UK. Despite a meeting with the Pensions Minister, Ms Puckridge remains disheartened, […]

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UK Pension Scheme’s Bitcoin Investment Criticized

An un-named UK pension scheme’s decision to invest 3% of its assets in Bitcoin has sparked controversy. Experts are sharply divided, with some praising the diversification and potential for high returns, while others condemn it as deeply irresponsible and akin to gambling with retirees’ funds, citing Bitcoin’s volatility and lack of intrinsic value. The debate […]

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UK Pensions Subject to Inheritance Tax in April 2027

Currently, unspent UK pension pots can be passed on tax-free, but from April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included in the value of that person’s estate, which then may be subject to Inheritance Tax. These changes have been introduced in the Autumn Budget 2024 and are part of the UK […]

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UK Pension Fund Aviva Loses £368m as Waste Plants Go Into Administration

Aviva Investors, a major UK pension fund, has lost over £350 million on poor investments in three incinerator power plants. These plants, located in Hull, Boston, and Barry, failed to meet energy production targets and are now facing administration. Critics argue that incinerators are environmentally damaging, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and hindering recycling efforts. The losses have drawn criticism from shareholders […]

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