Dave
Honorary Master
Do you mean Alan Mak?
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Immigrating to the UK
- Thread starter AchmatK
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Do you mean Alan Mak?
Sinbad
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**** yeah. something like that. It was the conflicting thoughts about Penny in my head that confused me.
Sinbad
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Thanks, have dropped Breytenbach's an emailBreytenbachs Immigration Consultants - UK Immigration
Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants - The Trusted Name in UK Immigration. Our consultants are highly qualified and experienced.www.bic-immigration.com
Yes, they are. They helped my mother get her visa in 2021.
Although I am using Sable - who are also in UK - as they were recommended here too. Might be worth it to check who is cheaper
Services For Global Movement And Finance | Sable International
We specialise in cross-border financial and immigration advice and solutions. We can help you move overseas, invest offshore or expand your business.www.sableinternational.com
Dave
Honorary Master
He has a phone number for constituents to call. Might be worth a call and ask his staff to get you those answers, at least it’s free.
Alan Mak MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
020 7219 6266 (Constituents only)
Sinbad
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Hmm, her BRP expires 5 February. Thus we'd be within the "recommended" guidelines to apply around 10 Jan which is a week before the new fee comes in. Just remains to be seen whether the new fee is assessed as of the date we submit the application, or the date of her new visa. From what I am seeing, law firms are advising applying before 16 Jan. So we should be good.
gregmcc
Honorary Master
Others have provided answers but I"ll add in my
1. I'm in IT so can't comment on other job markets, but IT is still very much in demand especially if you have the experience and skills to back it up. I landed a job here within a month. Granted it was 10+ years ago now but everytime I update my LinkedIn profile with courses/certs I have done I get a ton of offers. If you have the skills I don't think you will have any issues finding a job.
2. You will probably need to rent for a year while you build up credit history and funds etc but time flies.
3. Never. I moved over when I was 42 and have no regrets.
4. By law your company has to pay into a state pension. IIRC since 2019 it's min of 8%. Your company pays 3% and you pay 5%. You have to work here for 30 years (Or round about there) to get full state pension, and a min of 10 years to get any state pension. If you have worked bet 10 and 30 years there you get a percent of the full state pension. Full state pension is £203 a week which actually isn't that bad at all.
You can also pay in extra to top up for the missing years so you can get a better state pension, but it's not cheap, and you can only top up for the last few years.
Most (decent) companies also give you a private pension which helps a lot and does better than the state pension. So when you add both of them up it works out pretty well.
The new State Pension
How to get and claim your State Pension, State Pension age - for men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953.
I worked in the UK in 98-99 and then went back to SA for 20+ years. I see they still have a record of those 2 years and it counts towards my state pension
Even though you will be starting from scratch your money goes a lot further than in SA and you can quickly build up a nice pot.
Others have provided answers but I"ll add in my2c2p
1. I'm in IT so can't comment on other job markets, but IT is still very much in demand especially if you have the experience and skills to back it up. I landed a job here within a month. Granted it was 10+ years ago now but everytime I update my LinkedIn profile with courses/certs I have done I get a ton of offers. If you have the skills I don't think you will have any issues finding a job.
2. You will probably need to rent for a year while you build up credit history and funds etc but time flies.
3. Never. I moved over when I was 42 and have no regrets.
4. By law your company has to pay into a state pension. IIRC since 2019 it's min of 8%. Your company pays 3% and you pay 5%. You have to work here for 30 years (Or round about there) to get full state pension, and a min of 10 years to get any state pension. If you have worked bet 10 and 30 years there you get a percent of the full state pension. Full state pension is £203 a week which actually isn't that bad at all.
You can also pay in extra to top up for the missing years so you can get a better state pension, but it's not cheap, and you can only top up for the last few years.
Most (decent) companies also give you a private pension which helps a lot and does better than the state pension. So when you add both of them up it works out pretty well.
The new State Pension
How to get and claim your State Pension, State Pension age - for men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953.www.gov.uk
I worked in the UK in 98-99 and then went back to SA for 20+ years. I see they still have a record of those 2 years and it counts towards my state pension
Even though you will be starting from scratch your money goes a lot further than in SA and you can quickly build up a nice pot.
So you’re saying if I work until I’m 65 or so (in 30 years time) and have a private pension setup. Then I can retire on a full state pension?
The missing years obviously will hurt a bit I suspect?
In SA retiring at 65 seems like a very unlikely event.
gregmcc
Honorary Master
Yes, Retirement age is 66, but they are looking at pushing it up in 2026.
If you and your wife for example both have 30+ years then you get like 400 a week. And by then your mortage should be paid off so you are smiling.
Update: I lie - it's 35 years.
Many years ago I didn't even know about state pension and was only thinking about private pension. Guy as work tells me you know about state pension right.....right? I was like damn this is a decent amount. If you both have full state pension, and a private pension then you are well on your way.
That’s pretty decent. £400 a week helps especially if you don’t have a bond for sure.
With a private pension you can put extra into it right?
I’m thinking once we have bought a place there; I want to be a little aggressive on the private pension to catch up.
Sinbad
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Yes as much as you like but there's a limit on the tax relief. I think it's in the region of 40k per year.
I'm putting 18% into mine. Company does 10, I do 8. It's a pretty generous scheme.
I love the idea of retiring in my 60s and enjoying the rest of our lives not working. That seems possible in the Uk.
Dave
Honorary Master
Though it is a sliding scale so you only lose the missing year and still get the pension. So divide £203.85 by 35 and then multiply by your number of qualifying years.
https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-its-calculated
You can buy back an extra 6 years iirc.
https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-its-calculated
You can buy back an extra 6 years iirc.
Works out to around £700 a month. Which would be fine with the wife’s pension added on top. she will have an 8 year gap in hers. So we will have at least £1800 or so each month just from the state pension. Add in the private pension on top. With no bond and lower bills. That should be good enough to retire on.
gregmcc
Honorary Master
Yes, with a private pension you can put in as much as you like. Obvisiously there are tax implecations when you take it out. I think with a state pension there is no tax (Could be wrong there)
Worth reading this:
Tax when you get a pension
Income Tax on payments from pensions, tax-free allowances, how you pay tax on pensions.
Dave
Honorary Master
If your wife worked in the UK before she left, she may actually be able to buy back more than 6 years iirc.
Sinbad
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Sadly my wife won't get enough years for a full pension, maybe not even a partial one. I probably won't even make a full one.
I have 9 full years, and 18 years left till I'm 65, leaves me 8 years short. Need to do some maths, I'll probably work past 65 anyway. Can also contribute now to make up shortfall in past years. £824 per year... Must see what difference each year makes.
Sinbad
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Dave
Honorary Master
£5.82 a week per year, I think it said.
Sinbad
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So each year contributed gets you at current rates about £70 per year?
Though I guess that will increase as state soon increases
/edit oh per week not per month!
So 280 per year... More worthwhile
gregmcc
Honorary Master
I was also looking at paying in extra but at £824 a year it's not cheap. Would be interesting to see how much extra you get for paying in a year and the offset vs the 824.