AIBU to think claiming two state pensions seems unethical?

[CoffeeAndCats3]

I wrote about this on another thread, but thought I'd start my own as it irks me and I'm wondering if IABU.

My parents emigrated from the UK in their early/mid thirties and have never lived in the UK since. They are now late 60's. My Mum told me recently that both her and my Dad are claiming a full UK pension, in addition to a full pension in the country them emigrated to. They don't need this money, but she seemed quite smug about how they can 'double dip' and live the Life of Riley while sitting on a load of money, rental properties etc. I told her it seemed a bit unethical to me, but she didn't understand my viewpoint at all.

How is this possible? She said that they only had to pay their (national insurance?) for a period of time after moving, to then be eligible for the full UK pension on retirement? Can someone explain to me if this is correct, as I half think they've scammed the UK system somehow!

My in laws are like this.....my MIL actually claiming 3 pensions. One country she didnt even work in but her DH did?? She is travelling to one of the countries soon as all her pension there has been 'stacking up' so they need to make arrangements to transfer it to UK. I didnt think it unethical but like OP's mother, they also dont need it. MIL previously sent several thousand to a 'Nigerian prince' who she met on an online dating site 🙈 so these pensions aren't even being put to good use. In saying all this though I dont really feel its my business either. Its odd how the system works though....

This. What an unpleasant way to talk about your parents.

Its ethically wrong, but people don’t seem to care about right and wrong when it comes to money. Just because you can get a state benefit, doesn’t mean you need to take it. Its current taxpayers who are paying for wealthy people like this, and there are many other more worthy places that money could go. Dementia research being one of them.

The DWP put out an advertising scheme a few years ago. Especially targeting residents in Ireland but also to anyone else that has now left the UK and meets the criteria.

This scheme let people 'register interest' before the April 2025 deadline.

If they registered interest before the deadline, the DWP would contact them and give them a pension forecast and if there was any gaps, they could back pay historical years, all the way back to 2006 in Class 2 or 3.

So for less than £3200, you could back pay the necessary empty years and as a result, get the full uk state pension.

How the government can afford all these pensions for people that only lived in the UK for 3 years, I have no idea. It leaves me feeling salty though.

More ageist rage-bait?

OP is perhaps mainly bitter about what must be a large number of other ex-pats also taking advantage of the UK taxpayer in a similar way.

At least they've paid something in. Lots of benefit claimants pay nothing in .

People on here would be the first to rage at people on benefits, but as soon as it's pensioners doing something that yes, imo, is unethical, it's absolutely fine 🤷

I don't blame anyone for using loopholes, but th system needs an overhaul.

So what?
Life is more than "paying in".

If you've paid the qualifying contributions you are entitled to it.

eh? I thought you had to work 35 years to get full state pension??

Apparently not - you just have to pay national insurance contributions. I'm assuming its the same whether a you're resident in the UK or a non-resident overseas?

They paid in, so are entitled to take out. It’s as simple as that really. I get more upset about those people who don’t contribute enough to get a full pension, but who get near enough full pension anyway by claiming pension credits to top it up?

My DH qualified for a partial UK pension and a full Irish pension because he paid enough contributions for both. I can't see the problem.

It irks me when I received just 6 weeks of widows pension after my hubby died because my salary then meant no child benefit ie no child benefit, no widows pension. He also died 15 days before the rules changed so I won't be able to claim any of his pension when I retire either.

But, I don't think they've done anything illegal, unethical maybe but they followed the rules... I do hope they've tighted the rules up now.

I do know someone in Spain who gets a full UK pension. He never worked a day in the UK cos he left when he was 16yo . That is just wrong.

You can only get a UK state pension while abroad if you've paid in. No advantage-taking here.

In my last job I saw people who had lived abroad most of the lives but were Uk citizens and came back with nothing at retirement age and got full pension credit, housing benefit etc despite not living here for years or contributing anything.

My gran was a carer for pretty much her adult life. Looked after my disabled grandad.
She only worked in her teens and early 20s, had kids, then became a carer.
Why would you be upset at someone like her? Or are you assuming anyone on Pension Credit must have been a scrounger/slacker all their life?
That would also be disabled unable to work too.

Sorry it's AI, but this is probably what the OP was referring to:

The legal "loophole" you are referring to allows individuals who worked in the UK for as little as three years to claim a UK State Pension by paying heavily subsidized voluntary National Insurance (NI) contributions from abroad. However, the UK government is closing this mechanism, and by April 2026, the minimum UK residency or contribution history required to use this scheme will increase from 3 to 10 continuous years

They are likely to get back far, far more than they paid in.

I’m sure it’s nothing to do with jealousy and everything to do with morality.

"Likely" is doing lot of heavy lifting here.

Would “statistically probable” be preferable?

Only if you care to provide the stats.

It's also impossible.