Credible Life / British Expats in Thailand
The UK rules for people abroad changed four times in two years. Our free guide explains what each change means if you live in Thailand, in plain English, with the figures in pounds.
What's inside the free guide
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What has changed
If you set up your pensions or your will before 2024, some of the assumptions behind them may no longer hold.
If you are Thai tax resident (180 days or more in a year), foreign income you bring into Thailand is now generally taxable there, whichever year it was earned. Waiting a year before transferring no longer helps.
Domicile no longer decides UK inheritance tax. If you were UK resident for 10 of the last 20 tax years, your worldwide estate can stay in scope for up to 10 years after you leave.
People abroad can no longer pay the cheaper Class 2 contributions, and you now need 10 years of past UK residence or contributions to pay voluntarily at all.
Unused pension funds and most death benefits will count towards your estate for UK inheritance tax. Now is the time to review nominations and drawdown plans.
Free calculators
Rough estimates to show where you stand. Your adviser will check the exact figures for you.
Check your record on GOV.UK ("Check your State Pension forecast") and enter the numbers below.
Enter yearly amounts before tax, as a Thai tax resident.
For an estate passing to children, if UK inheritance tax still applies to you.
What we help with
Your State Pension can be paid into a Thai or UK account, but Thailand is not a country where it rises each year, so it stays at the rate you first claim. We check your forecast, when to claim through the International Pension Centre, and what a top-up is really worth.
"Will my State Pension be frozen in Thailand?"
Filling gaps in your record can still add a lot to your State Pension for a modest cost. We confirm whether you qualify under the new 10-year rule and help with the application (form CF83 or online).
"Is it worth paying voluntary contributions from Thailand?"
Since 1 January 2024, foreign income a Thai tax resident brings into Thailand can be taxed there. We map how the UK–Thailand treaty applies to each of your pensions, sort out your NT code with HMRC so tax is not taken twice, and plan what you transfer and when.
"Do I pay Thai tax on pension money I bring in?"
From April 2027 your pension can face UK inheritance tax, and Thai succession rules apply to assets you hold in Thailand. We review nominations, drawdown order and gifting, and coordinate a Thai will with your UK will.
"How much will my children actually receive?"
We compare keeping your UK pension, consolidating into an international SIPP, or transferring, with the 25% transfer charge, baht and sterling currency risk and Thai tax all counted.
"Should I move my pension out of the UK?"
Most retirees aged 50 and over stay on a retirement visa that needs ฿800,000 in a Thai bank, or income of ฿65,000 a month, or a mix of the two. We plan how your UK pensions and savings meet those tests alongside your tax position.
"How do I show enough income for my retirement visa?"
How it works
Get the figures and rules for your situation first, with no call needed.
Video or phone, at a time that suits Thailand, with an adviser who works with British clients there. You leave knowing your options.
If you want us to act, we quote a fixed fee in writing before any work. We take no commission on products.
Your adviser
"Most of the people I speak to in Thailand did the right thing when they moved. The rules have changed since, and a short review is usually enough to put that right."
FAQ
If you spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year you are Thai tax resident. Since 1 January 2024, foreign income you bring into Thailand is generally taxable there, whichever year it was earned. How the UK–Thailand double tax treaty treats each pension type differs, and UK government service pensions (for example civil service and armed forces) stay taxable in the UK, so we check each of yours.
To stop HMRC taking UK tax from a private pension that is taxable in Thailand, you apply for an NT (no tax) code.
Not straight away. Since 6 April 2025, UK inheritance tax depends on residence, not domicile. If you were UK resident for at least 10 of the previous 20 tax years, your worldwide estate stays within UK IHT for between 3 and 10 years after you leave, depending on how long you lived in the UK.
Moving a UK pension to a QROPS usually triggers a 25% Overseas Transfer Charge, unless you live in the same country as the scheme. Most British expats in Thailand have no suitable local scheme, so the real comparison is usually keeping the pension in the UK or moving it to an international SIPP. We compare each option for you, including the transfer charge, ongoing fees, currency and Thai tax, so you can decide with the full picture.
No. Thailand is not one of the countries where the State Pension is uprated, so it stays at the rate you first claimed or the rate when you moved. If you return to the UK, increases start again, but the rises you missed are not paid back.
Yes, but the rules tightened on 6 April 2026. People abroad can now only pay Class 3 contributions, and you need at least 10 years of past UK residence or contributions to qualify. Each extra qualifying year can still add around 1/35th of the full State Pension, so it is worth checking.
Often, yes. Assets in Thailand are generally dealt with under Thai succession law, so many expats keep a Thai will alongside their UK will, worded so one does not cancel the other. Foreigners generally cannot own land in Thailand, and condominium ownership is subject to a foreign quota, so we work with Thai lawyers to make sure the plan fits what you actually own.
The guide and the 30-minute review are free. If you go ahead, we agree a fixed fee in writing before we start. We take no commission on any product.
Check where you stand before April 2027. Start with the free guide and book a review when you are ready.
Important information. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise. Tax rules can change and their effect depends on your circumstances. This page is general information, not personal advice. Rules described are correct as at 13 October 2026.