First Step: notify them that you are leaving the country. They have a special team that deal with people moving abroad that will ring you back ... still waiting.
Update 18/8/8
Despite several phone calls I've not had any communication from the "special team" the normal Tax Credit phone line can't tell you anything so I guess I'll just wait to see when they stop paying!
Monday, 21 July 2008
Child Benefit
This needs to be cancelled as close to your departure date as possible as they are unable to take a date of departure! Child Benefit is paid on a Monday so cancel it the day afterwards.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
International Driving Permit
It is unclear to me how vital an International Driving Permit (IDP) is for Namibia. The RAC site, http://www.rac.co.uk/web/know-how/going-on-a-journey/driving-abroad/driving-abroad-how.htm, indicates that it is not essential. But then when you search for Namibia says that if you hold a green driving license then it is required. It currently costs £5.50 so we'll play on the safe side!
Sunday, 1 June 2008
Vaccinations
I went to the travel nurse last week to try to find out which vaccinations we might need - the picture wasn't entirely clear! I think the recommendations were:
- Hepatitis A & B
- Meningitis ACWY
- Rabies - as there is a worldwide shortage of the immune globulin this was recommended (especially so for children.)
- BCG (TB) You can't get this done on the National Health unless you are "at risk" in the UK.
- Yellow Fever only needed if you travel directly from a high risk Yellow fever area.
- Anti-Malarials - not needed for Rehoboth/Windhoek but might be needed if we visited the north??
I'll add comments as I find out more information.
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Disability Living Allowance & Invalid Carers Allowance
I've been told that these continue for 6 months after we leave - how generous...
...the trouble is you have to be back in the UK for six months before you can apply again!
Quote "Its all a very grey area we might be able to suspend it or even continue to pay it. You'll need to put it in writing and then it will go to a decision maker"
...the trouble is you have to be back in the UK for six months before you can apply again!
Quote "Its all a very grey area we might be able to suspend it or even continue to pay it. You'll need to put it in writing and then it will go to a decision maker"
National Insurance
The leaflet NI38 covers the subject of National Insurance and going abroad. The bit that seems relevant to voluntary work is on page 18. "Volunteer Development Workers"
To quote:
If you are sent to work abroad in a developing country by a registered charity, you may be able to choose to pay (Volunteer Development Workers Class 2) at the special Class 2 rate for Volunteer Development Workers NI contributions.
These NI contributions may help you satisfy the contributions conditions for Contributions Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Incapacity and Maternity Benefit and give you cover for industrial injury or disablement suffered during your employment abroad when you return to the UK.
You may pay Volunteer Development Class 2 NI contributions if:
• you are ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK (see page 11 for what this means), and
• your recruiting organisation is approved for these purposes by the Board of the Inland Revenue, and
• the country where you are working is recognised as a developing country by the Board of the Inland Revenue.
The organisation that recruited you will know whether the last two conditions are satisfied.
I'll need to check with AIM
Update 18/8/8:
A couple of months later I received a letter saying that the rules for state pension have changed and you now only need 30 years contributions as I already have 29 qualifying years I've decided I don't need to bother!
The other thing the letter said was that you had to be employed by the voluntary organisation to be eligible for Voluntary Developement Workers contribution rates so I would probably have had to do voluntary Class 3 contributions as I'm not officially employed by AIM!
To quote:
If you are sent to work abroad in a developing country by a registered charity, you may be able to choose to pay (Volunteer Development Workers Class 2) at the special Class 2 rate for Volunteer Development Workers NI contributions.
These NI contributions may help you satisfy the contributions conditions for Contributions Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Incapacity and Maternity Benefit and give you cover for industrial injury or disablement suffered during your employment abroad when you return to the UK.
You may pay Volunteer Development Class 2 NI contributions if:
• you are ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK (see page 11 for what this means), and
• your recruiting organisation is approved for these purposes by the Board of the Inland Revenue, and
• the country where you are working is recognised as a developing country by the Board of the Inland Revenue.
The organisation that recruited you will know whether the last two conditions are satisfied.
I'll need to check with AIM
Update 18/8/8:
A couple of months later I received a letter saying that the rules for state pension have changed and you now only need 30 years contributions as I already have 29 qualifying years I've decided I don't need to bother!
The other thing the letter said was that you had to be employed by the voluntary organisation to be eligible for Voluntary Developement Workers contribution rates so I would probably have had to do voluntary Class 3 contributions as I'm not officially employed by AIM!
HMRC Income Tax etc.
Apparently I need to attach my P45 to a P85 when I leave the UK and then fill in a P86 when we return, but as I won't get a P45 until after I leave, I can just send the P85 without it!
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