British expats who are approaching retirement age may well want to contact the UK international pensions centre to make sure that you register a claim for your State Pension.
The pensions office should contact you three months before you are due to recieve payments but if this doesnt happen or you want to check something out here are the contact details.
You can also contact the International Pension Centre by secure email.
The LOCATE service offered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office(FCO) in the UK is a system whereby you can register your presence in a particular country. By providing relevant contact details local embassies and consulates have a way of getting in touch with you in emergency.
Unfortunately, probably because the system was originally designed for overseas travel, re-registration is required every 12 months. However if you provide an email address the FCO will send you an automated reminder when its time to renew.
LOCATE is a free service and well worth considering if you live overseas. It is actually compulsory to register if you wish to use any of your local UK embassy services such as providing officially certified information to government departments in your host country.
Many British expats may consider taking their vehicle with them when they move abroad. Whether you move is of a temporary or permanent nature there are various procedures that must be followed.
Regulation is fairly complex but you can find full details of taking a vehicle out of the UK permanently or temporarily here.
Interestingly a vehicle purchased for export may be driven by a UK resident for up to six months before export (Road tax applicable) which is quite useful regarding the paying of VAT on the vehicle. However the proposed export must be permanent i.e. for at least 6 months and does not apply to exports to EU countries.
Vehicles subject to temporary exportation are still subject to UK road traffic laws that cover insurance, MOT and vehicle taxation.
I wonder as a British expatriate do you have a favourite watering hole in the country you now call home. Lets face it there are British pubs in countries as diverse as India and the USA. But what about restaurants or clubs?
Well the Telegraph and British Airways have teamed up to to provide some awards for the best of British, establishments abroad that truly represent Brits abroad. These are the categories in which you can enter your vote:
"Best British Shop; Best British Restaurant; Best British Pub/Bar; Best British Social Club; Best British Business Club and Best British Sporting Club."
Which offers the 5.5 million British expats around the world a fair bit of choice. By way of encouragement(to vote) the sponsors are also offering a luck draw for free tickets to the event if you nominate or vote in the awards competition.
Check out all the details at "Best of British Awards: vote for our finest outposts."
Nominations and voting close on 15th January 2010.
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