Veterans planning to leave Scotland in the event of a yes vote?
 

In the SNPs 600 odd page document on their vision for a future independent Scotland, it states their intention to take over responsibility for paying service pensions for veterans who remain living in Scotland. Now, this is only an intention, and presumably would be one of the many subjects that would have to be negotiated if the result is yes, it may not actually come to pass, however.....

A friend of my wife told her that she knew of "many" retired military personnel who intend to leave Scotland in the event of a yes vote, with their pension being the main area of concern.

How many is "many"? Well, this being a rumour site, I thought I'd ask if anyone else was aware of this, is in a similar situation, has similar intentions, etc.....

slight thread drift!
 

Well since no one has replied either way since OP put this up, I thought I'd introduce a little drift….

Batco doesn't live in Scotland, but his money is on the move out of his Scottish-based bank.

Regards
Batco

BATCO,

Is your bank even domiciled north of the border or does it jus have Scottish somewhere in the title? Even if it isn’t, the reality is that Edinburgh’s financial sector is not quite what once it was.

The Bank of Scotland/Scot Widows is a tiny part of the Lloyd’s group and up for grabs. The head of Scottish Widows is (this morning) complaining about the impact of relentless regulatory change but it's unlikely he'd ever want to invite even more cost, uncertainty and volatility by heading back properly north of the border.

Pensions meltdown threatens savings revolution - Telegraph

Standard Life is listed on the London stock exchange and is seemingly forever making noises about heading south for good and closing down (effectively) its call centre operations, and pension companies such as Scottish Life are now only brands owned by companies domiciled south of the border. The Royal Bank of Scotland is these days largely a Scottish company in name only, and run from London.

I suppose (in respect of AFPS and because it is an unfunded scheme) an intention to pay is the best that can be given. Whether or not the intent is ever going to be possibly later reneged on for political, regulatory or financial reasons is another matter..

If it is a positive vote.....
 

.....I will seriously consider moving south.

The deterrents are how much will I get for my nice house here and what will that buy me south of the border?? Not a lot I suspect.

The airy-fairyness of the arrangements for my service pension give me cause for concern. Will the annual increases continue?? How will my pension be taxed?

Above all I do not want to see the UK broken up to satisfy the ego of a man I consider a chancer. As a Scot through and through what has appalled me has been the anti-Englishness of the campaign and the serious nastiness of the Yes side. An associate of mine in a charity I'm involved in put a NO sticker in the back window of his car on Monday and that night had nails driven into his back tyres. The acrimony generated will take a long time to dissipate.

And of course last night Nicola Sturgeon said that if it was a NO vote they will hold another referendum within five years. Keep plugging at until the stupid voters cast their ballots the "right" way.
"Aye that'll be right as they say in her part of Scotland.

The Ancient Mariner

How odd - if the vote is "yes" the that Scottish git says it is "for ever": however, his mouthpiece says if "No" we can try again later -bit of "goose" and "gander" here methinks

I'm off ...
 

I'm out of here next week.
I rely on my RAF and Civil Service Pension, and a War Pension - I just don't trust the SNP. Whichever way the vote goes this will still be a beautiful country and wonderful people - with idiots for politicians.

But

Once again this is a 'nation' divided

It always was a disparate group of regions and clans but now you can add 'Yessers' and 'Nawers' to the mix.
The SNP will not take no for an answer so they will keep on banging their drum.
My little village is now divided with distrust and nastiness common.

If it goes yes - they simply can not afford what they have 'promised' let alone all the things they will need to set up, hence my worry about my pensions.

If it goes no then the "it's a' your fault" recriminations will start.

It's been a great twenty five years here ...
But I'm off - and can't wait.

Moving from Scotland isn't an option for me but I am concerned about my state pension and civil service pension if the vote is "Yes".

As a Canadian who has seen political murder, troops on the streets, kidnaping of embasy staff, financial chaos, discrimination againt anyone not considered a "Pure Quebecois", {not even First Nations citizens are granted this "purity" by the Seperatist idiots, this in spite of being here thousands of years befor any of us} I can only watch with horror the path that Scotland may go down, dont kid yourselves, it can and will happen North of Hadrians Wall if this stupidity comes about. We now live in Ontario, my kids having gone to French schools here, this was not permited under Bills 21 and 22 within Quebec lest they should contaminate the "purity" of the education system! They all have great jobs, partly due to their abillity to speak more than one language, somthing which sucesive seperatist governments within Quebec have tried to stamp out!

How very erudite.







.

I have been a very happy customer of a well known Scottish bank for over 30 years. The last time I spoke to my branch in St Andrews before moving to France, I asked if it would be safe to continue banking with them in the event of "Yes". The assistant manager told me that she had no idea. Should I move my pension and savings south of the border? Officially, there is no advice, but if I were you I would. So I am. How very sad. Best bank I ever dealt with. No, a superb bank.

There is now a Veterans' Commissioner. He should be able to answer any queries.

ScottishGovernment - News - Veterans Commissioner announced

Perthsaint, no one can answer any questions. No one knows.

Plenty of people know, Courtney.

Know what PS ??

Well why don't YOU tell us then, or are you merely here for s:mad:s and giggles?

I find your parochial view of veterans livelihoods insulting to put it mildly.

Parochial, glad? That's an odd one to throw. What would you like to know?

Answer the question then.

But you won't, will you. :mad:

How's this for ****s and giggles ... But also a pensioner my self but down Sarf

1. In all likelihood the arrangements will stand as the agreement is with country of which you served. Pension gets paid irrespective of where you live to a degree

2. How the scottish government treat the income for taxable purpose is another issue. That will be decided by the mandate of who the Scottish electorate elect

3.All bets are potentially off as The biggest issue will be currency arrangements. Even if sterling is used that does not protect the spending power of your payments. Especially if the snap keep talking about walking away from debt! They can forget having any borrowing power

I am getting a bad feeling about the way this is going and I do hope we all stay together. I don't think the challenge about oil running out is the big issue. The size of the Scottish elderly population, the fact that Scotland still imports most of its electricity from England etc etc all bode ill for life after independence.

I do hope whatever happens your pensions are safe.. Too hard won not to be !

perthsaint,

You say "plenty of people know", and then go on to ask, What would you like to know??

Well, I would like to know:

What will happen to military pensions for veterans living in an independent Scotland? Specifically:

Who will pay the pension?

What currency will it be paid in?

Will the pension for veterans living in Scotland be "linked" to those for someone with identical military service still living in the rest of UK, so a veteran isn't financially disadvantaged over time by having chosen to live in Scotland?

What happens to the pension for a veteran who lives in Scotland after independence, but chooses to move to England later, say in 2020?

How you can provide answers (as opposed to intentions) for any of these questions given that agreements on these matters will form part of post referendum discussions yet to take place between the respective governments?

Biggus,

Pensions will be paid by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency in sterling and will be the same as those paid in the rUK.

You're absolutely right to say that there will be discussions between the two governments. I can't see either or both wishing to use armed forces pensions as a political football though. Can you?