lesleys

I have not taken my pension, which I was entitled to 5 years ago. I deferred my pension by not claiming it. I am now claiming it and am entitled to 5 years' worth of increased pension or lump sum. The lump sum is the same as 5 years back-dated pension, plus modest interest.

Your lips are still difficult to read.

spouse of scouse

Lesleys is right Wol, that is what let to the confusion we had with DWP. When Scouse was sent his forms to claim the State pension, he filled them in and added a note saying he was deferring. DWP have since told us that he shouldn't have filled anything in at all, or indeed even notified them that he was deferring. In other words, to defer a pension, you just don't claim it (until you want to receive it). No other communication with DWP is necessary.

Wol

That's interesting!

We were in England several years ago, having told the pension people that we were going there (so that they would uprate the amount during the visit - every little helps) and, would you believe they rang my mobile a couple of hours after landing to check up on me!

The lady was very pleasant and, after a chat, I said that Mrs Wol hadn't bothered to say that she too was in the Uk since her pension was 19p per week and less than the cost of the phone call from Oz. I was then informed that she was entitled to a pension as my wife (as opposed to the minimal one from brief employment some forty years ago, 19p) and they sent me a claim form which was in my box when we returned. However, the form entitled her to claim the arrears but only for two years' backdate - which is where my information comes from.

As always, it depends who you talk to!

spouse of scouse

Ain't that the truth!

lesleys

I wonder if that was because it was associated with the pension you were already claiming, rather than Mrs Wol claiming independently?

I know my mum was paid her own pension as a result of my dad's state pension, but I never checked the technicalities.

I'm sure the DWP could make it more complicated if they really tried.

Wol

>>I'm sure the DWP could make it more complicated if they really tried. <<

Ain't that just true. They should take lessons from Australia on how to make things so complex they stop completely!

asher

There is also the fact that the UK is now talking of scrapping the tax allowance for expat pensioners so you have to pay tax on the whole of the pension.
pretty mean of them

spouse of scouse

Excuse my disloyalty to my country, but I have to agree with that! I honestly don't know how some people manage with our taxation and social security systems - working your way through the rules and associated documents requires a pretty high level of literacy and cognitive skills - and even then you can be left totally bamboozled

ozzieeagle

Yehp agree with that, Centerlink would have to be the worst government department of any country anywhere.

Certainly the worst I've encountered. Talk about a different story everytime you phone them. Thats if you can get through.

DaveandLinda

There is a rule that pensions are only taxable in the country of residence so if you are an Australian resident it would just be added to your taxable income here in Australia. I don't think that this is going to change under the new proposals.

spouse of scouse

Re this - Scouse was granted an Age Pension from Centrelink. The letter of grant stated that, since it was noted that he'd born in the UK, he had to fill in a specific Centrelink form which they would then send to DWP, who would in turn send Scouse a notification of any State pension he was entitled to, and the forms to claim it.

Despite talking to 3 different people at Centrelink, saying that he'd deferred his British state pension so it was no use him filling in another state pension claim, they just didn't get it.

4th time lucky, he talked to a woman in Canberra who actually knew what she was talking about. Scouse explained about the deferment etc, and told her that he would rather provide Centrelink with the document that specified how much British pension he would be receiving if he hadn't deferred it, so they could deduct whatever they had to from his fortnightly Age pension payments. He knows that if this doesn't happen, then once he actually claims the British pension and also receives a lump sum, he'll owe Centrelink money.

The woman had to put him on hold while she 'talked to the team' (love all this 'team' stuff ) - she came back to him and said that while it's a great idea, there is no way that these deductions can be processed, the system isn't set up for that.

The clear message to Scouse was - we're not interested in how much you could be getting, we're only interested when you actually receive any money. When he does receive money for his British pension, he's to tell them how much the lump sum was, and how much the ongoing pension is, and they'll then send him a bill. What amount the bill will be for, she didn't know.

She was really nice about it all, and quite clued up - she even told Scouse that he wasn't to worry about anything. He does worry though, he hates owing money.

It's only going to get more complicated, because once we sell the house, I start claiming my super allocated pension and my accident insurance claim is settled, he probably won't be eligible an Oz age pension And then we're buggering off to the UK to live.

Oh well, keeps life interesting Just thought that Centrelink's take on deferred British pensions while claiming an Oz pension might be useful knowledge to share here.

BadgeIsBack

Actually Wol, my impression from dealing with both the UK and Australia in recent years is that in general govt agencies have upped their games this last 15 years. I think IT systems and the web and customer relations in general have improved.

We find our dealing with Centrelink and related agencies very easy - there is even an account where you can transact all matters relating to 'big govt' and we have found any number of examples where they do one of the following - cough up (when money is owing) - do the right thing - respond rapidly and get back to you. There have also been occasions where *we* have done the wrong thing - after all - it works 2 ways - and they have still worked with us - and come to the party - even when it looked like we might have to cough up they have looked the other way. I don't get this anti-Australia (or even anti-UK) attitude from expats - we have found that it is all rather easy. A phonecall sorts things out - often in quite short order. Of course, bureaucracy is bureaucracy. Sometimes IT systems do not work seamlessly case by case.

Now I have a lot less recent experience of the UK but I am sure they have also upped their game in recent years. Certainly when I was completing my tax returns around my departure they were quick.

I think in the interests of being balanced and not being grumpy citizens - especially those of us who have a lot less time on our hands - govt agencies have really upped their game. So come on, get back to reviewing robotic vacuum cleaners!

Wol

Badge: Don't get me started on vacuums....

I have found the ATO much better than the UK tax people (whatever they are called this week.) The ATO online return is a piece of cake for my own, simple, tax return and they come up with the extra I owe within a few days. I could never get the UK online return to work (probably because I had a small US interest.)

The ATO also seems much more able to answer queries than used to be the case in the UK - and they will call you back, which is a plus.

On the other hand, Medicare used to be easy to get refunds here: they've joined it up with Centrelink etc now, nice new office, chairs etc - and it takes forever to get "done".

Now, back to the vacuuming

spouse of scouse

There's no doubt that a huge organization such as Centrelink will have the occasional stuff up, and I have no problem with that.

Scouse had a relatively minor hiccup - after been seen an hour after his pre-booked appointment time, and handing over the ton of certified documents he'd been asked to bring, he received a letter a couple of weeks later telling him that his application couldn't be approved because he hadn't supplied any documents That only took one return visit, so bearable.

Their stuff up with me was enormous. Despite having been advised of all the facts, and being assured that their files had been amended accordingly, they merrily sent a series of letters about me to my ex-husband. The letters not only detailed my finances, but also had full details of a motor vehicle accident I've had. It took 5 phone calls, 7 written complaints and 2 months before it was sorted out - and during those 2 months they continued to send my personal correspondence to my ex-husband.

Sorry, but that's woeful in anyone's language. The upshot of it all was they referred the matter to their Privacy branch for investigation, and I eventually received a letter acknowledging that my privacy had been breached on several occasions. Had to laugh at the last line - 'apologies if this has caused you any inconvenience'

Oh well, as a t-shirt someone gave me after a trip to Bali says, Shit Happen

BadgeIsBack

See - that's better than saying 'Take lessons from Australia' - which does not help anyone, surely? In the way lots of rolleyes doesn't help anyone or debate. My view is that to be fair - lots of agencies do ok - some better than others etc etc. There sometimes seems a tendency to make Australia out as some sort of "red-tape nightmare" - (with people jumping on a bandwagon and with the tale growing with the telling) it is NOT always the case - this is a matter of fact. I would gladly hope that it is the same for the UK and certainly know I've had some good experiences. I think we have to remember there are other countries in Europe and throughout the world where there is more corruption and far more process.

I have always wondered what happens when there is a stuff-up - why.
Was there a reason etc. I believe that when you look at the complexity of things, thing do go wrong. And computer systems are the results of hours of work. In fact, it's a wonder why in areas like banking and pension balances there are not more stuff-ups. But then balances are looked after so stringently and the systems have been in place for so long they are fairly reliable. When you do a ATM withdrawal there is an entire chain of processes that all connect to each other and end up in a transactional log on a mainframe etc.

I think that IT systems tend to be poor at finding mistakes and when mistakes are found they need assigning on a case by case basis to someone who can take full control from wo to go. It's easier to put some of them in the too-hard basket too...