Snowy560

Please may I just confirm that the form I need to complete to claim my UK state pension here in Canada is:: IPL BR1 GOV NSP 12/15?

I only have approximate dates for some employment and addresses in the UK. I hope this will be okay.

Thank you

MB-Realtor

You can do it over the phone, much easier than filling in forms.

Pulaski

If you haven't yet reached retirement age, and have less than 35 years of contributions, you would probably be eligible to pay for additional "voluntary" years at a very attractive ("Class 2") rate.

Snowy560

hi thanks very much ... have you got a link for this so I can phone?

JonboyE

If they have your current address they send a letter 2-3 months before your state pension date with the phone number to call.

Snowy560

Thank you. They should have my current address (I got a pension forecast from them a few years back. HMRC also have my address) but I have not received a letter.

I have found a number. +44 (0) 191 218 7777 so I will try calling tomorrow.

PS: Can you really do the claim all on the phone?

Thank you again.

BristolUK

That's what I was expecting for mine but they never did - ironic given who I used to work for - and I had to do mine the old fashioned way.
(albeit printing the form off and posting it)

Snowy560

Update: I filled in the online contact form. I got an email back overnight saying I could fill in the form and mail it or apply over the phone.
I called this morning. It took about 25 minutes.

Thanks to all who responded on this thread.

Snowy560

Thanks... I agree the form is hard work and I also agree they didn't ask me half of the Qs when I called this morning.

Snowy560

Oh yes ... I know the pension is fixed and you don't get the increases but what I did not know was that deferring it would not enable me to get a higher amount if there's an increase before I want it to start. The agent said it was fixed to the rate at when you become eligible. Does this sound right ?

BristolUK

Yes.
I had that exact question last year. My eligible date was the week before the annual increase - and it was a bigger increase than usual.

I wanted to claim it from the week after and then have it frozen at the higher rate, quickly recovering a lost week and then gaining in the long run, but they told me it was based on eligible date, not after.

BristolUK

That's interesting.
I was mildly irritated that despite my pension being based solely on my NI record (already having my pension forecast) and my late wife being Canadian, had never set foot in the UK so was completely irrelevant for the application, they still wanted marriage and death certs with the application.

Using the email contact facility, I did ask if it was really necessary and they said "yes, to keep records up to date" but I just don't see that at all.

I suppose that had they sent my invitation to apply in advance and I'd phoned or done it online, using the reference number I didn't get, it might have been more flexible like yours was in not asking irrelevancies.

Snowy560

Thanks for sharing...so it's unlike my private pension in that respect.

Kingsboy48

The pension is currently frozen but there are various lobby groups across several countries working to get our pensions unfrozen, an important issue since all expats may be able to vote in the next election - around 500,000 people with frozen pensions would be eligible to vote. Check out britishpensions.com for info and join the fight!

MB-Realtor

Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners or campaigning vigorously.

https://britishpensions.com/endfrozenpensions/