CDNReturner

OK, as from the beginning of March I can begin my application for the British State Pension. Unlike the Canadian Pension which lets you start the process a year in advance, the British one only gives you 4 months. How has this process worked out for those of you claiming your British Pension. Has it gone smoothly? Do you think it is necessary to send the application registered mail? I'm more worried about the written communications since they seem to route all their mail through Europe which as we know takes 2-3 months to receive. Got a shock this morning from First Direct when I opened my mail to find they are now using the same service and all 3 letters were dated November 26. The letters were to tell me they were deactivating my accounts because I hadn't used them for about 9 months! That is now sorted though with just transferring a pound back and forth every month. Geez!

Any advice re the state pension.

Thanks.

scrubbedexpat142

I applied late in October for an entitlement that became due in November. My fault, should have applied 3 months earlier. However, 3 months on and I have heard nothing, save for the documents I had to attach to my (26 page) claim form being returned early in November. I hope your records are available in full, as an expat you have to supply information going right back, including your inside leg measurement! And yes, registered post is a must!

BristolUK

Having applied for and received OAS (age 60 as a widower) I'd say the reason it's 12 months in Canada is because it takes them so damned long to do these things.
Just had a look over the form. It's not asking for any more than I had to do for Canada, but it does seem to ask a lot that appears to have no relevance.
Mind you, after my time working there I'm very familiar with "why do you need to know that?" and answering why, so there may be some good reason

scrubbedexpat142

My Wife was able to claim hers while still in the UK, a very simple, quick process.

The reason "SECURIDEE!".

BTW: You ommited your disclaimer!

PS: My documents, which effectively contained my whole life, were sent back to me open post - what a potential gift to an identity thief!

CDNReturner

Other than finding out my SIN had been deactivated I didn't have any issues on the Canadian side. I had been warned though to start as soon as possible since I'd been out of the country so long, so I had applied pretty well within a week of my 64th birthday.

Siouxie

I contacted them and told them it wasn't possible for me to apply by filling out the forms and mailing - and was sent an email telling me to apply by phone!
Those forms are a nightmare.. I can't remember the address I lived at and my place of work 40+ years ago!

BristolUK

Yeah, I didn't have any issues either. But after 30+ years in DSS/DWP I was well used to forms. It's just not a nice thought applying year ahead giving them plenty of time to get it done but no way of knowing it's all okay. Imagine that a month before it's due, having sat on the application for 11 months, they write to you with a query or a missing document and then it's going to take months all over again.

BristolUK

And hopefully it's not important because your NI record has already been sorted by a pension forecast previously.

But imagine someone applying for the pension, in full knowledge that they always worked and their pay slips back then always showed a deduction for NI, so they think everything is okay, and then they're one of those unfortunate people who worked for a dodgy employer who either pocketed the contributions or was just such a bad record keeper that the contributions were passed on but without the necessary identifying details so they were never credited to their account.

It's happened.

Siouxie

Unfortunately I applied for a pension forecast about 2 years ago but didn't receive it... and it's too late to get one now, apparently.
Perhaps we discussed this once, you seem to know a lot about one of my former employers who failed to pay my contributions, despite deducting them (since declared bankrupt). I don't have a clue how much I might get as I've lived abroad off and on.

I have a friend in the UK who was supposed to be getting the family responsibility contributions and then found out that because she had worked for 2-3 days one year she lost the complete year worth of contributions.

BEVS

Yes. Inland Revenue can supply history .
I have gone through this and it is a monster form. I just wrote in what I could the best I could . Stated what I could not remember and it was fine. No worries. It is more about checking you are you .

I cannot remember quite how long but I do know it took many many months to finalise. Maybe over 6 months. I can state that the Covid19 thing does impede progress.

Here in New Zealand you cannot have a UK state pension and an NZ state pension. One must choose. So I utilised the help of the NZ state pension service to help facilitate my application . I still had to do the form but they liaised.

scot47

When I worked within the Contributions system (worst job I ever had) I was shocked to learn that so many employers in UK deduct NI Contribu
tions from employee's earnings and then "forget" to pay the DWP. This usually does not emerge untilk that employee claims. My advice to one and all is - Geat a Pension Forecast !

BristolUK

I don't remember talking about that, it was just something I used to hear of.
Especially going back a bit when an employer might have passed the money on but somehow failed to say whose account it should be for. A bit like a bank receiving a deposit but insufficient detail to identify what account.
If the person whose account should have been credited is able to supply some info then it may be sorted.

That's tough. I remember the pension forecast/missing years stuff says something about complete years being needed. Traditionally, though, there was always a five year thing built in so there was some leeway in avoiding such situations.

I imagine it happens much less now with the help of technology.

Hurlabrick

Because of this thread, I started early on filling the UK pension forms out (with the aim of sending them in in July this year). I easily managed to get a pension projectiin using the online facility and have printed that. I managed to fill the form in without too much trouble. I only have scanned P60s going back to 2008, so explained why not originals and said I simply didnt keep the earlier ones as I thought they were only needed for the annual returns. I will be sending in notarised copies of key documents (no way will I trust them to return my originals). Yes, they wanted a lot of information, but it wssnt as bad as the Canadian spousal sponsorship forms IMHO. Fingers crossed for actual processing later this year!

Siouxie

Joy of joys - the Govt website couldn't remember who I am, wouldn't accept any log in I had, made me start from scratch.. however, you have to show proof of your ID - but I was only given 2 options 1) My passport (no problem) and 2) A UK Credit agency report - I haven't lived in the UK for many years and don't have a credit report there, so couldn't use that option. Because they only offered 2 options, I can't access my records online, frustrating when I had a perfectly good online account previously!

For anyone who wants to register online, this website gives a step by step guide: https://taxvol.org.uk/wp-content/upl...ctions-v13.pdf

BristolUK

Yep, had that problem too. Lucky I know what's there and have a copy.

Somewhere.