I understand I have to arrange to collect Social Security before I leave the U.S. - that I can't do it from the UK. Is this correct?

How do I do it? Do I go in to a local office or do it online - or what?

No it's not correct.

Let me google that for you

Hi Windsong, here's a page from the Federal Benefits Unit at the United States Embassy in London about applying for your Social Security benefits when you are a British resident.

Federal Benefits / Social Security | Embassy of the United States

There's an on-line form or a telephone number for the FBU in London. They take your application over the phone, send a confirmation letter outlining your responses to questions, and the SS benefits are deposited in the bank of your choice (ours is RBS) on the 3rd of the month. The exchange rate obviously varies, but it's the best rate you can possibly get and no fees involved.

Thank you so much, Robin and Vadio! This is really, really helpful and allays some of my concerns prior to leaving.

Thanks for that I've book marked the page for future reference.
I also went to the US embassy site and I'm sure it was the SSI page to change our address to our UK one. We went into the local US office and did it before moving, but just to be sure, added it on the UK site.

I see now that you can do some things on-line that weren't available w/o a US address back in the dark ages of 2012.....might be even simpler than when I retired in May 2012. :-)

I still have to see to my social security before I leave. Plan to do this next week. Is it possible to have it paid on to a debit card (not attached to my bank account) that I can draw on from within the UK?

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10073.pdf

There is a fee for international withdrawals.

Thank you. I can see those fees, along with the exchange rate fluctuations and fees can add up very quickly. Maybe I would be better having it paid directly into a bank account over there. The problem is I don't have an account open there yet and I wanted to get the SS payments all arranged before leaving the USA. What to do . . .

Maybe the SSA will let me phone them with a bank account number once I get to the UK.

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

I will have to phone them to determine the best way to have it paid.

The guidelines say that if you work outside the USA you have to inform the SSA. I wasn't aware of this. Surely it shouldn't matter to the SSA if I work in the UK since I will be 62 by that time. Maybe it is only necessary to notify them if you are under the age at which you can begin to claim SS. Does anyone know?

PS: Reading it again, it does seem to be a requirement for those "younger" than retirement age.

Our SS benefits are deposited directly into our UK bank account with NO FEES. The net amount in GB£ varies with the exchange rate, but our bank here doesn't charge an 'incoming fee' nor does the SSA charge or deduct a fee for the international deposit.

Setting it up was simple - just informed the FBU at the American Embassy in London how we wanted the money deposited (bank details, etc.). Again, at that time, those of us outside the USA could not apply on-line.

If you elect the 'electronic card' and are abroad, it functions much the same as any other CC or debit card, and incurs various fees and surcharges. I would never use that option if resident outside the US.

If you are under the full retirement age, then yes, if you work, it may reduce your benefit depending on the amount you earn, and you do have to report it, no matter where the money is earned. I retired at 65, which was one year early, but did not work after that. Up to this year, I still had to certify that I had no earnings (there's a form that SSA send you for that).

Okay. Full retirement age is 66 and I will be 62 and can only earn the equivalent in the UK of $15000 before they start reducing my social security. I will simply work part time in the UK. Not what I wanted to do but I won't work full-time only to find I am working for the SSA.

If you can earn enough to delay getting SS, you might want to consider doing that. I had no plans to work, and a year early didn't make that much difference to my benefit, plus DH got more because my work record of nearly 50 years trumped his 10 year US work life.

Don't forget that SS will only be taxable in the UK under the tax treaty.