Feidlimid

A heads up for those expecting a Life Certificate re state pension. I received my form today, 10 weeks after it was posted; that still gives me 6 weeks to get it sorted. I rang the Pension Centre +44 191 218 7777 selecting Option ‘1’ and after explaining the unreliability of using local postal services and the expense of couriers, I asked if I could complete the process over the telephone.

The call centre rep was sympathetic but said that the policy of completing the process over the telephone was a temporary arrangement for Covid and had now stopped. She was still helpful and came up with a solution. She suggested sending the completed form to a friend in UK as an e-mail attachment and get them to print it off and send it to the Pensions Centre. I enquired that it might seem suspicious getting the form from a UK postal location whilst I’m supposed to be in the Ph. Nope, no problem. She said staff simply open the envelope and scan the document. No need even for a covering letter. Not ideal but a lot better than paying for a courier. As I say, pleasant and helpful staff today.
I forgot to ask how I would know if they received it or not. That’s probably another telephone call 3-4 weeks after my friend posts the form.

Gazza-d

You will know if they have received it when your pension stops.

Bealinehx

I sent mine last week via EMS at the local Philpost office cost 1800pesos versus LBC at 2600. Tracked it and it was delivered.

Jerseygirl

Seems this has happened to expats in other countries, myself included,

UK State Pension - delayed payments ?

Feidlimid

I last used EMS about 4/ 5 years ago. Documents nerver arrived in UK and EMS ignored the majority of our communication; absolutely dreadful customer service. It was quite a headache at the time. EMS seem to be very much a hit and miss organisation. Once bitten twice shy as they say, so since that incident, when we have to use an express/ courier service, we prefer to play safe, pay the extra and go with DHL. Never had a problem with them yet.

Bealinehx

The Canadian residents seem to be having a rotten deal. Their postal system cannot be as bad as it is here so it seems that DWP have dropped the ball. Naturally being civil servants they will not admit do getting anything wrong.

Stokkevn

How often are these life certificate/Proof of life documents sent out, I received my UK pension a year ago. And like most here the postal system is terrible, my last letter from the pension office was posted on 22nd June, arrived Manila 26th June, arrived at our local post office mid February.

Bealinehx

Normally very two years, but I suspect that when a person reaches a certain age the proof will most likely be an annual event.

Bealinehx

I forgot to add that you have four months to ensure that your response is received in Wolverhampton.

mikemike

can you not complete this through the on line secured portal

Stokkevn

Pity they don't have what my bank does, voice recognition, when I speak to a person over the phone the details come up straight away, could use that for proof of life and save all those tons of paper.

Feidlimid

To be precise, it’s 16 weeks and that’s from the date on the letter. So if it takes 10/ 11 weeks to get here as it did mine, you can cut that down to 5/ 6 weeks left to respond. Still plenty of time but with this new option to send by e-mail to a friend in UK who prints the form and posts it off, no problem.

Feidlimid

If only, if only ... we live in hope.

Stokkevn

For my Norwegian state pension I asked if they could use my brother's address as a postal address, no problem, they posted the original here and a copy to my brother who emailed it here, things went back to them via the same route.

freebie

And how and when does one use the UK friend/family address... is there a document on which they request communication details for proof of life ?