mikek1

Use Skype its very clear and cheap. I use messenger for social calls ( free) and Skype for non social calls.

freebie

Thanks Mike !

Stokkevn

Thanks everyone for the info. Looks like I will be phoning when they open one morning.

Stokkevn

Well that is done. Spent hours writing down all the companies I have worked for and which dates entering and leaving the UK, all the addresses where I lived and from which dates. Phoned them up, he didn't ask any housing, work or overseas history, it only took 15 minutes because the line was bad and I had to repeat or spell a lot otherwise probably less than 10 mins. Next one is to do my Norwegian one but that is a lot easier as you only have to quote a number and confirm a few basic details and that's it.

Quick note - they do not open until 09:30hrs.

Bealinehx

Stokkevn well done methinks that your Norwegian pension will be more valuable.

Stokkevn

Yes, by a factor of about three and a half. Wife can't wait until I am 67 or the following year when she gets her UK pension.

Bealinehx

I have just finished a phone call with DWP in Geordie land. I was enquiring when I should expect my Proof of Life documentation. Much to my surprise they have not sent any Proof of Life enquiries for two years and have no immediate plans to restart. I'm amazed at the lack of diligence.

Stokkevn

If they posted one to me it could take a while to arrive, last letter DWP sent me was posted 26th June, arrived Manila 28th June and arrived in our local post office 7th January, this is not unusual for post over the last two years. A German friend has just got his life certificate a couple of weeks ago posted in May last year.

Bealinehx

Philpost is a joke. I am 12kms from NAIA. Any inbound mail from the UK takes 2-3 days to land at NAIA and typically 12 weeks to travel the final 12kms.

Stokkevn

At the beginning of the pandemic the government took all their delivery vans off them so they could deliver Covid samples and tests with them. But a year before that our Philpost on Panay cancelled their contract with the airline to deliver post and went back over 100 years to collecting the post from Manila by road. So even before the pandemic 12 weeks was normal.

Raffin

Philippines doing it online and Mafia style:

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/125445...-proof-of-life

Bealinehx

HMRC conduct their business online, isn't it about time DWP got their act together and joined the 21st Century? A question for Mr Blobby to answer methinks. My other pension providers all conduct business online.

calman014

DWP is a complete mess at the moment. The responsible minister has no interest in sorting the problems of thousands who are still waiting for their pensions due to the chaos. Don't expect to receive your pension on time or any kind of coherent answer from them. See the website "thisismoney"published by Daily Mail...loads of stories on there, including from expats.

Stokkevn

I've done OK, received my first payment about 6 weeks after my birthday, amount adjusted for the delay and every 4 weeks after that.

calman014

Then you are one of the lucky few...