I deferred for 8 years, reasons are private.

General question: I sent in my claim on 20/6/13-confirmed receipt 26/6/13. They asked for further information (which was in the original application)-received 8/8-returned 9/8-received by them 15/8.

To date: no pension (I have between 16/19 years of contributions). The last time I spoke to UKPens, 27/8-it was clear that the person I spoke to felt it was taking too long, she mentioned that she 'would give them a jog'.

Is this normal? Does it take this long normally?

Though I have done research on the following, what is the consensus opinion?: my understanding that taking the money in a lump sum will incur tax. Having it added to the quarterly pension will not.

Waddyerthink? Gawd knows that lump sum will be handy, but will the tax be a heavy slug?

Strewth it's a headache.

they are very slow - one gal I've helped in the past year on this who has been trying to get it sorted for the past year says on her first go around it took 3 months - because its handled by a caseworker assigned to your file.

I did a lot of calling myself for my wife & I - in fact, I learned very quickly to call every week to finally get the case workers name & continued to repeated call. Because of that change big window back in 2008/09 when we could top up 12 years in one go, then plus another 6 etc (sorry to bore you on that detail)

IMO, do not take the lump sum - whatever you've not collected (you've not missed) & by adding what you've not collected to your entitlement you'll not only get the interest on the uncollected amount but will also get the current pension for 2013/14 rate proportion to the lets say 15/30. However if you turned 60 before the changes in 2008/09 you are likely (as a female) on the old 40 years NIC requirement. There is still a provision unless you've not already taken the opportunity to buy back 6 years of NIC at class 3

My advice is to keep calling, say you are ticked off because you're not getting a response & you would like a caseworker to call you directly about your file, number of years, entitlement & how much & what can you top up in voluntary NIC's

Good luck - any questions further let me know

to add to my last post on this question

On the basis you have 16 paid in years (excluding any voluntary NIC) and you turned pension age before 2008 when the qualifying years for full pension was 39 for female 44 for male (a correction to the above post), likely then you have 16/39 (~41%). Since you deferred 8 years the addition pension will be approx 10.4% for each year deferred & on the base amount x 8 years.

Today state pension rate £110.15. I'm calculating your state pension could be somewhere between £70 - £75/wk (~$120Aus/wk). Did you get a number from DWP in the UK or have you an idea how much you'll get?

From centerlink pensions folks (they have an on-line calculator) it looks like Australia will take the UK pension, other income, assets into consideration and decrease your OZ pension $0.25 for every dollar of other income such a the UK pension

Thanks for this! I come into the 39 week assessment category, and Centelink International advised the following. I wrote it down at the time:

"UK Pension or any other monetary source, is simply calculated as 'money' by Centrelink. Amount up to $152 FN ( £90 ) will not effect AusPens. Above that, CL will calculate 50c in every dollar> eg: $180 paid? = $28 over. Half taken, thus Auspen will reduce by $14."

What scares me is that delay you mentioned!!!

This is the squeaky wheel thing isn't it? I was bothered that phoning them might put them offside, but I don't think there is any choice now-I have to start pushing them.

OK, my first UK whinges are that yesterday my flight from Edinburgh to London was delayed for weather and I was forced to stay in the bar for two more pints, and secondly after I wentall the way to Nottingham we only drew against Bournemouth instead of winning!

Apart from that I've been here a week, been all over London, down to Brighon, north to Nottingham and Edinburgh, met up with old and new friends, shopped, partied and drunk too much.
I haven't been mugged, attacked, ripped off or sworn at, I've met some lovely people, even the airport security girl in Edinburgh had a laugh with me, and its such a relaxed chilled-out place. The total opposite of Brisbane these days.

No doggie turds

One happy bunny right now

You sure you are in the UK, and not in some parallel galaxy?..

Lots of people around me speaking English, so maybe I am somewhere else - don't some people say they don't speak English in the UK anymore?

I think you might be right, since I've been back I often haven't understand people around me, and struggled to wonder what language it is. Usually some form of English though!!

are you sure? I have been stabbed 10 times and shot twice since returning so I'm pretty sure you must be telling porkies!

The pavements are covered in chewing gum.

City centres in the evening are full of obnoxious young drunks in feral packs.

Well I was being held hostage at the time by a gang of thugs from the local primary school......they forced me to type it, honest!

when you walk down the street and you see friendly faces.