DWP in Spain
 

Hello everyone

I am posting on here as part of the new DWP team in Spain. We run a general information service of Expats about their rights to pensions, benefits and healthcare. A lot of good stuff can be found here:

http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-...ions-benefits/

but...I'm also happy to answer any questions you have.

FYI - the British Consulate in Barcelona is holding two open days next week in Girona (10th) and Tarragona (11th). You have to register beforehand to attend and the link to do this can be found here:

http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-...fits/open-day/

Regards

DWP Spain

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Welcome DWPinSpain.

I am sure your input will be very useful on this forum.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Thank you, that will be very useful! :)

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Welcome DWPinSpain, nice to see you here.

Just to get the ball rolling. :thumbup:

I have paid a full whack of insurance stamps to qualify for a full pension, but when I claimed my pension I was told as I left the UK, despite still being in another country in the EU where I can claim my pension, before I was 65 I have lost 9% of my pension, this is loosing me 15 pounds a week and with the exchange rate as it is very frustrating.
Apparently from 60 to 65 you are credited the extra years ? although I have already paid enough stamps according to HM Revenue and Customs Nat Ins Conts Office, International Pensions said they would contact them and see what I needed to pay for a full pension, I had a final bill for 6 pounds 80 pence recently.
If this is the case then it is extremely unfair as it is supposed to be a European community so I feel that I should be entitled to these credits as if I was in the UK.
Please don`t tell me to pay the back stamps as I have already paid 43 years worth and I would be about 71 before I broke even, if I am still here. :blink:
In 2010 I would of only need 30 years stamps for a full pension, I am definately not a happy bunny, what ever is going on. :curse:

TIA for your reply.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Some clear information on here. Glad you posted.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Hi DWP in Spain,

And Welcome. I hope that you don't live to regret it - I feel you may be inundated by obscure queries. Good Luck

Davexf

Re: DWP in Spain
 

If you have paid 43 years then you are only one year short and should be getting about 97% of the full pension.

Incidentally the pay back period for paying voluntary contributions is about 3 years. It's actually a very good deal.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

If they are salaried they should be prepared to answer all questions however obscure surely?

Re: DWP in Spain
 

There is a slight discrepancy between HM E and C and the pension people.
I got a bill for total contributions owed for 6 pounds 80 pence, but the pension people listed 5 years owing and said I could pay any of 4 of them to get 100%.
I paid stamps from 15 years old to 59, 44 years but apparently the first year is not counted, why not ?
I sent them a copy of the paid bill, but as it takes 6 to 8 weeks to get a reply I am still waiting for a reply.
I have been trying to sort my claim out since early September. ;-((

Re: DWP in Spain
 

It sounds like a nice little challenge for our new member to advise on.

We await his (her) comments with interest!

Re: DWP in Spain
 

And can you help us Portuguese? Are the rules the same for us?

JDR, that doesn't sound atall fair and I think my husband may be in the same position. Have had a glass of wine (and driven from Portugal to Nueva Andalusia today) so will look again tomorrow!

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Welcome to the forum and thank you for offering some advice to the members here. It´s great to see the consulate taking an active interest in the welfare British expat community.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Thank you for the welcome and there are some interesting questions on here. I'll post again on Thursday.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

As this is likely to be a very popular and useful thread, any way any mod can make it a sticky, so it's always at the top?

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I may keep it live for a while yet. ;-))

Re: DWP in Spain
 

If it does turn out to be a useful and popular thread maybe ...... so far it contains more questions than answers ;):)

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I pm'd DWPinSpain and got a really helpful and informative answer within a few hours.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Thats great, and there will be times when people want to keep information private, but it would be useful to have some answers on here, for instance, to JDR's query as I am interested to know myself :)

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I think there will be a lot of people interested Mitz as this is one of the things you don`t find out till you apply for your pension.
He has helped me previously by PM just after I first applied for my pension. :thumbup:
It will be really good to have the Q`s and A`s on a thread though for other peoples reference also, as some may not realize the consequences of some of the things that happen or be too shy to post for themselves.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

My husband has his state pension starting on 1st August. Do you send out the forms automatically.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

They do send out the forms but you can download one here

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/pdf/br1/br12006.pdf

I did that and got confirmation of my pension in good time together with an E121 form.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Yes, I appreciate that, but my enquiry was a personal one concerning my husband that would not have applied to other people.

As regards JDR's query, you only get the five years NI credits if you are British resident (you may or may not think this is fair, but it's the rules); however if he already has 43 years worth of NI then he has almost enough for a full State Pension, so I'm a little confused as to what the problem is really? He can pay one more year at about £400 and get the full Pension - I have just done this very thing. I must have misunderstood something.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I have 34 years, but when I retire in 2019 I believe I will only need 30 years ... so even with the five year thing I should get a full pension ...... I think :D

Re: DWP in Spain
 

You are confused, so am I.

I get a bill from the main man for 6 pounds 90 pence, and a bill from the Pension Service for over 1,600 pounds, work that out.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Unless they change your retirement age, lol

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Mitzyboy, yes, you will get a full Pension.

When we came here to Spain, I was two years NI short (State retirement date January 2010) and my husband was eight years NI short (State retirement date January 2014) - as at the time you needed 39 or 44 years depending upon your gender.

Anyway as my State retirement date is before 6th April 2010 I still need 39 years and have now paid the two years Voluntary Contributions and will get a full Pension.

My husband, whose State retirement date is after April 6th 2010, benefits from the change in legislation and his 36 years are now more than enough. to get his full Pension.

We have both had recent Pension forecasts which confirm this.

A bit of a pain for those of us whose who have a date before April 2010, but I suppose they have to have the cutoff point somewhere.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Oh right, I agree.....confusing!!

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Hmm good question, I never got forms
Phoned up and they sent them to me, filled everything in and sent them off, got my marriage cert returned by registered post. Waited and heard no more, so after a couple of weeks phoned up, sorry we have no record of your claim. But you must have, I had my marriage certificate and a letter saying who was dealing with the claim returned to me.
Spoke to one of the managers and he told me to reclaim and fill the form in on line and it would be expressed through.
It was finally sorted a couple of weeks ago apart from the shortfall in my percentage of pension, the initial claim was made in Sept 08.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Hi JDR,

You have to claim your pension; therefore if they lost the first application (and don't admit it) then your pension starts from when you claim NOT from your 65th birthday.

Happened to a friend of mine who lost 6 months of pension payments. For the "increased pension" to pay back for the missed months, one would have to live to 106 !!

Davexf

Re: DWP in Spain
 

That's the last time I take a day off.

There are a lot of questions on here, and it will be difficult to give precise answers. The one thing everyone has to remember is that although there are general rules to pensions and benefits claims, there will always be individual circumstances that dictate the awards of benefits.

As for JDR's case, I will need to PM you about it before I can give you an answer as I'll need more info.

In terms of retirement dates, the Pension Reform Act comes into play on 6th April 2010. As someone mentioned, there has to be a cut off date sometime. But yes, 30 years contributions are all you will need for a full state pension although the retirement age for women is going up from 60 to 65 between 2010 and 2020 and from 65 to 68 for both men and women between 2020 and 2046. You can get more info at www.thepensionservice.gov.uk.

As for getting the claim forms from the International Pension Centre, if you haven't received one by four months before retirement age, give them a call on 0044 191 218 7777.

I´ll have a look at the other questions later. Bear in mind that I can only check the forum so often, so please be patient while waiting for a reply.

Thanks.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I have PM`d you with a brief account of what has happened so far and details you asked for and thanks for your help. :thumbup::thumbup:

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Hi DWP in Spain,

Well done, it is good to know you are finding the answers

Davexf

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Hey I just used the pension service, retirement calculator, apparently I can retire in 2031 aged 66 http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ns/sniffle.gif

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I PM'd DWP and got answers back very quickly. Very informative thanks very much and keep up the good work....

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Snap! Shall we plan a joint retirement party? (If our joints are still up to it ;) )

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I would just like to say thank you to you.

So

THANK YOU

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I am encouraged by the DWP taking this helpful step towards resolving some of our problems. If only HM Revenue and Customs in Newcastle were equally transparent we would be able to get sensible answers to the ridiculous problems we face regarding health care in Spain and in particular, the E106 form and the EHIC card.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

Just bumping this thread in case people don't know/have forgotten it is here.

Re: DWP in Spain
 

You're right, I had forgotten, are you able to help Portuguese expats as well? If so, could we move a copy or a link to this to the Portuguese forum?

Re: DWP in Spain
 

I have to wait till 2037, Bugger but I will be 67.