Originally Posted by Ka Ora! (Post 7413820)

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

Originally Posted by Mitzyboy (Post 7414334)

I retired at 52 :p

Originally Posted by anna58 (Post 7413015)

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?

Originally Posted by jackytoo (Post 7423133)

What will they exactly help us with? That pensioners can only receive their pension allowance, that there is NO fuel allowance, unless in the UK on a certain date, there is no entitlements to pension credit top ups whenyou have left the UK. They (the Government) have virtually washed their hands of people living outside the UK. just a pointless public relations exercise to tell UK citizens what they CAN'T claim, just justifying their jobs:mad:

Originally Posted by Mitzyboy (Post 7414334)

I retired at 52 :p

Originally Posted by scampicat (Post 7424083)

I personally think this is a tad unfair; at the very least they will be able to give people accurate information instead of all of us guessing and coming up with different answers.

TEI emailed DWPin Spain with a question about my husband's Incapacity Benefit (which CAN be claimed in Spain:)) and got a very prompt, informative, helpful and reassuring answer.

Originally Posted by big wheels (Post 7427419)

Beat you all. I retired at 48 :p:D

Originally Posted by jdr (Post 7338116)

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.

Originally Posted by linda Coyle (Post 7432683)

Last week I contacted DWP in Newcastle for a forecast, I was told I did not need to pay any more Nat Ins as I have paid enough, I have paid for 35 years and have enough cover for my pension - after reading this - perhaps I should make another phone call!

Originally Posted by Fred James (Post 7433929)

Unless you reach retirement age before April next year, you will get a full pension as the requirement will then be only 30 years.

Originally Posted by DWPinSpain (Post 7445219)

We're still here...

Originally Posted by DWPinSpain (Post 7445219)

We're still here...

Originally Posted by me me (Post 7432603)

We retired at 36 and 39

Originally Posted by anna58 (Post 7488134)

Is this what is wrong with the UK? 30 years ago people thought they would work until 60/65 and were thrilled if they got a couple of years enhancement. After 20 years working have you paid enough into the system to justify retirement?

Originally Posted by anna58 (Post 7488134)

Is this what is wrong with the UK? 30 years ago people thought they would work until 60/65 and were thrilled if they got a couple of years enhancement. After 20 years working have you paid enough into the system to justify retirement?

Originally Posted by jdr (Post 7488276)

They will only get a % of the full pension though.

Trouble is so do I, despite working from 15 till I was 59, paying 44 years of stamps.
This should give me 100% pension according to HM E and C, but not according to DWP, who have still not acknowledged my latest letter from about two months ago, probably conveniently lost like my first application despite me getting my Marriage certificate and a confirmation slip of who was dealing with it returned ?
Absolutly disgraceful service.

Originally Posted by anna58 (Post 7488417)

I wasn't getting at you, in your case I can't understand why this is the case, I get my state pension here and have 87% which was correct for the ammount of stamps I paid, as when I was young you didn't get any stamps paid while you were bringing up children. It seems to me you have got stuck in a wrong loop and no one has the brain to see the money is wrong. I think there is a pensions ombudsman, could you not contact them.

My big gripe is that had I never paid a stamp or had I paid the married womans stamp I would only be £25 a week worse off as my husband would get £57.05 for me even if I hadn't contributed anything. That makes my blood boil when I think of the thousands I paid in.[/QUOTE]

But you would be £25 a week worse off and have to wait until your husband is 65. Now, that may be OK for you, but my mother-in-law was married to a much younger man and still could not draw her pension at 75. So it's always best, imho, to build up your own entitlement.

I'm glad to say I have a full Pension to come next January (26 years NI paid, 13 years HRP).

Originally Posted by scampicat (Post 7489057)

jdr, if you have paid in 44 years you should get the full pension.

What reason have they given you for not getting it?

Originally Posted by scampicat (Post 7489065)

I agree, I like my own pension in my own right and if I were on my own it would be mine, but it doesn't seem fair that someone who hasn't paid in should have a non means tested pension or, put the other way, my husband gets £57 a week less for his contributions than some other blokes. There was no HRP when I was young, and I will only be 62 in January. Maybe I shouldn't have paid, but when you're in your 20s you don't really think of pensions (or you didn't in those days, young ones now do seem to).

Originally Posted by PaysansG (Post 7488051)

So are we (albeit in France where there is no local DWP assistance)... and still waiting for our illegally withheld DLA to be reimbursed and reinstated (along with many of our Costa colleagues)

A reminder to HMG... we are still able to vote in a general election, so you'd better start sitting up, listening and making good on legal judgements :mad: