lansbury

you fill out the claim form for your old age pension

Pulaski

Well congratulations on reaching a milestone that even today a fair number of people don't reach.

I hope you're around to draw your pension for a long time, but maybe you could feel just a little bit guilty now that you're depleting the pot for those of us who still have many years of work ahead of us.

Bob

Not as much joy as being able to get that free bus pass though?

Well my mother loved that, even though it's now 10p a bus ride in the county.

lansbury

Thank you and I will do my best to feel just a bit guilty

lansbury

I shall miss not getting a free bus pass. Wonder when I visit the UK if I can claim as a visiting UK pensioner I should be allowed to ride for free.

HarryTheSpider

Congrats old bean!

Jerseygirl

Your wife may be entitled to a UK pension too. I remember Ray saying Joycee received one yet she had never lived in the UK.

paddingtongreen

I've been getting mine for a few, no more than a few years now but my UK pension stopped coming. I called and they sent me a "proof of life" form but they want my signature witnessed by, a lawyer, or a policeman, or a magistrate, a US social security officer, or a UK consular official and the witness must have a stamp of office. In PA, lawyers don't have seals, nor do the state police who perform local duties in this township. It pisses me off that lawyers don't seal their work, I had to seal my work product as a professional engineer. The Magistrate is too busy, and the clerk wasn't sure about the seal/stamp anyway, and the soc sec people said no stamp but I have information that some of the officers do. For consular officials I would have to go to New York or Washington, quite a trek when when you are on oxygen.

I called Newcastle again and they said keep trying. Some others must have succeeded but I don't know how. I think I will go to the magistrates court and try in person and if that doesn't work, go to the nearest Soc Sec office and try there.

I forgot. When you have to provide proof that you are still alive to keep gertting your pension.

lansbury

She has been getting hers based on her contributions, but it based on her ten years of payments. Hers should now be increased to 60% of mine. We'll see in April if it happens, I put it on my claim form.

robin1234

Couldn't you send them a video of yourself, holding today's newspaper to prove when it was filmed? Like the hostages?

Seriously though, what if you just had the form notarized, maybe they'd accept that?

paddingtongreen

Notaries are not to be trusted, They are specific about the qualifications. I only need to get this done once, they will have my US Soc Sec number on this form and Soc Sec will tell them when I kick the bucket.

Ray

Yup she still get $420 every month ..

And I get $414 from the US gov....

which was supposed to be reduced under
Windfall Elimination Provision - Social Security

still waiting for then since I applied last May

Ray

Im a notary ...

scrubbedexpat099

Notario's are not to be trusted.

robin1234

Yes, that's interesting. My wife applied for her British State Pension a few months ago, and there was a whole section in the application that asked for details of her US Social Security, including SS number. So it looks like they have it taken care of in the application now..