Life Certificates RE UK State Pensions

[jwest10]

Hi All
I have hunted everywhere on this site and remember quite a while ago some postings on this Life Certificate for UK State pensions.
Yes had a reply from a kind member on another forum title.
Cut to the chase I had a form to be witnessed  in both 2016 and 2018 and was half expecting one about the same time this year  and have read before that some have never received even one and it is I believe randomly selected so it must be the turn of others but of course randomly means just that and  probably no record
Also was aware of someone and read on here that a few people did not receive a form and their meagre  pension was stopped and it took a while to get it reinstated.
I seem to remember without looking up my copies of past year that one is allowed 16 weeks to post it and maybe this has been extended.
If not randomly chosen and how do they do this? by computer!!!
Yes, one could telephone if one has a landline but LOL tempting fate and not everyone has a telephone
Any further information and would appreciate it.

 

 

[Kwasaki]

I telephoned them the other day because my pension did not come on the usual 4 week Thursday period because they have suspended my pension before when they say they have sent a life form but I had not received it back.  

This has happened twice to me before and sure enough they said they had sent a life form but had not yet suspended my pension. 

I have copies so I will send them a life form now because I don't want the aggro again. 

[Maybole]

I too failed to recieve a form and it was not until my pension was stopped that I noticed.

I telephoned and, after extensive questioning to establish identity, my pension was restored immediately. another form was promessed. this was back in March and so far no form has arrived.

I phoned again i May and was told not to worry My identity had been vetified and another form would be sent "probably next year."

The staff were helpful, but be prepared for a slightly confusing menu, I initially got the wrong office. Also, I had to wait 11 minutes for the correct office to answer.

 

[baansgr]

17 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

I telephoned them the other day because my pension did not come on the usual 4 week Thursday period because they have suspended my pension before when they say they have sent a life form but I had not received it back.  

This has happened twice to me before and sure enough they said they had sent a life form but had not yet suspended my pension. 

I have copies so I will send them a life form now because I don't want the aggro again. 

21st century and these c#**ts still want original by snail mail.

[sandyf]

"Yes, one could telephone if one has a landline but LOL tempting fate and not everyone has a telephone"

 

You can ring them on Skype, what I use if I need to speak to institutions in the UK. It is quite clear and very little lag.

[Eff1n2ret]

6 hours ago, sandyf said:

"Yes, one could telephone if one has a landline but LOL tempting fate and not everyone has a telephone"

 

You can ring them on Skype, what I use if I need to speak to institutions in the UK. It is quite clear and very little lag.

- and very cheap.

[jwest10]

On 8/15/2020 at 10:22 AM, sandyf said:

"Yes, one could telephone if one has a landline but LOL tempting fate and not everyone has a telephone"

 

You can ring them on Skype, what I use if I need to speak to institutions in the UK. It is quite clear and very little lag.

nOT GOT sKYPE THEY STILL IN 13TH CENTURY BUT ZOOM AND ANY ADDRESSES

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, jwest10 said:

nOT GOT sKYPE THEY STILL IN 13TH CENTURY BUT ZOOM AND ANY ADDRESSES

Skype is not limited to free video calls. You can call any landline or mobile if you have credit in your account.

[OJAS]

On 8/14/2020 at 4:46 PM, jwest10 said:

Yes, one could telephone if one has a landline but LOL tempting fate and not everyone has a telephone

The good news is that it is now possible to send an online enquiry to the IPC:-

 

https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/ipc/personal-details

 

The bad news is that, having just used it to ask whether a new Life Certificate is currently on its way to me, I have been informed that I might have to wait 10 working days for a reply!????

 

[OJAS]

On 8/14/2020 at 4:57 PM, Kwasaki said:

I telephoned them the other day because my pension did not come on the usual 4 week Thursday period because they have suspended my pension before when they say they have sent a life form but I had not received it back.  

This has happened twice to me before and sure enough they said they had sent a life form but had not yet suspended my pension. 

I have copies so I will send them a life form now because I don't want the aggro again. 

So it looks like, despite COVID-19 &, in particular, current resultant mail delays between the UK and Thailand, the IPC still appear to have little better to do with their "precious" time in the present exceptional and challenging situation with which we are all being faced other than to pester us for witnessed Life Certificates! I can therefore only infer that they are somehow immune from the social distancing constraints which currently seem to be negatively impacting the timely provision of services by other parts of HMG back in the UK (notably HMPO in the case of new passports).

 

Thankfully the first thing I did with my previous Life Certificate after receiving it was to take a PDF scan of it before getting my witnesser to complete it. You appear to have done likewise, and I would strongly recommend that others do the same.

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by OJAS

[OJAS]

On 8/15/2020 at 10:05 AM, baansgr said:

21st century and these c#**ts still want original by snail mail.

Indeed! My occupational pension provider asked me for a similar certificate a few months ago and were more than happy for me to scan and submit the witnessed form by email. And the amounts of my occupational pension payments far exceed those of my forever frozen State Pension!

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by OJAS

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

So it looks like, despite COVID-19 &, in particular, current resultant mail delays between the UK and Thailand, the IPC still appear to have little better to do with their "precious" time in the present exceptional and challenging situation with which we are all being faced other than to pester us for witnessed Life Certificates! I can therefore only infer that they are somehow immune from the social distancing constraints which currently seem to be negatively impacting the timely provision of services by other parts of HMG back in the UK (notably HMPO in the case of new passports).

 

Thankfully the first thing I did with my previous Life Certificate after receiving it was to take a PDF scan of it before getting my witnesser to complete it. You appear to have done likewise, and I would strongly recommend that others do the same.

 

Thank you for response, I have experience twice my pension being withheld and it took 2 weeks before payment was received another time 8 days. 

I had some savings so OK but for some here it's not fair, if IPC has  sent a life form at least they could email you to inform you of it. 

I thought the the law is what is reasonable the way IPC send life forms is not reasonable. 

[stouricks]

On 8/17/2020 at 5:13 PM, sandyf said:

Skype is not limited to free video calls. You can call any landline or mobile if you have credit in your account.

Or subscribe to 100 minutes to any UK landline or mobile in three months for £6.

[OJAS]

53 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Thank you for response, I have experience twice my pension being withheld and it took 2 weeks before payment was received another time 8 days. 

I had some savings so OK but for some here it's not fair, if IPC has  sent a life form at least they could email you to inform you of it. 

I thought the the law is what is reasonable the way IPC send life forms is not reasonable. 

Plus it is not (IMHO at any rate) reasonable for IPC to be hassling us for witnessed life certificates at the present time in any case, thanks to COVID-19 and all that.

 

[jwest10]

On 8/17/2020 at 5:13 PM, sandyf said:

Skype is not limited to free video calls. You can call any landline or mobile if you have credit in your account.

or computer?

[jwest10]

20 hours ago, OJAS said:

Plus it is not (IMHO at any rate) reasonable for IPC to be hassling us for witnessed life certificates at the present time in any case, thanks to COVID-19 and all that.

 

And confirm it is supposed to be on a random basis, so how come some pensioners have never received a form, ever and yes I have received one in 2006 and 2008 and how do they do this lol put our names in their little computer and the same one as marked frozen state pension and issue only been going on FOR ONLY 71 YEARS and yes very busy on the f/b sites and reformed alliance sites and others.
I saw  an earlier post and sorry forgot who posted this and have another pension scheme emailed me and stating the 6 monthly declaration need not be done this time and always get a form every 6 months.

I am also without looking old copies up that they would have our email addresses and certainly our addresses on this but as usual they do not look after us abroad and simply do not care about British born and bred Citizens.
Thanks for feedback, everyone.
 

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, jwest10 said:

or computer?

Not quite the same, landlines and mobiles are chargeable and can be called without skype being involved, with a computer you need some form of skype identity and is free.