LIFE CERTIFICATES RE UK STATE PENSIONS

[Henryford]

I never get letters from them. I usually only find out when my pension is suddenly stopped and i have to rush to get a LC to them. I will ring them now every 9 months or so and ask "are you stopping my pension this year"?

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, theoldgit said:

That was certainly my experience last year, I suppose it depends on who you get on the other end, they may well have been wrong in accepting a form by email but they did, and there were no repercussions.

I don't doubt you only IPC govted by DWP police ????.

As you say life forms come from another place, so communication breakdown and snail mail for an important form is a funny way about doing things. 

I can only guess fraud is rife and they do not care about the honest ones because to them they do not exist. 

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, theoldgit said:

That was certainly my experience last year, I suppose it depends on who you get on the other end, they may well have been wrong in accepting a form by email but they did, and there were no repercussions.

I don't doubt your experience with them I think they treat people at random too. ????

Maybe tough in cheek you could send this thread to IPC having been a fellow trusted govt servant employee they would take some notice of you maybe. ????

Edited August 27, 2020 by Kwasaki

[Orton Rd]

Would be better if it could be done online, sending out letters relying on the postal systems is rather archaic 

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, OJAS said:

Although the IPC will never admit it officially, of course, I have come to the conclusion that they have established rolling biennial geographical cycles for Life Certificates – meaning that, in the case of us State Pensioners in Thailand, we find ourselves under the IPC Life Certificate spotlight between August and November in each even-numbered year.

 

For example, the previous exercise 2 years ago was, in my case, initiated by the IPC on 5 August 2018. And, as I have already said, the IPC sent me a further certificate for witnessing purposes on 3 August 2020.

 

Furthermore, my recollection of the 2018 exercise is that virtually every Brit State Pensioner who posted on here ended up getting targeted – including a few who had previously been proudly proclaiming that they had never hitherto been asked for a witnessed Life Certificate, and who, in the event, were subsequently forced to eat their words!
 

What you post is more than lighty could of happened because I did a life form last year and when I  telephoned nearly 3 weeks ago they said they have sent one to me, still not received.

I have been usually getting a life form 2 years apart. 

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, Henryford said:

I never get letters from them. I usually only find out when my pension is suddenly stopped and i have to rush to get a LC to them. I will ring them now every 9 months or so and ask "are you stopping my pension this year"?

Yeah not much fun for me when my pension was withheld it took 2 weeks more before I got my pension through the second time. 

They don't care. 

[Kwasaki]

17 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Would be better if it could be done online, sending out letters relying on the postal systems is rather archaic 

Try telling them that, there reply is "They are sent out as random" 

Same robot reply everytime I try to tell them about snail mail.

Recorded delivery don't cost much at least it gives them some invasion of whether you received a life form or not before they stop your pension. 

[dabhand]

On 8/27/2020 at 3:45 AM, OJAS said:

Although the IPC will never admit it officially, of course, I have come to the conclusion that they have established rolling biennial geographical cycles for Life Certificates – meaning that, in the case of us State Pensioners in Thailand, we find ourselves under the IPC Life Certificate spotlight between August and November in each even-numbered year.

 

For example, the previous exercise 2 years ago was, in my case, initiated by the IPC on 5 August 2018. And, as I have already said, the IPC sent me a further certificate for witnessing purposes on 3 August 2020.

 

Furthermore, my recollection of the 2018 exercise is that virtually every Brit State Pensioner who posted on here ended up getting targeted – including a few who had previously been proudly proclaiming that they had never hitherto been asked for a witnessed Life Certificate, and who, in the event, were subsequently forced to eat their words!
 

Your timings match with my experience. I have just received a LC in the post, dated 3 August 2020, with the previous LC received in 2018, dated 5 August 2018 (this only 6 months after commencement of my state pension payments). So that is two in just over two years.

 

Interestingly, the postal sticker this time was 'Postage Paid - Special Permit No. 2/2557 -Laksi Post Office'. No other stickers, so looks like they are sending to Thailand in bulk with local onward transmission in an attempt to avoid international post delays. Can imagine that a fair number of these forms will be hitting the letter boxes of local pension recipients in the coming days. Or being added to the pile of undelivered mail!!

 

 As others have noted, the response period is now 16 weeks from date of the form. So I'll be pitching up at my local notary and handing over the usual Bt500 for a few minutes work. Thanks a bunch!!

Edited August 29, 2020 by dabhand

[Hi Tea]

On 8/24/2020 at 2:04 PM, jwest10 said:

Has anyone received on for this year and wondering about the panademic 

Coincidentally, I received one yesterday dated 3rd August, so yes, they are still being sent.

[Delight]

 I attach contact details of The UK Pension Service.

You will require your National Insurance Number as a reference.

[khastan]

It looks like every retired UK pensioner is going to get one. Both me and a friend received ours today dated the 3/8/2020. I have to question just what a stupid decision it is to send out forms that require a time scale to be replied to purely by snail mail in this present situation.

[PGSan]

43 minutes ago, khastan said:

It looks like every retired UK pensioner is going to get one.

That seems highly unlikely since they are clearly only ever sent to those pensioners who are known to and handled by the IPC, a small fraction of all the many million ‘retired UK pensioners’.

[khastan]

Yes you are correct what I should have said is pensioners that live abroad

[SantiSuk]

Points of info since loads of us are obviously getting the 3 August letter (received late August!).

 

Firstly, post to the UK from Thailand is no longer as screwed up as it was a few months back when surface mail only ('possibly 2 months') was the answer from my local postmaster.

 

I just sent a letter regular airmail to HMRC - cost 109 baht. You are given a receipt (that would act as proof of posting since the address of the mailing and time is shown). Dunno yet how long it will take to arrive - my postmaster speculated 1-2 weeks.

 

If you want track & trace, that is now available again by using EMS. That might get there within a few days (based on my experience before Covid - maybe a bit longer with Covid which is why I went for the cheaper option). EMS costs 880 baht. If track & trace seems to have stopped at the Thai airport go back to your post office and ask then to ring up to find where the missive has got to.

 

Secondly, I have just tried to find out from DWP by telephone whether it is possible to submit a Life Certificate without the signing professional having a stamp. 2 years ago I did get such confirmation and shared the deatil on ThaiV.  My certs for the last 2 submissions (received Augusts of 2016 and 2018) have been by expat friends who are teachers and had no stamp. Unfortunately I can get no such confirmation now - the recorded message (I phoned too late in the day for their now Covid-restricted hours) states that you can only call the hotline in relation to two issues - new claims for pensions and changes of circumstances. For all other matters you are now asked to call back at an (unspecified) future date or access gov.UK for advice, which IME is never any use for points of detail. Gawd help those of us who get the pension stopped notification this cycle around.

 

I hope my Thai dentist has a stamp and doesn't run scared - otherwise it's gonna cost me with a notary type or legal agency this time. Maybe my local and newly established Brit expat bar landlord if he has some kind of paper that could arguably make him a licensee (with thanks to the poster who posted the expanded types of professional witness list above) ????

Edited September 4, 2020 by SantiSuk

[lungbing]

If you send your certificate back by by EMS  or registered mail and thus it needs signing for, do you send it to Wolverhampton or Newcastle?

 

My first one arrived this week.

[elwood]

11 hours ago, lungbing said:

If you send your certificate back by by EMS  or registered mail and thus it needs signing for, do you send it to Wolverhampton or Newcastle?

 

My first one arrived this week.

I always send it registered in the envelope supplied - to Wolverhampton.

[izod10]

Although not recipient of Life Forms,I used to sign them,one instance a Thai brewery stamp was imposed

[fredob43]

Sorry I havent read all the post. But the whole thing is a JOKE in Thailand. Several of my friends have recieved them in the last few weeks so have I.

 

I filled out my bit this morning the 8th. Went to the cop shop to their 1 stop desk, Handed over said paperwork, Passport D/L. Policeman in charge took the paperwork said where do I sign and stamp. I pointed to the correct place and he duly stamped, signed, dated it, then handed it back. What about looking at Passport, D/L to see if I am who I am surposed to be? Reply. Not want. I could have been Jack frost for all he knew. Not a bit interested. Farang in out ASAP. 5 min: in my case. It's now in the post office waiting to be sent off. Seems all my chums had the same treatment. As I said a JOKE. 

[Speedo1968]

Had my Life Certificate form signed by local police chief as I did last time.

This time it was a new chief in a different dept and he raised concern that my address was a PO Box number.     I did explain in my last cert. to the DWP that I did not actually live in such a place.
The letter box at the main gate of where I live is not water proof and too small for A4 envelopes, hence my having a PO Box.
Perhaps the DWP should have 2 options on their form, residential and postal address, although I expect it would only complicate matters for the DWP.

[jwest10]

Hi All
Yes to those who have had Life Certificate forms re you still being alive and sent mine off and of course by recorded delivery and although they stated we do not confirm in return but send another email in a months time!!! Geesus
Anyway I did get an email 21st September we have received your form and actioned.
Yes, you already guessed what came in the post today Wednesday 7th October the same letter and blank form, to which I sent a firm and polite email in return just now.
I did mention the fact why don't you go after all UK citizens before and no we don't do that and mentioned again and also why don't you go after those who never pay their contributions and taxes ie all the big companies.
So if we are not stressed enough with the damn frozen pension policy this adds to it but just wanted to share it to you.
No doubt and a big If they reply oh it was a computer glitz but just wanted you all to know.
<deleted> disgusting how we are all treated, right?

 

[OJAS]

23 hours ago, jwest10 said:

Hi All
Yes to those who have had Life Certificate forms re you still being alive and sent mine off and of course by recorded delivery and although they stated we do not confirm in return but send another email in a months time!!! Geesus
Anyway I did get an email 21st September we have received your form and actioned.
Yes, you already guessed what came in the post today Wednesday 7th October the same letter and blank form, to which I sent a firm and polite email in return just now.
I did mention the fact why don't you go after all UK citizens before and no we don't do that and mentioned again and also why don't you go after those who never pay their contributions and taxes ie all the big companies.
So if we are not stressed enough with the damn frozen pension policy this adds to it but just wanted to share it to you.
No doubt and a big If they reply oh it was a computer glitz but just wanted you all to know.
<deleted> disgusting how we are all treated, right?

 

Definitely concur with your sentiments. IMHO it is absolutely outrageous that the IPC are hassling us for witnessed life certificates at the present time, bearing in mind that at least 1 local authority pension scheme has temporarily suspended this requirement for its occupational pensioners:-

 

https://www.wypf.org.uk/pensioner/all-about-my-pension/what-is-a-life-certificate/

 

All the more galling, I think, when it is realised that the occupational pensions being paid out under this particular local authority scheme are in all probabiity far in excess of the puny amounts we receive here in Thailand for our perpetually-frozen State Pensions!

 

[Eff1n2ret]

The local authority notice says - "Please note that due to the ongoing issues with Corona Virus we have stopped the issue of all life certificates and reminders."

So at a time when more of their pensioners are likely to have succumbed to the virus they have decided to stop enquiring how many are still alive. It doesn't make sense to me.