UK Pension Life Certificate

[rak sa_ngop]

Can anyone recommend where I can get the UK Pension Life Certificate signed by a witness in Bangkok? I have racked my brains but can't think of anybody who can do this for me. I have read that Thai people refuse to do this sort of thing for fear of consequences.

 

Obviously the cheaper the better.

 

Thanks

[GuyDow]

I usually go to one of the legal firms that advertise on this forum. They are familiar with the procedure and do a very professional job.

 

I get charged B1K plus VAT but I know there will be no comeback from the Pension Service. Previous attempts to get this done on the cheap always came to grief.

[worgeordie]

I just went to a Chemists I know, stamped it for free and signed it

 

regards Worgeordie

[Hi Tea]

Any law firm/notary will do it, usually for B1,000 plus VAT.

[GuyDow]

You might be able to find a Thai who will do it as a favour. There is a big long list of acceptable occupations for witnesses. The problem I had was that the Thais I asked didn't understand what was being asked of them, e.g. they thought I was asking them to confirm my passport wasn't a forgery. Since they all held positions of responsibility they wouldn't sign anything they did not fully understand.

 

You might have better luck if you ask around your circle of contacts.

[vogie]

The first time my dentist signed and stamped the form, the second time the housing manager to my gated housing estate signed and stamped it. I doubt there won't be many Thai reading recipients of the form.

[Tanlic]

Most Thai run a mile when you ask the. Last year I called DWP and the lady said she got one in shortly before signed by a publican so I wouldn't get my knickers in a twist. If you have a friend with a condo as him to introduce you to the Juristic Person and they are usually glad to help if tour friend gets on well with them..Most have a stamp..any company director is also acceptable..ignore the list they know te problems Thais have so they go lenient..anyway you are not doing anything criminal.....22days after you post call them to confirm they got your paperwork.

 

The question should be why are they asking pensioners in foreign countries to venture out when they may be in lock down areas.......these forms should be suspended until it is safe for all old people to wander outside

[Hi Tea]

16 hours ago, Tanlic said:

The question should be why are they asking pensioners in foreign countries to venture out when they may be in lock down areas.......these forms should be suspended until it is safe for all old people to wander outside

Recipients of the Life Cert have four months to send it back, they're not asking anything unreasonable.  And which are the areas of Thailand that are, or have been, locked down so strictly that essential journeys have been prohibited?

 

"...these forms should be suspended until it is safe for all old people to wander outside"

You're using the alleged dangers of Covid-19 as a valid reason for the DWP not to request the form. In view of the age-related vulnerability of pensioners it would be logical to allow the DWP to consider Covid also.  They send the form to ensure that they should still be paying the pension so, surely, it is just as reasonable for the DWP to ask for confirmation that those particularly susceptible people have not been affected by the virus?

[rak sa_ngop]

Thanks to Tanlic for the suggestion to approach the condo Juristic Person. I am now trying to get my JP to sign, the only problem being that he only attends my condo once a week. Should save me 1000+ baht.

[Tanlic]

4 hours ago, rak sa_ngop said:

Thanks to Tanlic for the suggestion to approach the condo Juristic Person. I am now trying to get my JP to sign, the only problem being that he only attends my condo once a week. Should save me 1000+ baht.

If you use the Juristic Person in your own building make sure they use the head office address not the same as where you live and that they stamp it and you're sound

 

[Tanlic]

On 8/30/2020 at 2:26 PM, Hi Tea said:

Recipients of the Life Cert have four months to send it back, they're not asking anything unreasonable.  And which are the areas of Thailand that are, or have been, locked down so strictly that essential journeys have been prohibited?

 

"...these forms should be suspended until it is safe for all old people to wander outside"

You're using the alleged dangers of Covid-19 as a valid reason for the DWP not to request the form. In view of the age-related vulnerability of pensioners it would be logical to allow the DWP to consider Covid also.  They send the form to ensure that they should still be paying the pension so, surely, it is just as reasonable for the DWP to ask for confirmation that those particularly susceptible people have not been affected by the virus?

Covid Aside last year I spent hours on end going round chemists and dentists in Bangkok. I assume you wiil know Soi 23/ Cowboy? The Chemist just past the 23 entrance I have know as a customer for 20 years point blank refused..Claims he is not a Chemist his wife is??? So it's not easy for old people in places like Pattaya to feel safe...too bad if you are in Brazil or some place it is really bad....Trinidad and Tobago suspended signing their register for pensioners who are the ones most likely to die....you obviously as heartless as the UK...every penny they can save they grab it. Like no annual increase if you live outside Europe despite you worked your ass off all you life...what miserable  bas**** thought that one up' Are expats in Thailand not as British as someone living in Spain?

[colinneil]

OP you can get your life cert signed by a doctor/ chemist/ policeman/school director etc.

I just received mine in the mail today, my wifes cousin will sign it, hes done it for me twice before, he is a school director.

I cannot understand why anybody pays 1000 baht to get it signed.

[Hi Tea]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

OP you can get your life cert signed by a doctor/ chemist/ policeman/school director etc.

I just received mine in the mail today, my wifes cousin will sign it, hes done it for me twice before, he is a school director.

I cannot understand why anybody pays 1000 baht to get it signed.

"I cannot understand why anybody pays 1000 baht to get it signed".

Really? How about because not many people have close enough relationships with (or connections to) doctors/chemists/police officers/school directors?  I've got mine here to do, would your wife's cousin witness mine please?

[Hi Tea]

1 hour ago, Tanlic said:

On 8/30/2020 at 2:26 PM, Hi Tea said:

Recipients of the Life Cert have four months to send it back, they're not asking anything unreasonable.  And which are the areas of Thailand that are, or have been, locked down so strictly that essential journeys have been prohibited?

 

"...these forms should be suspended until it is safe for all old people to wander outside"

You're using the alleged dangers of Covid-19 as a valid reason for the DWP not to request the form. In view of the age-related vulnerability of pensioners it would be logical to allow the DWP to consider Covid also.  They send the form to ensure that they should still be paying the pension so, surely, it is just as reasonable for the DWP to ask for confirmation that those particularly susceptible people have not been affected by the virus?

So it's not easy for old people in places like Pattaya to feel safe...

Do British pensioners in Pattaya never go outside, then?  What about shopping or going to the bank/ATM, for example, how do they cope with that? 

 

To prove their continued entitlement to the pension, how much more difficult (or "unsafe" as you put it) is it for that person to visit a lawyers office, for example, to have the form notarised than to go shopping every few days?

[transam]

5 minutes ago, Hi Tea said:

Do British pensioners in Pattaya never go outside, then?  What about shopping or going to the bank/ATM, for example, how do they cope with that? 

 

To prove their continued entitlement to the pension, how much more difficult (or "unsafe" as you put it) is it for that person to visit a lawyers office, for example, to have the form notarised than to go shopping every few days?

My LC turned up yesterday, a nearby farang friend sorts it for me, not on the list of signees but pensions are OK about it. 

You remind me of member "Just Weird", are you related...?

[Moonlover]

Setting aside these rather petty and childish arguments for the moment, is Thailand Post accepting mail to the UK yet?

[stouricks]

On 8/29/2020 at 2:42 PM, GuyDow said:

You might be able to find a Thai who will do it as a favour. There is a big long list of acceptable occupations for witnesses. The problem I had was that the Thais I asked didn't understand what was being asked of them, e.g. they thought I was asking them to confirm my passport wasn't a forgery. Since they all held positions of responsibility they wouldn't sign anything they did not fully understand.

 

You might have better luck if you ask around your circle of contacts.

Do the pension people actually contact whoever has signed it? The answer is NO. I had a friend who was a superstar guitarist in USA back in 1970s sign mine. It was accepted. I think he put Musical Director as his occupation.

[colinneil]

1 hour ago, Hi Tea said:

"I cannot understand why anybody pays 1000 baht to get it signed".

Really? How about because not many people have close enough relationships with (or connections to) doctors/chemists/police officers/school directors?  I've got mine here to do, would your wife's cousin witness mine please?

Touchy touchy, you want yours signed..... Come on down, my wife can/ will sign it, she has done it for another UK citizen.

[Hi Tea]

7 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Touchy touchy, you want yours signed..... Come on down, my wife can/ will sign it, she has done it for another UK citizen.

I'm not being touchy, just answering your comment, rationally.

 

"Come on down, my wife can/ will sign it..."  

Only if she's the school director, or has some other acceptable qualification, "some bloke's wife" may not cut it with DWP.  How come you have to get her cousin to sign yours, why doesn't she do it?   If she's suitable I'll just post it to you with a SAE.

[colinneil]

1 hour ago, Hi Tea said:

I'm not being touchy, just answering your comment, rationally.

 

"Come on down, my wife can/ will sign it..."  

Only if she's the school director, or has some other acceptable qualification, "some bloke's wife" may not cut it with DWP.  How come you have to get her cousin to sign yours, why doesn't she do it?   If she's suitable I'll just post it to you with a SAE.

My wife is a school director, perfectly qualified to sign life certs.

The reason she does not sign mine is DWP will not accept her signature on my form, her being related to me.

[worgeordie]

Posted a comment on here about this subject, and guess what,

the postman delivered one to me today ! back to the Chemist,

no way am i going to pay some lawyer 500 or a 1000 Thb to sign

and put his chop on a piece of paper.

regards worgeordie

[SantiSuk]

Last time I got one of these forms signed (2 to 3 years ago I think I recall that:

 

• A UK passport holder was required to sign, not a Thai
• An official stamp was apparently required but when I enquired DWP said the stamp was not essential (and my form went through on that basis.
   

Is the first statement correct and is it clear that it now cannot be a British professional with a quotable qualification of standing but could be retired and therefore not in possession of an official stamp.

 

Would prefer replies from those who have tested this out in the last 6 months as it could have changed. I'll call DWP if i get some confidence i am not dreaming about former submissions.

 

Moonlover, post has never stopped from Thailand to UK, but in the first few months of Covid there was no air mail and it had to go by ship which my local postmaster told me might have taken up to 2 months. The official website of Thai Post now records that air mail to the UK (and EMS) is now open. I suggest it is still worth getting a Thai to ask for you at your local PO. Postings about this subject that I have seen on TV.com suggest that conflicting information is now the order of the day. Sorry I couldn't get the pic to turn right way up.

 

 

[SantiSuk]

OK - I dug out my former post. 8-Jul-2016 here:

 

It is confirmed by DWP that a witness did not need to stamp the Life Certificate in 2016 and that retired Brit professionals could do it back then.

 

his was my posting:

 

"I called the DWP International Pensions Centre at 15:55 today and said:

'I live in Thailand and have recently received a Life Certificate. I have approached my friend who is a retired professional' (was going to say Chartered Surveyor but in the event I think I just kept it to the generic "retired professional"). 'He is willing to sign as a witness, but he does not have a stamp. Is it OK to submit the form without a stamp'.

Reply: 'Yes - that will be OK'. 'Could I also mention that we have extended the period for reply to 16 weeks. We have only just done it and it did not catch the latest print of forms. [the request letter you are now receiving says 8 weeks].

I'm only addressing the DWP Life Certificate applicable to UK state pensions here. Other requirements may apply to any other "are you still kicking?" letters you might receive

In case you have any comeback. The lady who likes to say yes at the DWP and who confirmed the less onerous route was called June.

Thanks to Jip and Transam for alerting me to the possibility that the forms indicate a stricter requirement than they will in fact accept."

 

2016 is a long time ago so maybe it has all changed since then. Maybe DWP no longer trust their fellow Brits when in expat mode?! ????

 

[theoldgit]

12 hours ago, SantiSuk said:

Last time I got one of these forms signed (2 to 3 years ago I think I recall that:

 

• A UK passport holder was required to sign, not a Thai
• An official stamp was apparently required but when I enquired DWP said the stamp was not essential (and my form went through on that basis

 

I'll think you'll find that any nationality on the list can sign, it doesn't have to be a UK passport holder.
Not everyone has a stamp, and as you say the DWP have confirmed to you that it's ont essential.

 

A retired UK Civil Servant can sign the form, they must be two a penny here.
 

My form was signed by a retired Civil Servant, I was his manager, and I signed his.

 

The list from the UK Embassy gioes into more detail.

 

   

Life_Certificate_Witness_Options (1).pdf

[MartinL]

When I've signed these, plus passport forms, for other people in the past, I've always given them a copy of my Engineering Institution certificate, describing me as a Member, to send off in lieu of a stamp. Retired now so no longer a current, paid-up member but accepted without question.

[ignis]

On 8/30/2020 at 2:26 PM, Hi Tea said:

Recipients of the Life Cert have four months to send it back, they're not asking anything unreasonable.  And which are the areas of Thailand that are, or have been, locked down so strictly that essential journeys have been prohibited?

 

"...these forms should be suspended until it is safe for all old people to wander outside"

You're using the alleged dangers of Covid-19 as a valid reason for the DWP not to request the form. In view of the age-related vulnerability of pensioners it would be logical to allow the DWP to consider Covid also.  They send the form to ensure that they should still be paying the pension so, surely, it is just as reasonable for the DWP to ask for confirmation that those particularly susceptible people have not been affected by the virus?

That is as maybe. my form has just arrived........... YES says 16 weeks from letter date  = my letter is dated 8 July 2020, yesterday when it arrived was 1st Sept so a lot of time for it to get here, has already eaten into the 16 weeks.

[KhunBENQ]

On 8/31/2020 at 5:57 PM, Moonlover said:

Setting aside these rather petty and childish arguments for the moment, is Thailand Post accepting mail to the UK yet?

Yes.

See here:

 

[KhunBENQ]

Can't contribute to UK pension.

The Swiss embassy supplies an English/Thai bilingual form.

 

[Hi Tea]

On 8/31/2020 at 5:57 PM, Moonlover said:

Setting aside these rather petty and childish arguments for the moment, is Thailand Post accepting mail to the UK yet?

Yes, it is, has been for some time.

[Hi Tea]

5 hours ago, ignis said:

That is as maybe. my form has just arrived........... YES says 16 weeks from letter date  = my letter is dated 8 July 2020, yesterday when it arrived was 1st Sept so a lot of time for it to get here, has already eaten into the 16 weeks.

That's as maybe.

 

The delivery time is not the fault of DWP and the delivery time eats into everyone's time to return it and that is certainly taken into account when giving the time schedule, that's why we get such a long time to return it, no one needs anything like 16 weeks in reality.  Yours took maybe 5 weeks longer than average, I'd guess, so you've "only" got 11 weeks to return it, hardly a difficult position that you're in.  Mine was dated 3rd August and got here on 29th August, it was in the post back to them yesterday.