UK Farangs Receiving a Capped State Pension

[Hi Tea]

37 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

I return them in a new envelope. (I was sent an SAE)

I'm curious as to why you would do that (and potentially add an element of risk to it's prompt receipt) when they specifically ask for it to be returned in the provided envelope?

[Hi Tea]

13 minutes ago, n210mp said:

email received from DWP in July this year:

Dear Mr Morgan,  

Thank you for your email dated 03/07/2020.

I have checked our records and can confirm we have not issued any life certificates to you since November 2018, which you completed and returned.

Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by Covid-19 we have stopped issuing our life certificate requests until worldwide circumstances change. Your payments will continue to be issued every four weeks.

Yours Sincerely

 

Gemma 

+44 191 2187777

The Pension Service 11

Mail Handling Site A

Wolverhampton

Hahahaha They sent me one last week!

Hahahaha...  The circumstances must have changed, then, as she said in her email.

[Hi Tea]

7 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

11 minutes ago, Hi Tea said:

You could have sent it Registered, much cheaper and still tracked.  The DWP gives you 16 weeks to respond, i.e. return the signed form, not 60 days.

Just send it airmail.

Why?  If you're already in the Post Office why not register/track it?  That way you don't have to scan anything to them.

[Hi Tea]

13 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Dear Mr XXX

Thank you for your email to Newcastle Pension Centre (International Group) dated 28 August 2020.

Due to lockdown restrictions because of COVID-19, we understand the forms are very difficult to have witnessed and returned.
 

We can clear this Life Certificate over the telephone for you, subject to you answering some security questions

"Due to lockdown restrictions because of COVID-19, we understand the forms are very difficult to have witnessed and returned".

The think is, it's not that difficult to have them witnessed and posted back.

 

Who's "locked down" in Thailand?  Did you tell them just ten days ago that Thailand was locked down?  Naughty man.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Hi Tea

[StevieAus]

2 hours ago, hugh2121 said:

email received from DWP in July this year:

Dear Mr Morgan,  

Thank you for your email dated 03/07/2020.

I have checked our records and can confirm we have not issued any life certificates to you since November 2018, which you completed and returned.

Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by Covid-19 we have stopped issuing our life certificate requests until worldwide circumstances change. Your payments will continue to be issued every four weeks.

Yours Sincerely

 

Gemma 

+44 191 2187777

The Pension Service 11

Mail Handling Site A

Wolverhampton

I worked in the U.K. for several years when younger and was surprised when I retired to find that I was entitled to a part U.K. State pension.

I received one of these life certificate forms last week dated 3 Aug 2020, so either Gemma’s advice was incorrect or the DWP were slow to implement the policy.

[Hi Tea]

16 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

A policeman isn't actually one of the professions on their list

Yes, it is, it is included on the one I got about three weeks ago, anyway.  Maybe they sent you a different list of qualified witnesses!

Edited September 7, 2020 by Hi Tea

[Dionigi]

2 hours ago, hugh2121 said:

email received from DWP in July this year:

Dear Mr Morgan,  

Thank you for your email dated 03/07/2020.

I have checked our records and can confirm we have not issued any life certificates to you since November 2018, which you completed and returned.

Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by Covid-19 we have stopped issuing our life certificate requests until worldwide circumstances change. Your payments will continue to be issued every four weeks.

Yours Sincerely

 

Gemma 

+44 191 2187777

The Pension Service 11

Mail Handling Site A

Wolverhampton

Received one just this week

[George Aylesham]

2 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

I completed one last week. I get one for completion every 2 years. The problem being that the part for completion by the Thai person is in English and I have had issues with getting it signed especially from my bank. They should have an explanation in Thai so they know what they are signing. Thais do not like signing forms.

I got mine signed and stamped (no charge) by the Juristic person - lady behind the counter -  in my condo.

[digger70]

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

As long as they get them back with something on them I don't think they care who signs it, never heard of one being rejected

That Depends .We get one every year from the Netherlands . they state that one can get the form Signed and Stamped with a Government Stamp .They said that we have to do it at the Local Social Security office as they have an Agreement with the Dutch 

A couple yrs ago we had to Redo it because it had the Wrong Stamp on it.

They are Hard cases to deal with .

Send them an E mail but No Answer .

Waiting now for the one for this year ,Normally we get the Form the first week in September. and have 60 days to Reply  (Send the form back) Fingers crossed .

 

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, ChrisKC said:

I have just received life certificate number 2. It seems that it might be every two years after reaching 75. I just go to my local Clinic with my Thai wife. we get the certificate signed in English by the Doctor both on the allotted line and across the Thai stamp. I return them in a new envelope. (I was sent an SAE) registered (not EMS which is hopelessly expensive). No problem. The Doctor's fee B50. Only blood pressure taken. Take your passport with you. By the way, the covering letter states that you have 16 weeks from the date of it to return the certificate - seems reasonable to me!

 

PM me if you would like to see what the letter and certificate looks like.

"By the way, the covering letter states that you have 16 weeks from the date of it to return the certificate - seems reasonable to me!"

 

Not if it takes 15 weeks to arrive. Both of the LCs I've received have arrived at my house after the return date. Fortunately they didn't stop my pension. I returned both by EMS.

I think my local post office stockpiles my letters until they feel I have enough to warrant a trip to out. That's if I'm lucky, several items I've been expecting just haven't arrived at all. 

[transam]

2 hours ago, chilly07 said:

Just done a DWP life cert by 880 bht EMS. Well worth the expense to avoid pension stoppage. They give 60 days to respond. They should do it by email as my other pension providers do.

Also have just completed my tax return on line using government web site so they are up to date on my pension freeze. Best to do it each year. Untill now this has generated a modest refund which I expect this mth and at the latest Jan next year

 

Just posted, I think, my 4th LC, I send basic air mail, 17bht, as yet never had a problem, but I make a follow up phone call after about 3 weeks...

 

You are given 112 days from their post date, to their must receive date before they stop payments. LC's are random, so bit of a blow if one gets lost in the post...

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, Hi Tea said:

You're joking, surely?  Why should the DWP provide a Thai (and, therefore, every other language) translation? 

 

Thais who are familiar with "signing forms", eg. lawyers/notaries, and most professionals who are the category that have to witness the document, don't have problems with them.  If it's so impossible for you to find a witness and you want the form in Thai, you could take it to a translation service and do it yourself.

Strange that, I tried several Thais of high social standing, including my doctor who knows me well and they refused to sign. They can't seem to get their head around the fact that they're only witnessing your signature, not vouching for the contents of the form. The owner of the school where my wife teaches signed my last one over the school's chop.

[jesimps]

58 minutes ago, Hi Tea said:

That's the easy, most logical way but some posters like to make things seem as difficult as possible!

Are you on a retainer from the DWP?

 

[Hi Tea]

1 minute ago, jesimps said:

Strange that, I tried several Thais of high social standing, including my doctor who knows me well and they refused to sign. They can't seem to get their head around the fact that they're only witnessing your signature, not vouching for the contents of the form. The owner of the school where my wife teaches signed my last one over the school's chop.

They're not only witnessing the signature, they're also vouching for having seen the original of one of your ID verifications from the list on the back of the form.

[Orton Rd]

15 minutes ago, digger70 said:

That Depends .We get one every year from the Netherlands . they state that one can get the form Signed and Stamped with a Government Stamp .They said that we have to do it at the Local Social Security office as they have an Agreement with the Dutch 

A couple yrs ago we had to Redo it because it had the Wrong Stamp on it.

They are Hard cases to deal with .

Send them an E mail but No Answer .

Waiting now for the one for this year ,Normally we get the Form the first week in September. and have 60 days to Reply  (Send the form back) Fingers crossed .

 

At least the Dutch pension is worth the effort ????

[Hi Tea]

1 minute ago, jesimps said:

1 hour ago, Hi Tea said:

That's the easy, most logical way but some posters like to make things seem as difficult as possible!

Are you on a retainer from the DWP?

No.  I just say what I see as reasonable and rational.  It's not compulsory to bash UK government departments and everything that they do is not nonsense.  On the other hand some posters....never mind.

[robertson468]

I received a Life form last year, which I completed and returned within 24 hours.  Several weeks later I received a 2nd letter instructing me to complete the Form.  Fortunately when I sent it back, I had the commonsense to send it "to be signed for" which is the equivalent of Recorded Delivery in Thailand and you get a tracking code on the receipt for your posting.   I checked the tracking, which confirmed that my Form had been delivered some two weeks before the reminder was sent.  I therefore emailed them telling them the date and time the letter had been received by their office.  I then received another email instructing me to send the Form again.  I sent a further email giving them a right Royal Rifting and telling them to get a grip and to acknowledge that they had in fact received my form.  I then received an email of apology!

[hotandsticky]

50 minutes ago, Hi Tea said:

"Due to lockdown restrictions because of COVID-19, we understand the forms are very difficult to have witnessed and returned".

The think is, it's not that difficult to have them witnessed and posted back.

 

Who's "locked down" in Thailand?  Did you tell them just ten days ago that Thailand was locked down?  Naughty man.

 

No. The restriction related to airmail post not being allowed (since changed).

[jesimps]

6 minutes ago, Hi Tea said:

They're not only witnessing the signature, they're also vouching for having seen the original of one of your ID verifications from the list on the back of the form.

Do you have a degree in stating the obvious, or is it nitpicking? Of course I presented them with my passport, they have to ensure that it's your signature they're witnessing. Cheeze, some people.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Hi Tea said:

Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by Covid-19 we have stopped issuing our life certificate requests until worldwide circumstances change.

I got sent a  life form in January 2020 C19 and one

in August 2020 C19, harsh in in calling IPC liars I don't think so..

[Max69xl]

3 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

I completed one last week. I get one for completion every 2 years. The problem being that the part for completion by the Thai person is in English and I have had issues with getting it signed especially from my bank. They should have an explanation in Thai so they know what they are signing. Thais do not like signing forms.

You're saying that the form should be in different languages depending on where in the world you're living? You do know that any Thai are not allowed to sign the 'proof of life' form? 

[Thingamabob]

Just received my life proof form, precisely 2 years since the previous one. I will complete it and return it to the UK, having been witnessed, as I have always done.

[ChrisKC]

1 hour ago, jesimps said:

"By the way, the covering letter states that you have 16 weeks from the date of it to return the certificate - seems reasonable to me!"

 

Not if it takes 15 weeks to arrive. Both of the LCs I've received have arrived at my house after the return date. Fortunately they didn't stop my pension. I returned both by EMS.

I think my local post office stockpiles my letters until they feel I have enough to warrant a trip to out. That's if I'm lucky, several items I've been expecting just haven't arrived at all. 

You are right of course. My latest one arrived after about 4 weeks so I still have plenty of weeks in hand, The registered post takes less than one week to return to UK as was confirmed when a receipt for the signature was available for me to inspect, Two other letters I sent to UK took one week each, though the originals to me took two months!

[Jomtien john]

3 hours ago, Hotrats said:

I received a "Proof of Life" form just last week. It took 4 weeks to reach me judging by the date on their letter. I got it signed and sent it back straight away. I seem to get one every 2 years. The annoying thing about these forms is finding someone appropriate to counter sign it. This time I got it signed by my local chemist. Am now waiting to see if they consider her as having sufficient social standing. 

Happend to me 4 years ago gave immigration officer 300 baht to verify I was alive,also had to pay back my overpayments, as they could tell me the exact date i left the uk big brother watching over us

[Chris.B]

9 hours ago, izod10 said:

Not worth arguing the toss here. Depending on what version of illegal/criminality is accepted.  The DWP version does state no illegal /criminality can be attached to the individual in receipt of OAP.  Is accepted Thailand is a frozen country  ,but the legal requirement to conform to that requirement is not there (DWP website)

Where does the DWP state that? Can you give me a link please?

[digger70]

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

At least the Dutch pension is worth the effort ????

Only Part dutch Pension .I lived in Australia for  more than 40 yrs.

the trouble is that the Australian  Centrelink Classed the bit what I get from the Netherlands as Income so they Cut my Aussie Pension Down. Greedy Sods.

[OJAS]

4 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

They should have an explanation in Thai so they know what they are signing.

Hear, hear!

 

3 hours ago, Hi Tea said:

Why should the DWP provide a Thai (and, therefore, every other language) translation? 

And why on earth should they not? IMHO they should give us all the tools needed to do the job properly, which, quite clearly, they aren't. Why should we have to stump up the cost of a translation merely because DWP are too lazy to provide one themselves?

 

54 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

You're saying that the form should be in different languages depending on where in the world you're living? 

He may or may not be saying that. But I most definitely am!

Edited September 7, 2020 by OJAS

[andygrr]

4 hours ago, hugh2121 said:

email received from DWP in July this year:

Dear Mr Morgan,  

Thank you for your email dated 03/07/2020.

I have checked our records and can confirm we have not issued any life certificates to you since November 2018, which you completed and returned.

Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by Covid-19 we have stopped issuing our life certificate requests until worldwide circumstances change. Your payments will continue to be issued every four weeks.

Yours Sincerely

 

Gemma 

+44 191 2187777

The Pension Service 11

Mail Handling Site A

Wolverhampton

That's BS my mum received one last week. The letter was dated early Aug and they give you 16 weeks from date of letter so 4 weeks have already passed. so they are still sending them out. Her last one was in June 2018 so looks like every 2 years. Yes they are a pain to get signed.

[orientalist]

I just received my latest life certificate. They are sent every 2 years. Usually i am in the UK around this time and a family friend - a JP - signs it. This year I will try my bank since the lawyer I have used for similar things in the past charges 1800 baht. 

[izod10]

1 hour ago, Chris.B said:

Where does the DWP state that? Can you give me a link please?

DWP website