Claiming Old Age Pension

[Raybangkok]

Why is there such a difference in the claim form from claiming in the UK to claiming from abroad? To claim in the UK you just fill out some information nothing difficult. Claiming from abroad you have to fill in the addresses where you lived in the UK over the last 50 years. Your work record over the last 50 years employers work numbers company addresses. Yet none of these are asked for when claiming from the UK. If you have moved around a lot and did not work at the same place over the years not many people keep accurate records of every place they have worked and the details appertaining to them. You are also asked for you birth certificate when applying from abroad but not from the UK just your NI No: and permanent address. Why is there such a huge discrepancy between the 2 forms?

[Eff1n2ret]

I don't know, but perhaps in the official mind it's based on the touchingly naive assumption that if you're in the UK you're there legally and therefore extensive checks aren't necessary, whereas the great wide world contains legions of frauds and forgers who could construct bogus claims based on a minimum of information. I used to read stories of the huge quantity of National Insurance Numbers which have been issued and are now unaccounted for.

[BritManToo]

Buy yourself a Skype UK phone number ($24 for 3 months).

Buy yourself 400 minutes call time ($8)

 

Claim by phone from the UK phone number, takes around 15 minutes.

You won't need to provide any extra information.

 

Unless you want to tell them you're claiming from outside the UK.

[Raybangkok]

Thanks for the comments but would have been happy to have one from the British Embassy with information as to why. But as usual it would be too much to expect that the Embassy would do anything to help people. So wish we were back in the old days with a helpful and friendly embassy where we were made to feel welcome and our needs met.

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, Raybangkok said:

Thanks for the comments but would have been happy to have one from the British Embassy with information as to why. But as usual it would be too much to expect that the Embassy would do anything to help people. So wish we were back in the old days with a helpful and friendly embassy where we were made to feel welcome and our needs met.

Pensions are nothing to do with British embassy............they are the remit of the Department for Work & Pensions.

 

 

[Denim]

3 minutes ago, Raybangkok said:

So wish we were back in the old days with a helpful and friendly embassy where we were made to feel welcome and our needs met.

Blimey....when was that ??  The inter war years ?

[hotandsticky]

6 minutes ago, Denim said:

Blimey....when was that ??  The inter war years ?

 

 

Those words you dread hearing......................................."I am from the British embassy, I am here to help".

[Raybangkok]

12 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Pensions are nothing to do with British embassy............they are the remit of the Department for Work & Pensions.

 

 

Of course i realise that not stupid but they have access to the depts that deal with these matters and could flag up problems.

[Raybangkok]

12 minutes ago, Denim said:

Blimey....when was that ??  The inter war years ?

in the early 90s when it took 2 days to get a passport no appointments required and always British staff available to talk to and sort out problems.

[Robin]

Another point to note  is that if you claim our UK pension from overseas, your pension is frozen at the rate when you claim.  No cost of living or other increases, as given to UK residents automatically.  This is a far greater injustice than having to fill in an onerous form.

Also remember to give DWP your address overseas;  every year they send you a letter asking if you are still alive.  Unless you reply to this, confirming you are alive, your pension is stopped automatically, with no further notification. (you are presumed dead.)  The only way you know this, is when your pension is stopped..  At least if you then show signs of life, your pension resumes with all the missed payments made up.

Remember that DWP want you to die , or appear to be dead, as soon as possible.  UK pensions are only financially viable if you die soon after reaching pensionable age.

I believe that a UK MP has been trying to get overseas residents eligible for the same increases as Uk residents get.

[hotandsticky]

29 minutes ago, Raybangkok said:

Of course i realise that not stupid but they have access to the depts that deal with these matters and could flag up problems.

 

 

No they don't.

 

It is not their remit and they would direct you to where you should take your gripe.........to DWP.

[British Consular Team]

Raybangkok as hotandsticky says the Consular team at the Embassy in Bangkok has no more access to DWP than you do. If you wish to complain you can find out how at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

[British Consular Team]

On 10/22/2021 at 9:59 AM, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Those words you dread hearing......................................."I am from the British embassy, I am here to help".

Not sure this is how every British person we are seeking to help reacts. See https://aseannow.com/forum/264-consular-team-activities/ for more detail on how some feel differently.

[hotandsticky]

5 hours ago, British Consular Team said:

Not sure this is how every British person we are seeking to help reacts. See https://aseannow.com/forum/264-consular-team-activities/ for more detail on how some feel differently.

 

Then you will understand that not everyone feels the same way.....................................unless you ignore the negative comments on forums such as this from people who less likely to provide feedback.

 

 

I fear that you would not score well in a perception survey............................. actually, you might, because quite a few people seem to that you have responsibility for things that are clearly not your remits...............passports (other than emergency ones), UK Visas etc.