Life certificate

[hotandsticky]

3 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

It DID need an official stamp and the doctor had one!

DWP does NOT require a stamp

[ChrisKC]

1 minute ago, hotandsticky said:

DWP does NOT require a stamp

have it your own way mate!

[scorecard]

7 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

And when they receive the life certificate they say, "Oh No!, he's still alive!"

" ...  I also ask them to confirm receipt of the form, which they always do...."

 

Same documents as required by the Australian DVA every few years for war vetereand receiving pensions, lifetime compensation payments.

 

Can submit as an e.mail attachments but of course including full contact details for the person signing.

 

Within 48 hrs I get a friendly e.mail confirmation from the DVA eplining what ecords have been updated, next future steps /requirements, etc.

[hotandsticky]

6 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

have it your own way mate!

Yes,... only because I am right! ????

 

I have witnessed over a hundred life certificates in the last 12 years.

 

 

Nearly anyone can sign  - from gov.uk:-

Who can sign your Life Certificate
Your countersignatory must:

have known you for at least 2 years
for example they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession

No need to have a stamp.

[andygrr]

Go to any local clinic and get a doctor to sign, prices range from 100 to 300 baht sorted.

[hotandsticky]

Just now, andygrr said:

Go to any local clinic and get a doctor to sign, prices range from 100 to 300 baht sorted.

Pay nothing .....get a respectable mate to do it.

[sandyf]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:43 AM, essexman said:

Any help will be appreciated

You didn't say who it was from.

A few years ago my L & G pension suddenly stopped. I phoned them up and asked why, it was non return of life certificate. I asked if they could send another and they said not necessary, the phone call indicated I had not passed away.

Maybe worth a try with a reasonable pension provider.

[hotandsticky]

17 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

have it your own way mate!

Here you go mate, you have it - with my compliments.

 

Indeed almost anyone can sign....................https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad/report-a-change-in-your-circumstances
If you’re asked to fill in a ‘life certificate’

You may get a ‘life certificate’ form from the Department for Work and Pensions to check you’re still eligible for the State Pension.

You need to get the form signed by a witness. The instructions are on the form.

Your witness does not have to live in the UK or have a passport from any specific country.

The people who can sign the form are the same as those who can ‘countersign’ a passport photo.
Who can sign your form and photo

Your countersignatory must:

    have known you (or the adult who signed the form if the passport is for a child under 16) for at least 2 years
    be able to identify you, for example they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
    be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession

[ChrisKC]

16 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Here you go mate, you have it - with my compliments.

 

Indeed almost anyone can sign....................https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad/report-a-change-in-your-circumstances
If you’re asked to fill in a ‘life certificate’

You may get a ‘life certificate’ form from the Department for Work and Pensions to check you’re still eligible for the State Pension.

You need to get the form signed by a witness. The instructions are on the form.

Your witness does not have to live in the UK or have a passport from any specific country.

The people who can sign the form are the same as those who can ‘countersign’ a passport photo.
Who can sign your form and photo

Your countersignatory must:

    have known you (or the adult who signed the form if the passport is for a child under 16) for at least 2 years
    be able to identify you, for example they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
    be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession

Thank you, but I have never been a witness, only three times since 2010 as the one needing confirmation of still living and the one receiving the form and the covering letter!

[brianburi]

40 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

DWP does NOT require a stamp

It does require a stamp.   The information you have posted is wrong.  The International Pension Letter contains all the information you require.  It states clearly who can sign the form.  Have you had a current letter from The Pension Service.........

[moogradod]

The information here may at times be misleading for it applies all only to the UK as far as I can see. There are as well other nationalities participating in AN, and rules may differ from country to country. It would help to make a short statement in the resp. post to which country it does apply.

[hotandsticky]

36 minutes ago, brianburi said:

It does require a stamp.   The information you have posted is wrong.  The International Pension Letter contains all the information you require.  It states clearly who can sign the form.  Have you had a current letter from The Pension Service.........

You are wrong.

 

I haven't included a stamp for more than 5 years. 

 

Do your research before posting false information. Just to help you on your way try with the gov.uk website - and then listen to the voices of experience.

[essexman]

9 hours ago, thoengthaied said:

If in Jomtien, Dr. Chanya has a clinic conveniently close to the Hanuman statue, and will do it for 200 baht.

I will try there tomorrow.  Lawyer quoted me 1.500 baht.

[kidneyw]

7 hours ago, Farmerslife said:

Just curious, was your letter properly addressed?

 

Mine arrived just before the Songkran break and was dated 3rd January. 

 

The address did not include the Country and the province had been shortened to Nakhon Ratc. I guess the letter went through the automatic letter readers several times before being spat out as insufficiently addressed and then it required manual intervention to forward it.

 

Add to that industrial action in the UK by RM workers and a postman over here who delivers only when the mood takes him, which unfortunately for me appears to be not very often, and the weeks soon passed.

 

I now wait to see if I receive my state pension at the end of the month.  

 

Correct address.

[xylophone]

14 minutes ago, essexman said:

I will try there tomorrow.  Lawyer quoted me 1.500 baht.

There has been some good information posted on this thread, and your decision to go to the doctor at his clinic to get it signed is very wise indeed. I say this because he will also have a stamp, which whether it is needed or not, is always good to have.

 

I say this from experience because I have two POL forms sent from different countries, one from the UK and one from New Zealand.

 

Also, I send mine back to the countries concerned using Thai registered post, and it costs me about 120 baht.

 

Good luck and no need to worry.

[Surasak]

On 5/16/2023 at 3:48 PM, Pattaya57 said:

Sorry to interrupt but what is a life certificate?

A PROOF of the fact you are still alive and thus the DWP will continue to pay your pension.

[Moonlover]

28 minutes ago, xylophone said:

There has been some good information posted on this thread, and your decision to go to the doctor at his clinic to get it signed is very wise indeed. I say this because he will also have a stamp, which whether it is needed or not, is always good to have.

 

I say this from experience because I have two POL forms sent from different countries, one from the UK and one from New Zealand.

 

Also, I send mine back to the countries concerned using Thai registered post, and it costs me about 120 baht.

 

Good luck and no need to worry.

Good, sensible advise, thank you.

 

I receive 3 POL letters from the UK, although thankfully one has now gone digital so no need to worry about the postal service for that one.

 

For the other two I always ensure they are stamped and like you, I post them back registered. Never had a hitch in 10 years of living here.

[Surasak]

9 hours ago, Farmerslife said:

From Gov.UK website

Acceptable witnesses 

 

Recognised professions

Examples of recognised professions include:

accountant

airline pilot

articled clerk of a limited company

assurance agent of recognised company

bank or building society official

barrister

chairman or director of a limited company

chiropodist

commissioner for oaths

councillor, for example local or county

civil servant (permanent)

dentist

director, manager or personnel officer of a VAT-registered company

engineer with professional qualifications

financial services intermediary, for example a stockbroker or insurance broker

fire service official

funeral director

insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company

journalist

Justice of the Peace

legal secretary (fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs)

licensee of a public house

local government officer

manager or personnel officer of a limited company

member, associate or fellow of a professional body

Member of Parliament

Merchant Navy officer

minister of a recognised religion (including Christian Science)

nurse (RGN or RMN)

officer of the armed services

optician

paralegal (certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals)

person with honours, for example an OBE or MBE

pharmacist

photographer (professional)

police officer

Post Office official

president or secretary of a recognised organisation

Salvation Army officer

social worker

solicitor

surveyor

teacher or lecturer

trade union officer

travel agent (qualified)

valuer or auctioneer (fellow or associate members of the incorporated society)

Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers

 

Not that this is probably of great interest to anyone else but, as an example, I used a friend in the tax office to witness mine.

One you can to that list is a teacher, Thai or other. As long as they add their W/P No and the school at which they teach. Has worked for me over the past few years. Although I didn't get any request 2020/21/22

[treetops]

2 minutes ago, Surasak said:

One you can to that list is a teacher . . . . .

5th from the bottom.

[blackshadow]

3 hours ago, JustinCredible said:

I always send the form back using Registered Airmail.  It takes about 7 - 10 days to get to Newcastle, via the Wolverhampton mail center.

The cost is around 130 Baht, compared to 1,200 using EMS.

As a safeguard I send an email enclosing a copy of the completed form, telling them that it is en route, but there are always problems with the Thai Postal system. I also ask them to confirm receipt of the form, which they always do.

Regarding the non-receipt of the form, I also email them every 2 years to ask if the form has been sent or is due. I also ask that they send a copy by email which they always do.

As far as getting it witnessed, I use either a Doctor at a local hospital (who I have to see every 3 months) free of charge, or the Abbot at a local Temple. 

 

Hope this helps.

COULD YOU post the e mail address for the international pension office please....THANK YOU VERY MUCH

[SussexExpat]

I went to my local hospital for my POL. I must have looked like death warmed up because they insisted on taking my pulse just to make sure.

[essexman]

1 hour ago, blackshadow said:

COULD YOU post the e mail address for the international pension office please....THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Yes I would appreciate that too.

[Mutt Daeng]

4 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

DWP does NOT require a stamp

I agree. My mate (licensed aircraft engineer) who signs my PoL does not have a stamp.

[hotandsticky]

3 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

I agree. My mate (licensed aircraft engineer) who signs my PoL does not have a stamp.

Nookie?

[d4dang]

19 hours ago, essexman said:

Thanks for the answers, I will get it witnessed by my local lawyer.  I was told that it can be witnessed at the immigration office.  On a side note, can I ask the safest way to send the form back to the UK?  I've heard registered post is very expensive, so I may go the EMS route.

So what happened on day 4? 

[essexman]

3 hours ago, d4dang said:

So what happened on day 4? 

Not sure what you mean?  Day 4?

I only found out about the Life Certificate on Tuesday.  My plan this morning (Thursday) is to take the form to a clinic that was recommended (Dr Chanya) and hopefully get it signed and witnessed their.  Then I'll take it to the post office and send it registered post.  Hopefully that will be job done, I will of course write a post on how much this has all cost for future reference.  I intend to photograph the signed form, and receipts from the clinic and post office in case the form goes missing on route.  If someone would be kind enough to post the correct email address for the W&P that we would use if living in Thailand that would be appreciated.

What I will add is like a few others, I too only found out about this life certificate when my pension wasn't paid into my Thai bank account.  I was made aware of this after phoning the W&P in the UK.  I was told my pension would now be paid as i had contacted them.  Of course, as it takes 9 working days for the payment to arrive, I won't be getting this months pension until close to the end of the month.

[Moonlover]

You can contact the IPC via the following website @essexman.

 

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

 

[OJAS]

13 hours ago, blackshadow said:

COULD YOU post the e mail address for the international pension office please....THANK YOU VERY MUCH

 

12 hours ago, essexman said:

Yes I would appreciate that too.

THE PENSION SERVICE 11

MAIL HANDLING SITE A
WOLVERHAMPTON

WV98 1LW

UNITED KINGDOM

 

(Not shouting, that's how it actually appears on the return envelopes DWP send us!)

 

 

 

 

[essexman]

3 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

THE PENSION SERVICE 11

MAIL HANDLING SITE A
WOLVERHAMPTON

WV98 1LW

UNITED KINGDOM

 

(Not shouting, that's how it actually appears on the return envelopes DWP send us!)

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your reply.  However this is the postal address and not the email address I asked for.

[OJAS]

2 minutes ago, essexman said:

Thanks for your reply.  However this is the postal address and not the email address I asked for.

Sorry, misread you and @blackshadow. This is the relevant email address:-

 

[email protected]

 

That said, probably better to contact them initially via the secure messaging link quoted by @Moonlover above.